SUMMER MARATHON TRAINING

Summer. Fun in the sun, relaxing at the beach, barbeques. And marathon training?

Marathon training might not be the first thing we think of when images of summer come to mind but, if you're running a fall marathon, it needs to be a fact of life.

The good news is that you're training for the Amica Insurance Seattle Marathon, which is later in the fall. If you were running an early October marathon, you would have to do a lot of the hardest training right through the heat of July and August. Instead, you get to push back the bulk of that training to September and October. That said, you still need to get some important work done in the summer months.

So how do you beat the heat while getting that important work done? Here are a few things to keep in mind while laying your base over the summer.

Beat the heat. Early morning is the coolest time of the day. It's also when pollution levels are at their lowest if you live in an area where pollution is a concern. If early morning just doesn't work for you, late evening will typically give you a reprieve from the humidity and slightly more moderate temperatures than midday.

Hydrate. Did you know that most of us are walking around in a perpetual state of at least moderate dehydration? Think about hydration as a 24/7 pursuit, not just something you worry about during your runs. What's the best drink to hydrate with? Plain old water.

Slow down. As the heat and humidity rise, so should your paces. Your body is working harder to manage the heat and keep your body temperature at a safe level. Don't overwork it by trying to force it to maintain the same paces in the heat as you were running in the spring. Don't worry. Your paces will recover in the fall if you don't break yourself down by trying to run too fast throughout the summer.

Do these things and, when the summer weather breaks, you'll be ready to step up your Amica Insurance Seattle Marathon training for that final push into the taper.

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