12 Tips For Summer Training

• May 29th, 2022 Fitness

Training for a spring event through winter can be tough, especially when training for a triathlon or any other outdoor race. You may be limited by time to training in the dark on icy roads, which makes you yearn for summer training in warmer temperatures and longer days.

But then, July arrives, and the temperatures can make you feel lethargic, and a beer or rosé in the sun is much more appealing. So how do you stay motivated to train for your event at the end of the summer?

In this article, we’ll give you some top tips for staying motivated toward your goal throughout the summer.

1. Stick To The Plan

The best way to get ready for your event is to have a plan and stick to it. You can create your own plan or have a fitness professional formulate one for you. 

Log each workout on a fitness app, or stick your plan to the fridge and cross them off as you go. Doing this will give you a feeling of accomplishment, even if you don’t feel great during every workout.

2. Embrace Slow Miles

When the temperatures are soaring, and you’re early in your fitness plan, you don’t need to feel bad about pushing hard all the time. Slow miles are essential for building endurance. This is known as “zone 2 training”, as your heart rate never gets into zone 3, which happens with more intense exercise.

You can do zone 2 training on your bike, swimming, or running at a considerably lower intensity than you usually would. Doing this will improve your endurance and your body’s fat adaptation.

3. Don’t Forget Rest Day

Your plan should include at least one rest day per week. This means you don’t exercise at all, at any intensity. Athletes with more advanced years should take their rest days more seriously than younger ones, as it significantly reduces their risk of injury.

4. Avoid Training In The Middle Of The Day

In the height of summer, training outside over lunch makes everything more challenging. The heat can really slow down your run or cycle, which can be demoralizing.

Instead, train in the morning or evening, when the heat is less intense. If you have to train over lunchtime, hit the pool or cross train in the gym.

5. Mix It Up

Joining a gym allows you to mix up your workouts. Cross training is essential for any event, but strength training for a triathlon will help you get more power to the pedals when you need it.

By being able to work out indoors during the summer, you can make the best use of your time. Therefore, timing your workouts around your day-to-day life and the weather conditions will mean you can stick to your plan.

6. Change It Up

After a few weeks of sticking to a plan, you may feel a little unmotivated, especially when summer barbecues and sundrenched beer gardens are calling.

This is the time when you need to change up your workouts. This is simpler than you may think. You can experiment with your workout playlist or join a group workout or swimming class.

Sometimes, just buying new workout clothes or a new accessory for your bike is all the motivation you need to keep soldiering on towards your goal.

7. Wear The Right Clothing

If you’re new to exercising, you may be tempted to chuck on an old cotton t-shirt and start running. But you’ll soon feel uncomfortable. Your t-shirt will hold sweat, exacerbating your discomfort and making you feel cold when you stop exercising, especially when summer training.

Instead, wear technical clothing designed for exercise. Workout tops and shorts are made from technical fabrics that breathe and dry quickly. Therefore, your body will regulate temperature better, making you feel more inclined to push on.

8. Vary Your Route

The great thing about running or riding the same route is that you can monitor your progress, as you can see incremental improvements in your times. However, you can get bored with the same old routine.

So why not choose different routes for your rides and runs? You can see loads of detailed routes using Komoot or Strava, which will allow you to vary your summer training.

9. Wear Sunscreen!

It only takes one run or ride in the sun to scupper your outdoor training for a few days. So make sure you slap on some sunscreen before you head out.

You’ll gradually get a tan with all the outdoor training you’ll be doing, so don’t be tempted to rush it without protecting yourself.

10. Stay Hydrated

You’ll naturally sweat more during summer training, so you need to keep your fluids topped up. Drink before and after your run, and keep a full bottle on your bike. You may even want to carry a hydration pack on sweltering days.

11. Fuel Yourself Properly

It’s obvious that we need to drink more while summer training but less obvious that we also need extra carbohydrates. 

During prolonged exercise, carbohydrate storage in our muscles and liver gets broken down as energy is needed for muscle contraction. But hot weather can speed up the process and deplete carbohydrates much quicker.

Therefore, you need to pay attention to hunger and thirst and feed your body the fuel it requires.

12. Listen To Your Body

Summer training can be intense, depending on where you live or during freak heatwaves. Therefore, you need to be mindful of your body temperature and heart rate.

If you start to notice early signs of heat-related illnesses or feel unwell, make sure you react appropriately. For example, slow down your pace, start walking, stop for a rest, or drink some water.

Some warning signs of overheating include headaches, tunnel vision, confusion, muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting or dizziness.

This also goes for how you’re feeling during the week. If you have any niggling pains, take a day or two off, or exercise a different part of your body. You may need to seek professional medical help before it worsens, putting you out of action.

Final Thoughts On Summer Training

Most of these tips may seem like common sense, but there’s nothing wrong with a reminder. The key things to take away from this are getting a summer training plan organized and ticking the workouts off as you go.

You should also be prepared and organized, but listen to your body to stay safe.

If you want some help and motivation for your summer training, contact us for a workout plan or advice on how to take your training to the next level.