In 2004, I trained to run  the Boston Marathon.  I live in NE Ohio.  Most of my training runs were done in  at or below freezing temperatures.  I was prepared to run a 3:15-3:20 marathon.  I was running 70 miles a week in preparation.  I was good to go.

Fast forward to race day.  April 19th, 2004.  The start of the race in Hopkington at noon...  it was 86 degrees!  Weather fluke.  I've never seen more people hauled off a race course anywhere.  Out of the 18,000 people who started, over 1500 did not finish.  I hobbled to a 4:32, my slowest marathon ever.

I suspect that my difficulty was due in part to the heat of that particular day.  If it would have been 50 and overcast, things would have been entirely different.

You should train as you will expect to race.  Typical April Boston weather is not 86 degrees, but obviously it had something to do with my poor performance.

If you are running for fitness only, as long as you make sure you are properly hydrated, run when you can, whatever time of day.

I run through the whole summer in michigan. I drink alot and keep running. The key is to start in april outside and it gradaully warms up to the 80-90 degree days Then it cools off in the fall. I would not run inside all spring and part of summer and then one day when its 90 degrees say I am going for a 10 mile run.  You get your body used to it and you learn how to drink the right amount so you dont dehydrate and also so you dont get stomach cramps.

I've never run a Marathon, I just run at the Gym to stay in shape. In my opinion running on a treadmil is awesome since its never too cold or too hot! I life in FL so its really humid and hot outside, I usually run between 5-6 miles. But when I go with my friend to work out I either run one mile in like 7-8 minutes or 3 miles at 25 or so just to get warmed up for the workout.

Quoted: I have a friend who is always scolding me about running in the heat. She always runs either indoors or early morning when it is cool. I feel that if you train in the heat you will be in better shape and better prepared......am I wrong? Is there something I'm missing? FYI she has alot more experience running than I do.

Prepared for what?

Well your right on heat can wreck havok on your workouts if your not prepared.  While I do not know if you can prepare for heat if you never train in it, I do know that by running on a treadmill indoors with the incline set to .5 or 1.0, it makes a more realistic simulation for running out doors.

In Houston, I run outside atleast once or twice a week. During the summer, running without shade can be brutal. Make sure you start to properly hudrate atleast 4 hours before your exercises.

Your cardiovascular stamina is not going to be different because you work out indoors.  You mental toughness could be untested, the mechanics of running on a treadmill means you cant run for the same times as you you can outdoors which is alsways al slower time but you will not have weaker heart, lungs, etc from running indoors.  I see veryy little point in running outdoors unless I need to train for something very specific like running on a track for time for a job qualification or something. Ans i neeed to know where I am.  I run indoors as much as possible because I have less chance of injury, dehydration, etc.

YAll sound like a bunch of F-in  PANSISES. Try running with 70% - 90% humidity 8 months out of the year in South LA.

Get your ass out there and go run. Train and different times, make sure you got some water in you, and quit bitchin.

Just don't run next to a road with traffic.

One hour of jogging next to a road with traffic will cause you breath as much Carbon Monoxide as a  pack of cigerttes. Also road side dust contain fine particals of rubber, heavy metal, oil reside, antifreeze resiidue, brake lining dust.

These particals are super fine and with deep breathing from jogging the dust goes deep in the lungs and sticks inside. Can cause a form of cancer similar to 'siliconosis'.

Forgive the spelling.

Quoted: How about we change the question up a bit? If you have two runners and one runs exclusively indoors and the other runner runs exclusively outdoors in the heat and both are essentially at the same level minus the fact one is training indoors and one is training in the heat outdoors. Which one will be able to run farther and faster in a race?

If all else being the same(Conditioning, stamina, mental toughness), my money is on the guy thats ready for all kinds of conditions.

I don't know which is better, but I can only run outdoors.

This was last weekend,  I'm the 6th runner over from the left (start at runner 2925 yellow shirt center) white long sleeve shirt blue hat.   It was pouring down rain, and it was great.

www.brightroom.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=10637&BIB=1644&S=230&PWD=

Quoted: I don't know which is better, but I can only run outdoors. This was last weekend,  I'm the 6th runner over from the left (start at runner 2925 yellow shirt center) white long sleeve shirt blue hat.   It was pouring down rain, and it was great. www.brightroom.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=10637&BIB=1644&S=230&PWD=

[carlspangler]... I'd keep playing...  I don't think the heavy stuff is going to come down for quite a while... [/carlspangler]



At least no one saw you sweat!