Welcome Summer!

Summer Training is Back

Happy summer everyone! I know that this is not a normal summer and it may be frustrating but let me make you feel a bit better with something that is very normal – the crazy summer weather! We have arrived at the annual client freakout season, where the dew points have risen, we still aren’t used to checking it and our blood plasma has not yet adjusted, hence, running feels really hard.

Here are ways to combat the heat while keeping your mental game strong.

1. Look at the weather every day and pace adjust so you can hit your workouts and improve fitness. If you run your runs too hard we don’t get the fitness gains we need to improve fitness, and it requires much more recovery time. Pay attention and remember that just because you can hit it doesn’t mean you should. Workouts are meant to gain fitness not prove fitness.
2. Run by minutes on your easy days instead of miles. If you have 5 miles on your schedule that equals 50 minutes no matter what speed, so adjust if you want to go slower but don’t want to be out there for a really long time.
3. Hydrate daily with electrolytes like NUUN hydration. Go into your runs already hydrated and replace your electrolytes as soon as you can after your run.
4. Carbohydrates hold water in your muscles, so be sure to eat adequate healthy carbs to help with hydration and to better help with your energy during runs.
5. If you have a long run, be sure to take an electrolyte drink that has calories to replenish your glycogen stores and help you stay strong throughout your run.
6. Compare race times in similar conditions from last summer. Comparing race times to a cold day will leave you feeling defeated. Race course to race course; conditions to conditions.
7. Training in the summer is hard. It’s our version of hills, it’s our version of altitude. If you have a fall race you will be far more prepared and you will have an advantage, as long as you don’t overtrain by running too hard in it. We develop more blood plasma and therefore can run faster when the weather drops for 2 to 3 weeks that other people who don’t have the same plasma. See this as our advantage. It makes you tougher.
8. Try not to complain. Complaining is pointless and it won’t’ change anything. Slow down, embrace the pain, and decide to get tough.
9. You will adjust to it a bit faster if you get out there and do it!
10. If you just can’t handle the pace adjustments on speed workouts then move it to the treadmill. It’s still not my favorite but, if you must, it beats skipping the workout.

We do this every year! We can do it again! The good news is your coach doesn’t believe in hammering hard miles in it! Adjust ……..you guys can do it! I have faith in you!