Summer is the instant feeling of happiness, celebrations, spending time with family and friends, along with new beginnings and new goals. Let’s not forget about all the awesome nightlife, delicious food and drinks!
But most of all, we love Summer because it presents us with a new a challenge – running through the heat, enduring the sweat and pushing yourself to new limits. Our Guide to Summer Running gives you the tips, tricks and (hopefully) the motivation you need to dominate your summer running!
OUR TOP 3 TIPS
- Drink lots of water
- Slip, slop, slap
- Start your run slowly
Drink lots of water
There’s no point in dousing yourself to cool down after your run, it doesn’t help. You’ll need to drink plenty – at least 3L of water in the day – and if you’re going for a long run, even more! It’s so important to stay hydrated. By drinking more – you’ll improve your body’s cooling mechanisms.
Make sure to drink lots of water to stop dehydration and cramping. Drinking water post-run not only helps with restoring the fluid you lose during a workout, but starts the recovery for your next workout.
Slip, slop, slap
Cool, moisture wicking clothing, a hat and sunscreen to protect yourself from the elements. Screen it out: Our top tip for summer running is wear sunscreen. Always! Even on partly cloudy days it’s important to protect yourself from skin cancer and other skin damage like discolouration.
Start your runs slowly
The slower you start, the longer you keep your body from reaching maximal threshold (heat and exhaustion). Run early in the morning – it’s often the coolest time of day, serene, quiet and kicks off your day feeling motivated. As a bonus, you’ll still be half asleep and won’t even know you’re exercising.
OUR FAVOURITE SUMMER EXERCISES
Written by: Julie Tedde, Sole Motive Race Director & TRG Triathlon & Mutlisport Head Coach. Julie is a qualified running and triathlon coach with more than 20 years experience.
Each exercise is designed to improve your running style and recovery techniques when training in the warmer weather. The main two areas of the body critical for runners are the hips and core. Traditionally these areas are weaker, meaning strength work is the key to reducing your risk of injury, and becoming a more efficient and consistent runner.
CORE EXERCISES
Incorporate your upper abs down to your hamstrings – improving balance and stability. These muscles help us stand upright, transfer energy, and distribute the stress of bearing weight on two legs. Running depends on stable core muscles, so it’s important to make sure these areas are as strong as possible.
Russian Twist
- WHAT: Uses your oblique and transversus muscles.
- WHY: Stops the body from unnecessary rotating when running.
Plank
- WHAT: Uses your shoulders, back and abs.
- WHY: Turns on your inner core - if you’re after more of a challenge, lift one hand off the ground to control rotation of the body.
HIP EXERCISES
Hip abduction exercises help you get toned, and as a bonus help to prevent and treat hip and knee pain. They’re great for men and women of all ages, athletes or runners of any exercise abilities.
Single Leg Glute Bridge
- WHAT: Uses your lower back and the top of your glutes.
- WHY: Standing on one leg helps to stabilize your body.
Single Leg Deadlift
- WHAT: Uses your lower back and the top of your glutes.
- WHY: Standing on one leg helps to stabilize your body.
Body Weight Squat
- WHAT: Develops strength in the glutes.
- WHY: Increases the ability of the legs to cope with the load of running and minimizes the chance of injury.
Lunges
- WHAT: Uses your glutes and quads.
- WHY: Helps increase strength and flexibility through the hips.
RECOVERY
Taking time out of your training to rest is important – this is the time your body takes to adapt to new exercises and rebuilds for the next workout.
Rest days are critical to improve your performance – either restoring energy levels or bouncing back from muscle soreness, pain and stiffness. Don’t worry, recovery doesn’t have to be boring – it can actually be enjoyable!
1. COMPRESSION GARMENT
Make sure you wear your compression garment of choice POST workout – there’s no benefit wearing leggings during a run other than staying a little warmer.
Compression clothing is great for reducing post-exercise swelling in muscles and joints, sensations of muscle soreness and help you recover from soft tissue injuries.
2. COLD SHOWER / BATH
Help with microtears and microbleeding (think of what you do with a blood nose, you’ll grab some frozen peas and pop them on your face to reduce swelling and bleeding).
Ice baths help to constrict your blood vessels and flush waste products from affected tissues, decrease metabolic activity and slow down physiological processes. Once you warm-up after your ice bath you’ll increase the blood flow in your body to speed up circulation to help your recovery on its way.
3. LIGHT SWIM / BIKE
If you can’t sit still on rest days you can go for a swim, bike or even a light cross-training session. Make sure to keep these sessions at low-intensity and listen to your body. You don’t want to aggravate soreness further or increase fatigue, so take it slow.
The best way to improve as an athlete is to give your body the time it needs to recover, so it can absorb the exercises and training. Your body works hard to repair itself & jump back from soreness – think of your recovery as a tactic to improve on your running – you can’t have one without the other.
MORE RESOURCES
Thanks to Runner’s World Australia & New Zealand, we’ve got some insider tips on everything Summer running:
