ATP Running

This weekend, Zoe took off on her local dog friendly 5k that she looks forward to every year.

But Zoe is also training for a 50 mile race this fall, so she did the smartest thing she could on race day: parked at a trail head a few miles from the start line and turned a 5k in to 13 miles by running in and back out.

As you can see, her dogs and her friends approved of the plan.

Summer racing.

It's might be hot. It might be humid. You might be slower than normal. Why on earth would you do it?

Because in reality, summer racing can offer huge advantages to your overall running performance. Yes, it's hot and hard and your times might not be the same as they are in cooler weather.

All of these are great reasons to ignore your times and dial in on how it FEELS to race. You can develop so many skills when you throw time out the window: how to stay engaged when it gets hard. How to recognize what mile 2 of a 5k ought to feel like. How to use mental skills to break a race into sections. How to stay in touch with your running form as fatigue sets in.

With all the positives to be gained from summer racing, let's not forget that there can be some considerations to take too. Here is a quick list of Do's and Don'ts for summer racing. Which ones are easiest or hardest for you?