The summer is hot, it’s long, it’s lonely, and you just want to be racing. This summer especially since we were all cut off from outdoor competition this past spring. What I love about summer though is the absolute grind that everyday becomes. Every single day you wake up and attack the day to be the best you can be, so I am writing this article to share some tips to help your summer training go better and smoother while staying relaxed and getting as fit as you’ve ever been. 

The first tip is sleep. Sleeping 8+ hours a night will solve almost all of your problems. Your lack of motivation, your injuries, your lack of focus in workouts, and overall will keep you level headed. Sleep is the best way to recover so making sure you get enough is the best tip I have. There is no excuse for not sleeping enough in the summer. 

Tip 2 is to run in the mornings. As it gets hot outside and people start complaining, one thing you can do to combat heat exhaustion and heat strokes is to run early. Running at 7 or 8 am is a perfect morning time to start the grind. I’ve run a few runs at sunrise and it feels so good to be completely alone, no cars, no bikers, just you and your shoes. This allows you to run good workouts and not be dead from the heat and allows you to feel like you’re on a schedule. 

The last tip I want to share is nutrition. Cross Country season is usually the highest mileage season all year for most people. What you put in your body is so important. That means water, Gatorade, or BodyArmor for drinks. Always trying to get protein in as soon as you can after hard workouts to recover quicker. The last part of nutrition is eating enough food that you are fueled and ready to go. You are running enough miles that you don’t have to be starving yourself or not allowing yourself a little chocolate here and there, but you want to make sure the majority of what you consume is healthy and benefiting you. 

Good luck to all of you runners as you guys move further into the summer months and as we all get closer to hopefully competing again in the fall.