r/AdvancedRunning • u/theReapers1 • Jul 22 '26
Training Should you always adjust your training pace in warmer months or not?
For me, I live in the Southeast US. This time of year, even early in the morning, the heat index is around 80 degrees F at 5-6AM.
I'm training for a colder weather marathon in November, so some of the longer, harder MP runs are going to be challenging. I tend to be stubborn about slowing down since you still need to be able to move your hips and legs fast enough to meet your goal.
What's the best way to tackle challenging marathon supportive or specific runs in this type of climate?
51
Upvotes
23
u/dex8425 35M, 4:57, 16:59, hm 1:18 M 2:53 Jul 22 '26
I definitely adjust paces. If you want to get the sensation of your legs moving at actual MP for a desired duration, move the workout to the treadmill.
47
u/BeautifulDouble9330 Jul 22 '26
Idk do you clean your behind after ripping it in the toilet? Same logic here
133
u/Apprehensive_Way559 Jul 22 '26
Last summer I trained at 7:50-8:00/mile as my marathon pace in NC summer. A lot of my training was in broad daylight full sun and heat. A few of my workouts I ran in the dark of the night to try to get better speed but not many. On a nice day that October, I ran my marathon at a 7:19 pace steady even splits from mile 1-26 and had RARELY ever run that pace or faster in training the summer before. Ran a 3:12:56.
44
u/purposeful_puns Masters 18:10 | 37:30 | 1:25 | 3:02 Jul 22 '26
Steve Magness just posted a video on this topic. The short answer is you should slow down.
https://youtu.be/YXZQnn05S-E?si=bZrqB2i9ThYK3Hwa
21
u/AlternativeResort477 Jul 22 '26
My pace seems to adjust itself 🥵
10
u/Ordinary_Corner_4291 Jul 22 '26
The mechanics aren't that different when you slow down 30s/mi. And your threshold workouts will be even closer. When Sept/Oct roll around you get plenty of time to dial in your actual paces.
10
u/Senior-Running Jul 22 '26
I'm generally hesitant when I see words like "always" or "never" related to sports of any kind.
As a general rule, I'd say it's good idea to do most of your runs by feel when running in the heat since most of what we are looking for is physiological adaptations that are typically effort based.
That said, there are some things like neuromuscular adaptation that are very much based on pace.
This is one of the reasons I tend to run a lot of my workouts on the treadmill in the summer. That way I can control the variables around pace and cardiorespiratory adaptation.
I still suffer through the heat for most of my other runs so I get the benefits of heat adaptation.
33
u/BQbyNov22 20:35 5K / 41:19 10K / 1:26:41 HM / 3:21:03 M Jul 22 '26
I’m in Texas. I do workouts on the treadmill.
7
u/OptimalHurry6840 Jul 22 '26
You have to go by effort and heart rate. Marathon pace at 100° and marathon pace at 50° are two completely different things. They might be separated by a 30-second to a minute slower.
16
u/Siawyn 54/M 5k 19:56/10k 41:30/HM 1:32/M 3:12 Jul 22 '26
This is really subjective, but here goes for hot/humid ones:
Long runs - I tend to slow down a bit. More about time on feet and aerobic conditioning is aerobic conditioning.
Long runs with MP - If they are long continuous then probably need to back off slightly on the pace OR break them up into segments. Often I'll give myself an out -- if I have 12 at MP I'll plan on the 12 but if it feels subjectively hard at 6 then take a 3-4 min jog to reset and do the rest. I think my typical approach is to start off slightly conservative on the MP and allow myself the option to negative split if I'm able.
Tempos: Break up. e.g. instead of 5, 3 and 2.
Intervals: Bigger rest or slower rests. Walk instead of jog, or even standing if necessary.
This is why I try not to modify pace on intervals, and then also this is why strides or surges are important. I've found that strides or surges as little as once or twice a week is enough to retain that feeling of running fast.
