Ep #396: How to Survive Hot Weather Running (Without Feeling Miserable)

Welcome to the Not Your Average Runner podcast. I’m Jill Angie, a certified running coach, and your running BFF here to help you start running. Feel confident and love the journey no matter your size. Now, if you’ve ever felt like you just weren’t meant to be a runner, think again. I believe that running is for all bodies, even yours.

This podcast is your warmup buddy, giving you tips, motivation, and the support you need to lace up and get moving. I’ve helped thousands of women become runners, and now I wanna help you. Let’s go.

Hey, hey runner, and welcome back to the only podcast for plus-size women who want to run with confidence, joy, and absolutely zero tolerance for diet culture. Now, I don’t know if you have noticed, but it is getting hot out there. At least if you are in the northern hemisphere and if you live somewhere like Philadelphia, it’s not just hot, it is humid.

It is sticky and it is, it is just rude, which means it is time to talk about how to run in hot weather without wanting to yee yourself into the nearest sprinkler, okay? Because yes, you can keep running through the summer. You just need a few smart start. A few smart strategies say that three times fast, so let’s get into it.

Hot weather running sucks, okay? I’m not gonna lie. It sucks, but it doesn’t have to. So first of all, running in the heat feels harder. You are slower, you’re sweatier. Your sports bra is a swamp. This is all normal. It is not a sign that you are outta shape or losing fitness or doing it wrong. It is quite simply.

Physics. Okay. Your body has to work harder to cool itself, which means less energy goes to your muscles. If you add in humidity, you’re basically running through soup, okay? But it doesn’t have to be miserable. You can actually enjoy hot weather running, or at least not dread it. Okay? The key here is preparation and mindset.

So we’re gonna talk about how to not just survive the heat, but to actually, you know, maybe thrive in it. And I got six tips for you today. So tip number one is to shift your expectations. This is probably the biggest takeaway from today’s podcast is, girl, you’re gonna be slower. Let it be okay. Your job in the summer is not to pr.

It is to maintain consistency and build heat tolerance. Running slower isn’t failure. It is smart training. Okay. Hot weather is kind of like resistance training. It strengthens you up so that when you start running in the fall and it’s cooler and less humid, it, it feels magical. Okay, so when it is hot, I want you running by effort level and not pace run to like an effort level of maybe a five out of 10.

And that might be slower than what your five out of 10 has you doing. When the weather is cooler, that’s okay. If it feels hard, slow down, walk extra. All right. It’s gonna pay off when the weather cools down. I promise you will get faster then. Now, number two, dress for success. So I want you to listen closely here.

You do not need to earn the right to wear shorts or a tank top. I don’t care what your arms look like, I don’t care what your legs look like. If it’s hot out, wear the damn shorts. Show your arms, show your thighs, not because you’re like, look at me. But because the more skin you have exposed, the easier it is for your body to cool you down, and you’re not gonna melt from the exposure.

Alright? But you will overheat if you’re wrapped up like a burrito. So look for moisture with wicking fabrics. So that’s like synthetic type fabrics. Light colors loose fits aside from your tights, you do want your, your, even if you’re wearing short tights, you want them to be a snug fit because it’s going to cut down on chafing.

But overall, you wanna look for looser fits. Avoid cotton because it traps moisture and heat. And again, tank tops and shorts are your friends. And bonus tip, body glide is your summer, BFF. Apply it everywhere. Everywhere. You know what I mean? Now, number three, hydrate like it’s your job. Hot weather running means you’re sweating more and you’re losing your water.

You’re using losing fluid. You’re also losing salt and electrolytes. So. Drink water throughout the day, not just right before you run. And if your run is longer than 45 minutes, or you are a salty sweater, consider an electrolyte replacement drink or electrolyte tablets. And this is not overkill, okay? This is survival.

If you finish your run and you’re, you’re like crusty with salt, that’s a sign. That you need to replenish more. Okay? Your body is not a desert. It needs water and it needs minerals. So make sure you are paying attention to that. Tip number three, time it, right. This is easy, but maybe easier said than done, but run either early in the morning or later in the evening because that midday sun is savage.

