Why Sweating Beats Shivering

Over the pasts several weeks, I've heard some of my fellow runners complaining about the heat and humidity. No offense, but I really don't want to hear it. Not after that long winter with those icy winds that continued tormented us clear into April. Sure, hot weather means sweat-soaked clothes and the challenge of running in higher temps . But you know what? I'll take that every time over shivering in the cold.

Back in January, I detailed all the reasons I really don’t like the winter. Even with record heat these past several weeks, I stand steadfastly by those words, offering the following pearls of wisdom as to why I prefer the Summer!

• Less Clothing! Let’s cut to the chase. Running is best experienced with fewer clothes. Sure, I’ll bundle up like that little guy on “A Christmas Story” when the mercury dips to sub-zero temps. But if given a choice, I’m going to wear shorts for as long as I can. I still relish the days when I would go shirtless for a run. (It’s written in law somewhere that men over 55 years of age are strictly prohibited from running without a shirt.) Put it another way, the very act of getting ready to go running is so much easier when all you have to do is put on a pair of shorts with a top instead of finding the right gloves, wool cap, tights, tops, etc.

• Sweating beats shivering! This bears repeating because I believe most of us agree that if we have to experience sweating or shivering, we’ll opt for the former. I always dread the first mile on winter runs because it takes at least that long before I’m (hopefully) warmed up. But this time of year, I’m ready to go the moment I step outside. Although the heat can and does slow down my pace, that easily beats chattering teeth from polar wind chills.

• You don’t have shovel rain or humidity! Hear me out! When it comes to weather, both summer and winter have their dangerous extremes. Just as I wouldn’t attempt to run during a blizzard, I adamantly refuse to run when lightning is in the area. But here’s the advantage. Once most thunderstorms pass, it’s safe to run outside. That’s not the case after a deep snowfall in the winter when we often have to wait until sidewalks and bicycle paths are plowed enough to support outdoor running. That typically translates into several days on an indoor track or treadmill. And if subzero temps accompany a snowfall, then it can be a couple weeks before my Nike’s and I are outside again. (I should also say that the aftermath of a tornado or derecho can be an obvious exception.)

• No ice! Ice is the mortal enemy of any runner. No matter how graceful or athletic or lucky a runner, frozen water can combine at any time with the law of gravity and lead to disastrous results. Far as I’m concerned, slowing down in a heat wave is a far preferable option to risking a broken wrist, arm or worse when attempting to run on treacherous, icy surfaces.

• More Daylight! Since I typically run in the early morning, I’m used to having the streetlights serve as that essential source of light. But for several weeks around the summer solstice, I get to experience running in the early morning light. And on clear days during this time, I’ll try to have my route finish going east so that I can see the sunrise as I approach my home. How can a day start any better than that?

It’s my guess that if I polled every runner on their ideal temperature for racing, it would be somewhere a bit over or under fifty degrees. It’s also my thought that those same runners would tell you that their favorite temps to just run would be in the neighborhood of ten degrees warmer than their favorite racing temp. I’m no different. And because of that, I’m going to thoroughly relish every day of this summer and dread the inevitable coming of the next winter.

Thoughts? Agree? Disagree? You can offer your comments below this blog or on the Facebook page with this post.

What I'm Listening To...

One of the most enjoyable aspects of following music is discovering new artist and bands to enjoy. Case in point, I'm sharing two bands that I only recently discovered. Now, neither wants to leave my earbuds the moment I lace up my Nike Winflo's.

Automatic - Excess. This is an LA based trio of three women whose music is a fun mixture of modern alternative rock and early 80's post punk. What does that mean? It means that songs like "Skyscraper" and "Venus Hour" provide a totally cool soundtrack for running on a hot, sticky summer morning.

Shoes - Boomerang. We're going back to 1982 for some of the finest "power pop" that no one's ever heard before. This Illinois band issued a string of albums from the late 70's to the end of the 80's to little fanfare. Which is truly a shame as you savor delightful songs like "Too Soon" and "Summer Rain." I'm going to have a lot of fun exploring their music in the coming weeks.