12 Simple Tips to Ensure a Great Summer of Running
Summer brings its own kind of magic — long days, warm mornings, and golden evenings that make it easy to lace up your shoes for fun running adventures.
Are you ready for a great summer of running? I love running in every season, but I really love running in the summer. It’s a season that brings its own kind of magic—the long days, warm mornings, and golden evenings make it easy to lace up and head out for a few miles or a long run on the trails.
Whether you’re chasing a sunrise, enjoying a trail running adventure, getting sprinkled in a summer rain shower, cooling off with a post-run dip in a lake, or rehydrating with a popsicle, summer is a reminder that running can be energizing, playful, and full of life.
Here are 10 simple tips to help you maximize your running opportunities and adventures this summer.
There’s nothing quite like running at sunrise in the morning’s first light. Early morning runs allow you to start each day with a sense of inspiration and purpose. That early morning magic has a way of sticking with you all day long. And in the summer, it’s a great way to beat the heat. Starting your day with a run might be a challenge if you’re not a morning person, but it’s always easier than running in the afternoon heat or putting it off until evening.
Are you struggling to gain optimal fitness? Don’t stress about it, just start where you are and do what you can. Running progress takes time, but with consistency, patience, and self-compassion, every step puts you on the path to greater health and fitness. Just keep showing up—you’re building something meaningful. Whatever your motivations—health, training for a race, connection, community—don’t get stuck in constant self-reflection or the trap of comparing your journey to someone else’s. Running is a privilege, not a punishment—so embrace it as a daily opportunity to feel more alive in your body.
Sign up for a late-summer or fall race—a 10K, a half marathon, a marathon, or a trail running race—and start training for it. No matter where you are in your running journey, setting a clear goal and actively working toward it (with a proper training plan) is one of the most reliable ways to gain both progress and fulfillment in your running. You can talk about getting fitter, running faster, or finally tackling that marathon on your bucket list—but ultimately, it’s up to you to make it happen.
If your running routine feels stale, then hit the trails. Trail running offers a refreshing break from crowded city streets, sidewalks, and bike paths, because it allows you to immerse in nature and get a much-needed sensory shift. You don’t need to head into the mountains or tackle crazy long distances to enjoy the benefits, but planning at least one fun run a week on a trail system near you—whether that’s at a regional park, the rough trail along a river or a railroad track, or at the nature preserve an hour away—will provide a fun and freeing escape to an entirely different kind of running experience.
(Just be sure to take some water and a light rain jacket (just in case!), have a good idea of where the trail heads, and always tell someone where you’re going.)
Running with other people brings community to your day. Running with friends, colleagues, running club buddies, or even new acquaintances at running group runs adds accountability, fun, safety, and the feeling of shared success to your training. It’s not just about the miles you’re running, it’s about the experience you’re sharing. Whether you’re chasing a personal best or just trying to stay active, having friends by your side can make all the difference.
I love running with my dog, mostly because she absolutely loves going for a run. Running with a dog is fun because their energy can be contagious — they turn a regular jog into a fun adventure. Their excitement makes the miles fly by, and their companionship keeps you motivated. Plus, it’s a great way to bond while staying active together. Part of my great summer of running is about taking my dog for fun trail runs.
Try to run everyday for a week. Then extend that to two weeks, then just keep it going and soon you’ll develop a habit that will pay big dividends of fun and fitness, and you might never stop running. Hellah Sidibe did that and has been on a streak since May 15, 2017. Rain or shine, and no matter how his body is feeling, he has gone for a run for the last 2,960-plus days.
There are more than 100 people who have run every day for more than 20 years, and the longest current streak belongs to Jim Pearson, an 81-year-old runner from Marysville, Washington, who has been running every day since February 16, 1970. That’s more than 55 years or 20,219 days and counting!
Happiness is a new pair of shoes! There’s something energizing and exciting about lacing up a fresh pair of running shoes—especially ones you’ve been properly fitted for and test-run at your local running store to ensure they match your foot shape and running style. The right pair of kicks can literally and figuratively put a spring in your step and inspire you to have a great summer of running.
Tracking your runs with a GPS watch or smartphone app can be a great way to stay motivated and measure progress over time. Seeing your distance, pace, and improvement laid out in real numbers can help set goals and celebrate milestones. Just remember—the data is there to support your journey, not define it. Let it guide you, not stress you.
Modern music and tracking devices have their perks, but there’s something uniquely freeing about running completely unplugged—just you, the road or trail, the sun on your face, the wind in your hair, and the world around you.
The trendy GenZ activity of “silent walking” or leaving your phone behind has always been very refreshing as a runner. I know that might sound extreme in an always-connected world—and if you rely on your phone for safety, that’s totally valid—but running without it has been surprisingly refreshing for me. No photos to stop for, no pings or notifications to check, no calls to dodge—just the pure, uninterrupted rhythm of the run. It’s helped me reconnect with the simple joy of movement.
Running in summer often means running in the heat. One of my favorite ways to cool off is to plan a run near a body of water so I can take a a refreshing dip, either during the middle of the run or after the run. For me that means either submersing my legs and waist in a cold mountain stream or jumping in a mountain lake. If you live near an ocean, you can plan a run that starts and finishes on a beach.
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The monotony of running can become a bore, but there are plenty of ways to add some zest to your routine to really ensure a great summer of running. Need some ideas? Run a beer mile. (Or run with the fastest beer mile runners in the world!) Take the Bridge. Race the train up Mount Washington. Run with a donkey and get your ass over the pass in Colorado. Run with bourbon. Run under the the midnight sun. Run up the stairs of a skyscraper. Run through wine country. Or choose any of these unique, challenging, or exotic running destinations around the U.S.
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Senior editor Brian Metzler has wear-tested more than 2,500 running shoes and is the author of “Kicksology: The Hype, Science, Culture and Cool of Running Shoes” (2019) and “Trail Running Illustrated” (2019). He has raced just about every distance from 100 meters to 100 miles, but he’s most eager to share stories about his experiences pack burro racing in Colorado.