Hot Weather, Smart Training
How to adapt, stay safe, and keep making progress when the temps go up
This past weekend, the heat kicked up where I’m training—and I started hearing the same thing from clients: “It’s already in the 90s out here.” Summer’s not waiting. And if you don’t plan for it, it’ll wreck your consistency before you even realize it.
Training in the heat isn’t just uncomfortable—it’s a different physiological challenge.
Your heart rate runs higher. Recovery takes longer. Hydration needs increase. Paces feel harder. And if you don’t adjust for it, you can dig yourself into a hole fast—physically and mentally.
But that doesn’t mean you have to back off completely. You just have to train smart.
Understanding how heat affects your body—and knowing how to adjust your plan—can help you stay safe, stay consistent, and even build an advantage heading into cooler months or fall races.
“The best athletes don’t avoid hard conditions. They learn how to train through them.” — Steve Magness
Don’t Fear the Heat—Respect It
Heat isn’t something to fear—but it’s not something to ignore either. It’s a legitimate stressor on the body, and if you treat it like just another training day, you’re setting yourself up for poor performance, stalled recovery, or even injury.
When you train in hot conditions, your body is doing double duty. Not only are you generating internal heat from the work itself, but now your system is also working hard to cool you down. Blood flow is redirected to your skin, sweat rate increases, and your heart rate climbs—often even if pace and effort stay the same.
In other words: it’s going to feel harder, even when you’re doing less.
That’s not weakness. That’s biology.
Heat impacts:
Heart rate: Expect it to be elevated for the same level of effort.
Pace: Slow down your targets, especially on key workouts.
Recovery: Sleep, hydration, and nutrition matter more than usual.
Mental fatigue: Hot sessions feel tougher and take a bigger mental toll.
Don’t ignore those signals. Learn to read them. You don’t have to skip training—but you do need to shift how you approach it.
Respecting the heat isn’t about avoiding challenge. It’s about working with your environment instead of against it.
Adjust the Right Things
Training through heat doesn’t mean giving up—it means adjusting wisely.
You don’t need to cancel every session when the temperature rises. But you do need to change your expectations, shift your approach, and give your body the support it needs to keep showing up.
Here’s what to adjust:
Pace: Heat slows you down. Don’t fight it. Drop the ego and let your effort guide you. Use heart rate, RPE (rate of perceived exertion), or even time-based workouts instead of chasing numbers that no longer reflect the conditions.
Timing: Shift runs earlier in the morning or later in the evening to avoid peak heat. A 6 a.m. session might not feel ideal—but it’s a lot more sustainable than melting in the afternoon.
Hydration: Don’t just drink during your sessions—show up hydrated. Add electrolytes if you’re training longer than an hour, and stay on top of fluid intake throughout the day.
Gear: Lightweight, light-colored, breathable clothing makes a difference. Wear a hat or visor, and consider routes with shade or water stops if you're outside for longer efforts.
Mindset: The heat doesn’t mean you’re losing fitness—it just means your body is working harder to stay cool. Stop judging every session like it's happening in perfect conditions.
Smart adjustments don’t make you soft—they make you sustainable. The athletes who train through summer aren’t pushing harder. They’re adapting faster.
Use the Heat to Your Advantage
Training in the heat isn’t just something to work around—it’s something you can use to get better.
When done right, heat training becomes a performance tool. It forces your body to become more efficient at cooling, circulating blood, and managing internal stress. That means when conditions improve—when the temps drop later in the season—you’re left with a stronger, more resilient system.
This is called heat adaptation, and it’s a real physiological benefit.
With repeated exposure, your body learns to:
Start sweating earlier and more effectively
Retain more sodium and fluids
Reduce heart rate drift during extended efforts
Improve perceived effort at the same workload
You don’t need to do anything extreme to adapt. Simply training consistently in warmer conditions (with smart pacing and proper hydration) can trigger these benefits within 7 to 14 days.
If you’re prepping for a fall race or want to maintain fitness through the summer months, embracing the heat now can give you a real edge later.
But here’s the key: the heat only helps if you train with it, not against it.
Don’t force high intensity before your body is ready. Don’t ignore warning signs. Adaptation only happens when you recover well and respect the process.
Train smart now, and you’ll be surprised how much faster, lighter, and sharper you feel once the temperatures cool down.
Hot weather isn’t a reason to stop training—it’s a reason to train smarter.
Adjust your plan. Respect the effort. Let your body adapt. Because what feels hard now is building capacity you’ll carry into every cooler day ahead.
Summer training isn’t about chasing perfection. It’s about showing up with consistency, flexibility, and the mindset to play the long game.
How could this season of discomfort turn into your edge later in the year?