So. Pay attention to the, the curve of temperatures and try to pick a time when it’s cooler. Now, if you have to run when it’s like at the peak heat for the day, and I get it, sometimes we don’t have an option, try to pick a shady route or run by water or hit the treadmill. Okay. It is okay to run inside all summer long if you need to.

Just get creative with it and make sure that you are taking care of yourself from that perspective. The goal here is movement, not martyrdom. You do not get a prize for the sweatiest run, especially if you put yourself in danger of getting like some kind of heat sickness. Don’t do that. Alright, tip number five is to take care of your mindset.

Summer running, my friends is 50% body, 50% brain, maybe it’s, it’s probably 20% body, 80% brain. Actually, if you go into it thinking, oh, this is gonna suck. It’s gonna suck. All right? So instead get curious. Ask yourself, what can I do to make this more enjoyable? How badass will I feel when I finish this 90 degree run?

How can I make this more fun? Maybe the answer is water balloons or ice in your bra. I don’t know. I’m just saying, what can I do to make this more enjoyable? How badass will I feel when I finish and how can I make it more fun? Running in the heat builds mental toughness, all right? You’re not just training your legs, you’re training your grit, and that’s hot.

All right, tip number six. Know the signs of heat illness and do not try to push through it. This is so important my friend. It’s your official permission slip to stop running in the middle of your run if something doesn’t feel right. Okay, running in the heat can be totally safe. If you listen to your body and you know the early signs of heat related illness, here’s what to watch for.

Dizziness or lightheadedness, nausea or vomiting. Unusually rapid heartbeat. I know when we are out there running, we have an elevated heartbeat, but if it starts to race like higher than it should be, than it normally is, pay attention. Um, a headache that keeps getting worse, sudden chills or goosebumps even though you’re hot or hot, dry skin.

Like you were sweating and you stopped sweating. And it’s still hot out. Um, or confusion or irritability or slurred speech. If you are experiencing any of those, or if your running partner is experiencing any of those, stop running. Get in the shade, get in the air conditioning. Start sipping water, not chugging, sipping.

Start cooling your body down immediately. And that might mean that you pour water over your head. Um, you use a cold pack. Um, lay down with your feet up. Just take some immediate action and if those symptoms persist or worsen, please call for help. Do not be afraid of calling 9 1 1. You are not being dramatic.

You are being smart, smart people. Survive. Okay. So no run is worth risking your health. You are not quitting. You are showing up for yourself in the most badass way possible by taking care of your body. All right, so those are the six biggest tips I have for you for running in the summer, right? It is. It’s gonna take some experimentation.

You gotta figure out what works for you. But these are some ideas to get you started. Um, you could also, here’s a bonus one, bonus number seven, make it a whole vibe because what helps me with summer running is to make it. It’s like really lean in, create like a hot girl summer playlist. Go out and get a new cute water bottle.

Finish every run with a Popsicle, uh, you know, do your stretches in front of a fan. That’s not a vibe, that’s just practical. Um, but I don’t know. Sometimes I like to do, uh, watermelon as my recovery snack because it’s sweet and it like helps sort of counteract that extreme thirst that we feel after running.

But like, lean in to summer and just make it, make it a mood. Okay? Have fun with it. Now, if. You have been paying attention, which you have. Um, but if you haven’t,

alright, so to recap, you’re gonna slow down, dress loose and light layers. All right, my friends. So that’s it. You can run in hot weather without feeling miserable. You might even enjoy it. And come fall, you’re gonna feel like you’ve been training with a weighted vest all summer long because every cool weather run is gonna feel like you’re flying.

And please by the way, don’t train with a weighted vest.

All right my friends. That is it for this week. You can run in hot weather without feeling miserable. You might even enjoy it. Get out there and give it a try. You’ve got this. Get sweaty. Come back Proud and I will talk to you next week.

Real quick before you go, I’ve got a fun challenge for you. Take my exerciser personality quiz to find out exactly what kind of exerciser you are and how to make running feel easier and more enjoyable.

Just head over to not your average runner.com/quiz to take it and get your results. That’s not your average runner.com/quiz.