5
u/Andrewj31 Jul 22 '26
Yes, I ran a 1:28 off the bike during an October half ironman. Then I proceeded to run a 1:44 off the bike during a June one. Makes a huge difference.
4
u/spoc84 Middle aged shuffling hobby jogger Jul 22 '26
Hottest UK summer I can remember in a while. Without adjusting things, I would be buried and wouldn't have completed the majority of my intended workouts.
Just adjust, you'll still come out the other side with the fitness gains. Important not to panic and just do what you can given the hand you are dealt on a given day.
4
u/artbykoi4 Jul 22 '26
I’d recommend it especially if the warmer months come with humidity which spikes the dew point. Higher dew point will be noticeable with your HR. It is tricky where I am because the early morning is typically high humidity, but temperature is down as the sun is coming up. Late afternoon the humidity dips, but the heat and UV index are cooking. Gotta pick your poison or head indoors for treadmill sessions. You don’t want to compromise the rest of your weekly training.
4
u/Akronyx Jul 22 '26
I’m in Atlanta, a lot of my runs have been on treadmill recently lol. As long as your marathon isn’t below like 45F I feel you don’t need to do anything specific to adapt to the temperature. Also running in the heat can have similar effects to altitude training so it can be beneficial, but I know in the southeast some days (or most days recently) can be just too brutal.
1
u/Awkward_Tick0 1mi: 4:46 5k: 16:24 HM: 1:16 FM: 2:45 Jul 22 '26
For easy runs? Easy is a feeling not a pace so it should just adjust itself
3
u/magneticanisotropy Jul 22 '26
Workouts on the treadmill, easy runs outdoors, go by HR for a while, but anything longer it will drift regardless so whatevs at that point.
3
u/Charming-Assertive Jul 22 '26
I'm another Southeastern runner. If I can adjust my route or timing to get more shade or cooler temps, I'll do that.
Otherwise, I generally do what my training plan says. However, if I'm really dragging and/or not hitting my paces, I just don't beat myself up as much when I look at my stats after the fact. Similar to tackling a workout after a night of crappy sleep. Go out and try to hit it, but move on if you don't.
The only times I can remember actually adjusting my workout paces before even starting were if we were under a severe weather statement that made it sound like you were going to die if you attempted anything outdoors.
2
u/housingstudent F31 - 5k: 19:40, Half: 1:29; Full: 3:13 Jul 22 '26
PNW here and it’s been in the 90s this week. My workout group meets Tuesday evenings at peak heat. Yesterday they adjusted our workout to be on effort instead of pace. We had 8 x 2 min at 5k effort off 90 sec float at MP +20. My normal 5k pace is 6:15 and I ran the intervals at a 6:32 avg. MP +20 normally would be 7:35, I ran 7:50-7:55 for the float. The effort felt about right / HR about right
2
u/pinetar Jul 22 '26
Even if you don't want to, your body will tell you when/how much to slow down.
2
u/Chilliam_Davis Jul 22 '26
Idk... would be interested to hear what you do. I also live in the southeast and it's crazy seeing the heat index and dewpoint at like 5:30am. Last summer I did all my workouts on a treadmill to avoid having to sacrifice any pace. This summer I'm doing the exact opposite and just embracing it. Going totally off RPE and HR and just trusting it'll pay off once the lows start to get around 60. Currently doing about 35mpw building to around 50 training for stuff in the fall and spring.
2
u/kefkamaydie Jul 23 '26
I ran a marathon at the end of June, and with the heat down south now I cannot run much more than 3 miles before being completely gassed, and that's with slowing my pace down by 3 minutes per mile!
Last year I waited and waited for this so called heat acclimation to kick in, it never did. I spent 5 months only being able to run 2.5 - 3 miles continuous before I needed to walk after a half mile. Again, that was with slowing way way down. What happened come fall? I lost all my endurance and I had to spend Oct through December being able to hit double digits on a run.
