This week our Tuesdays on the Run Linkup asks about your idea of perfection. If you could order up any weather conditions your heart and running shoes desire for race day, what would they be?
Heaven knows I’ve had my share of crazy race weather. From triple-digit heat to hurricanes to snow, sleet and thunderstorms, I’ve raced in it. My personal window of running comfort ranges from about 30 to 60. I’ll gladly go colder than 30 but I board the struggle bus shortly North of 60, especially if humidity is a factor.
The heat index and I don’t really mix.
If we’re talking about perfection, my tastes skew toward tall dark and ….wait I mean cool and crisp. You know like a fine fall day. Say 40 – 50 degrees. Partly sunny, maybe a touch of a breeze, then again maybe not. Fall foliage in all its glory? Yes please!
Not so coincidentally both my half and full marathon PRs were run on days exactly like this. In Pure Michigan of all places. Ahhh!
What’s ideal for you? Do you prefer heat? Or cold?
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I love running with the fall foliage! But I’m more of a 60-ish degree type of runner 🙂
We don’t have much in the way of foliage, but I do LOVE the fall running here. It’s awesome.
The heat and humidity is tough on the asthma so I’d have to say cold. Ideally, in a runner’s world 60s is perfect.
Crisp fall days would be perfect but we don’t have much of a fall here.
I’m with you. Definitely team cool. My hot races almost always suck — although I should have added that heat isn’t as bad when you’ve had time to acclimate to it — most of the really bad hot races were freak heat waves.
I’ve never raced in a thunderstorm — although I have run in them — obviously not intentionally!
For a training run I won’t go out the door if it’s below 30! I don’t think I’ve ever run a race below 30 either.
I’d agree with you on the temps. I love the warm weather running clothes, tho! Because I’m superficial like that…
My best race weather is probably in the 50s-60s. I don’t like it when my skin is overly cold, so big temp gradients aren’t my favorite. ANd I run pretty cool, so I don’t mind it a little warmer.
We have had a very challenging spring here with tons of rain and wind. My perfect temps would be in the low 60’s with a little sun. That folliage pic looks perfect too. Thanks for the linkup
That sounds like my perfect running temperature too. I also like cloud cover to keep the sun off as much as possible.
I too am on the struggle bus with any temp higher than 60. I prefer upper 40’s to low 50’s with a little bit of cloud cover 🙂
Definitely prefer the weather cooler! Fall has great running weather but I really like running in the winter too. People always think I’m crazy when I say that but I hate being hot when I run, and it happens easily!
I definitely like to be on the cooler side of the thermometer. I also want it to be overcast as much as possible, with very little wind and humidity. Really, I don’t think these things are too much to ask for. 🙂
I’m totally a Fall runner. I really HATE running in the summer heat and I much prefer 40-60 degree weather
Fall days are definitely my favorite- I usually want to do all the races then, instead of the Spring because of the pollen allergies that I have! I love the tornado pic- hysterical…and true!
I’m a summer runner for sure – give me warm weather any day!
50 degrees, sunny with a slight breeze is perfect for me. My best times have been run in temps a bit cooler and cloudier than that!
I think my fav conditions are the same as yours! And my marathon PR is in that exact weather with fall foliage. 🙂
I love fall and I love 50 degrees, ok so I don’t get much of it but I can still love it! Looking forward to that Cape Cod weather this fall! 🙂
I like 50s, and cloudy. But running with fall foliage is so perfect! Hiking here during the leave change is so perfect!
I like running in mid 50s with a light rain. The temp is comfortable and the rain helps keep you cool. Not great spectator weather though!
Marathon = 45 degrees. 1/2 Marathon = 47 degrees. 10k = 50 degrees. 5k = 55 degrees. All training runs 40 degrees!
Haha, tall, dark and…
I like running when it’s warm and sunny. Racing and I prefer 60s. I’m a freeze baby and I hate being cold. I don’t perform well when I’m too worried about being warm. Although I guess it does make me run a little faster to the warmth. 🙂
Amen to Pure Michigan-type weather for racing! This is one of the reasons I keep eyeing the Grand Rapids Half Marathon every fall. =) My temperature threshold has gotten weaker in recent years – I used to run outdoors as long as the temps were in the teens, all the way up to the 80s. Now I stick to the treadmill if the temp is below 30 degrees. What I really wish is that we wouldn’t have to deal with drastic temp changes mid long-run or mid-race. It’s so hard to plan for!
I actually did “just 3 quick miles” on Mother’s Day a couple of years ago, coming inside minutes before a tornado-triggering storm hit us. My husband has since instituted stricter rules on the kinds of weather I’m allowed to run in.
Our ideal race conditions sound fairly similar. Definitely fall weather. Honestly 40 – 50 degrees is my comfort racing window. 40 at the start, no hotter than 50 – 55 at the finish, some sun preferred, ’cause I like to run with my sunglasses on. 🙂
52 sounds like perfection to me. But 40 is good too. Humidity is what really unravels me.
I’m on the struggle bus with anything cooler than 45. However, once it gets over 75 with lots of humidity… I board that struggle bus again.
You’ve described my ideal conditions for sure! That struggle bus has a spot for me the minute the temps climb in the upper 60s..add humidity and forget about it!
Honestly, I will take whatever Momma N gives me, but I do prefer a precipitation-free environment. I prefer anything 50-70ish, but know I can run in any condition (I’m in Iowa, we’re “blessed” with every possible weather condition). I’ve learned less-than-ideal race day conditions kind of level the field somewhat…they’re there for everyone, it’s all a matter of how well we can handle those conditions.
That meme is the best!!! LOL
I love upper 40’s, low humidity, and breezy but, not wind! Not picky at all am i?
I definitely like cooler weather. My best races have been run in cold weather. I don’t like training in the cold, but I will run a race in it. I PR’d in a night time 5k and it was 26 degrees!
I like a chill in the air-so around 50s is perfect for me!
I do best in upper 40’s to lower 50’s but with a tank maybe. I run in heat far more than I do cooler temps. I’ve had to adapt a lot but I do like a good sweat cleansing run too! I hate to be cold but I equally hate to have on too many layers! Something I’ve come to deal with lots. I am just usually cold at the beginning though.