Well folks, it’s mid-July, and as Glenn Frey so adamantly sings, “the heat is on,” and it’s not going to ease up for the foreseeable future. As far as racing goes, summer is a really tough time to line up and go big. Even if you are in the best shape of your life, the heat and humidity are going to impact your performance. So unless you get lucky with a cool, dry morning (don’t hold your breath), you’re going to have to adjust your expectations about max effort and pacing. 

7 Adjustments to Beat the Heat

Ideally, your summer races aren’t your goal races for the year. If this is the case, consider taking a different approach on race day:

• Make it social
  Run with a friend or encourage your kids to join you. Pair it with post-race ice cream or iced coffee.
   
• Just have fun with it
  Find the race photographer and make funny faces. High five all the spectators. Run through the sprinklers. Stop and pet the dogs. Make your agenda to have no agenda.

• Turn it into a workout
  Use it as a way to push yourself but keep it within the bounds of your current training efforts. Add a warm-up and cooldown to make it a complete training day.
  
• Run from behind 
  Start in the back of your typical pace group and see how many people you can pass as the race unfolds. Make it about beating people, not about time. Ditch the watch and just have fun with it.
  
• Pace a friend or teammate
  Perhaps you can ease back a little on your own effort to help someone else out who could use the extra support.  
  
• Keep it short(er)
  Almost all events offer multiple race options. If it’s going to be hot and humid, consider running a 5K instead of a 10K or a half marathon instead of a full.
  
• Hit reset
  Make a point to take short, pull back intervals during the race. For example, ease up for 10-15 seconds within every mile for shorter races or pull back to tempo pace for 1-2 minutes of every 5K for longer races. This is both a physical break and a nice mental distraction. 

Obviously, in some cases, we don’t have the option to change our plan. In this situation we have to do the best we can to make ourselves as comfortable as possible before, during and after the race. Which means cooling your body, core and skin, down in any way that you can. Do this and you will outperform anyone who didn’t get the memo.

Curious to know the science behind this concept? When conditions are hot and humid, some of the blood that would be delivering oxygen to your working muscles is now going to the surface of your skin with the goal of cooling off and returning to your core. By keeping your core and skin cool on your own, you allow the blood to go straight to the working muscles once your race begins. This will provide a solid window of time to allow you to perform at a higher level for part of your race if not most depending on the distance. Kind of a no brainer, right? 

RELATED: A Complete Guide to Running and Racing in the Heat

9 More Ways to Beat the Heat

Recently, I had to line up at 11:15 to race a mile with my team. For any other race, there is zero chance I’m voluntarily starting that late in the day. But I’m all about showing up for my team. And while I wasn’t thrilled to be racing in this brutal summer weather—clearly none of us were—I tried to keep my whining to a minimum.

Here’s some of many things I did on race day to keep myself cool that you can utilize in your next race.

Freeze your hat or visor 
Throw your hat in the freezer the night before and/or pack it in a cooler full of ice and take that to the race with you. Putting a cold lid on your head before you start cools your entire body down significantly.

Freeze your fuel
Just the thought thought of a warm Maurten or UCan Gel is unsettling to the stomach. But a frozen mocha or pineapple shot? That’s a very different story.  

Try an lid that cools your head
Omius hats and headbands are a serious investment ($204-$214), but if you’re racing long distance they might be worth the hit to your wallet. If you watched the marathon in the Paris Olympics or any of the recent Ironman World Championships, you probably saw several athletes wearing Omius cooling gear.

Wrap it up
Fill a bandana or thin towel with ice and wrap it around your neck after you warm up. The Ice RAD-dana from Rabbit ($20) is a great option as it has pockets for ice and it is made with moisture-wicking material. Keep this on right up until the race begins.

Water down
Pour cold water over your head before you race and mid-race if it’s longer than a mile. Keeping your body temperature cool is a total game changer, and a great way to beat the heat.

Cover up
Bring a tent or giant umbrella or one of these beach chairs with a cover. For obvious reasons, stay in the shade as long as possible.  

Ice, ice, baby
Drop a few pieces of ice into your pockets or sports bra right before you take off to bring that overall skin temperature down one more time.

Chill your mind
Rather than your typical pre-race pump up music, consider listening to something relaxing like classical or jazz. Not for everyone. But a nice change if you can swing it.

Freezer Pops are your friend
Freeze Pops are sweet, cold and delicious, and one of my favorite ways to beat the heat. They’re perfect for both before and after the race because they’re easy to transport and are still refreshing even as they start to thaw. Or for your loyal friend who’s not racing to pass you from the sidelines during the race itself. Pro-tip: Have them on hand in the cooler of ice to enjoy when you’re done. Nothing tastes better.

RELATED: 12 Simple Tips to Ensure a Great Summer of Running

Again, racing your best in summer conditions is tough. And no matter how well you prepare, you still need to listen to your body and pull back or adjust as needed. Even the best athletes have to shift expectations. But, having just raced and done all of the things listed above, I can guarantee a more pleasant experience with these warm weather tricks to beat the heat.

For more insights about running and racing in the heat, read coach Greg McMillan’s guide to running in hot weather.

Boston-area editor-at-large Rebecca Trachsel is a mom, a competitive age-group marathoner, a high school cross country and track coach, and music lover with a coffee problem. She’s still chasing big goals and having a blast along the way.

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