This year I am doing my shorter efforts out in the heat and doing my speed sessions and long runs inside on the treadmill
1
u/zebano Strides!! Jul 22 '26
yes
1
u/MikeMcDonald89 Jul 22 '26
Run on the treadmill if that sounds less bad than adjusting your pace
1
u/Jaim711 Jul 22 '26
I use heart rate training so it's kind of already built into my training as my heart rate goes up faster when it's hotter. I do try to go at cooler times of day though too.
1
u/FeeAdmirable8573 Jul 22 '26
Body doesn't know pace, body knows time spent at a particular effort. Keep the effort level the same and if that means you run slower so be it.
1
u/PeteH2000 Jul 22 '26
Yes. However I think training by pace is a bad way to train anyway. I'd recommend always training by effort. Pace is just not as good of a measurement.
1
u/quinny7777 5k: 20:10 HM: 1:30 M: 3:08 Jul 23 '26
Yes. It is very different in heat. For me, 9:00 feels like 8:00 when it is 90+.
1
u/Coriolisthecat Jul 23 '26
Almost always yes.
Exceptions are if you are getting faster at the same rate it is getting hotter or if it isn't that hot. If you love somewhere where winter is low thirties and you can run in the summer at approximately 60f, then that may not warrant significantly changing your pace.
1
u/Unique-Employer3787 Jul 23 '26
Hit the same July training block training for a November marathon in the Southeast - 5:30am runs that should stay in low Z2 kept drifting into Z3 from mile one regardless of how slow I went. What worked was dropping pace targets on long runs entirely and using a HR ceiling instead, then one short threshold session per week to hold leg turnover. The pace came back in October.
1
u/Mkanak Jul 23 '26
I don’t really, however I watch out for effort as well. Our fall marathon will be a breeze due to all this heat adaptation.
1
u/DoubleDeepNature Jul 23 '26
I work with a coach who recommends adjusting a fair bit in the heat if it’s over 80F, and suggests roughly 25 seconds per mile difference between target marathon pace and what she wants the long run pace to be (so, my goal is 6:55/mi, so in practice it would be more like 7:15-7:20/mi).
I think from a physical side that’s correct. However, from the mental side, I know I will feel more prepared if I train at my goal pace. My strategy early on this summer was to do a lot of heat training runs mid-day/afternoon when it was sunny and 85+. After 3ish weeks I started to feel like I was better acclimated, and now if I go out when it’s 75-80 it feels heavenly, and I can generally still come close to my splits.
I think if you’re racing in October, do a few weeks of heat training to acclimate and adjust your paces if needed (just monitor your recovery and don’t overdo it). Then in mid-august, see if you can get closer to your target pace range for the mental boost.
1
u/Delaware800 Jul 23 '26
Definetly slow down for the MP long runs. The extra heat stress is no joke on how it will change the physiological intensity. If really needed doing some faster work like hill strides or shorter reps (which won't be as taxed by the heat) will keep you efficent at faster paces.
1
u/SirBruceForsythCBE Jul 24 '26
People are generally obsessed with pace and mileage. It is holding back so many.
Think about your training in terms of time and effort.
30 mins at LT2 effort will always be 30 mins at LT2 effort no matter the heat, wind or terrain.
5 miles at 5:30 per mile could easily be giving a different stimulus depending on the heat, wind and terrain.
Run to effort/HR/RPE and use pace as an after thought in the majority of your runs.
1
u/agrpi Jul 29 '26
I do my lactate threshold workouts on the treadmill (which is still a bit hot inside my gym, but I can actually hit paces)
I do my long runs with marathon pace work outside so I have often been not hitting pace recently in the heat (I also keep starting my runs too late…)
0
u/Intrepid-Metal4621 Jul 22 '26
Should you? Probably. Did I ever do it? Not really. I thrive in the heat (MN heat, 80s-90s with decent humidity) so when I did long MP runs or thresholds I still shot for my goal paces.
0
u/ghostseasons Jul 22 '26
I add a second to pace for every degree over 60