SUMMER RUNNING ISN’T ALWAYS FUN – HERE’S HOW I LEARNED TO WORK WITH IT, NOT AGAINST IT 

Published: 13/08/2026 | By: Ally Head

Golden-hour miles, longer days and post-run coffee stops all sound ideal, but summer running is not always as effortless as it looks. Ally Head opens up about staying consistent through heatwaves, busy plans and low motivation, sharing the simple changes that helped her keep moving. Sometimes, the smartest training shift is not pushing harder, it is changing your approach.

This is, in part, down to the fact that I normally do a pretty regimented marathon training block in spring this year, I trained for and ran the Boston Marathon, completing the notoriously hilly course in 3:08 and chipping five minutes off my personal best. 

After hard blocks like that, science has proven that you need to prioritise a period of rest. But beyond the physical recovery, you need to give your brain an “off” season to allow yourself time to fall in love with the sport again. Don’t get me wrong, I always love running, but there’s a time to push and a time to lace up for chatty miles with mates. Summer, for me, is about prioritising the latter, rather than sticking to a regimented training plan.  

HOW THE HOT WEATHER AFFECTS MY TRAINING 

The extreme weather this year has undoubtedly impacted my training, too. I found it mentally tiring having to pep myself up for the 30+ heatwave temperatures some days; logistics of where to drop water, whether I’d be able to push pace in this heat, and the lottery draw of which suncream won’t make my eyes scream became draining. Physically, the miles are just harder, too; running in hotter temperatures than you’re used to forces your heart to work harder, pumping extra blood to your skin to cool you down while also fuelling your muscles, with sweating reducing blood volume, pushing your heart rate up further for the same effort. A 2008 review in The Journal of Physiology calls this “cardiovascular drift,” and explains why your usual pace can feel so much harder during hotter efforts. 

Rather than throw in my trainers altogether, I’ve spent a lot of time this summer reflecting on why I run, booking in runs with friends, and reminding myself of the joy of movement. It’s never about pace, how far or how fast I can go; it’s about the mental release, the social element, and building a body for life. If you find yourself stuck in a rut because of the temperatures, a busy schedule, or both, I’d recommend the same. The joy of summer is how social it is; workouts can, and should, be a part of that, rather than a chore that makes your life harder. 

WHAT SHIFTED MY MINDSET 

It sounds crass, but one of the most useful tools I’ve found for motivating myself is one of the simplest: repeating my motivational mantra to myself every morning and night. A motivational mantra should be personal – a particularly stirring or emotive word, phrase or expression that really sticks with you and reminds you of your reason to run. When asking my running lot for theirs, their responses have similarities but are all unique: “Always forwards.” “Pain is temporary.” “Run the mile you’re in.” Mine, on the other hand, is more philosophical: “Remember who you are.” 

When my inner demons are convincing me that I don’t have the energy to run, can’t be bothered or won’t enjoy the mileage, it’s one of the most effective phrases I’ve found for reminding me of the joy running brings me, both physically and mentally. I can confidently say that I’ve never felt bad after a run – it’s a surefire way to boost both body and mind, and one of the only things that can get me out of a funk if I’m having a bad mental health day or a stressful period at work.  

Keen to try your own? Research has proven that motivational self-talk does genuinely improve endurance performance. Take this 2014 study in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, which also concluded that runners who had a motivational mantra took longer to reach exhaustion than those who used neutral self-talk. 

Try this: Rather than using someone else’s mantra, sit down with your journal and write down any phrases, sayings or soundbites that come to mind when you think of you at your strongest. Short, rhythmic cues work best, as do any phrases that stir emotion. This 2015 study in Brain and Behaviour even found that repeating mantras can reduce stress and boost focus and calm. 

BEING FLEXIBLE 

Another thing that’s helped me get my running mojo back this summer is being more flexible – not easy, as a Type A who lives her life by spreadsheets and to-do lists, but something I’ve found invaluable for emotional development. In the winter, I’m a get-up-and-out as a non-negotiable type of runner – this summer, I’ve been loving my morning walks or strength sessions, and so have had to be more malleable and adaptable about when I’m fitting my runs in. Sometimes, this looks like a sunset five-miler with my husband; other times, weekend-long runs with friends will be as late as midday to accommodate the friends I’m running with and their busy schedules.  

“Another thing that’s helped me get my running mojo back this summer is being more flexible – not easy, as a Type A who lives her life by spreadsheets and to-do lists, but something I’ve found invaluable for emotional development.” 

While I do think having a dedicated workout slot in your day that you stick to (and diarise – trust me, you’ll thank me later) can be a great way to enforce a new workout habit or cement a block, there’s also beauty in learning to be flexible. Both have their strengths; you’ll probably run more miles with a dedicated slot, but find it more joyful if you listen to your body and run when you actually want to. Giving myself permission to do things a little differently has reminded me that there are more ways to get from A to B than you realise, and there’s growth to be found in different structures, too. 

ADJUSTING MY GOALS 

There’s ample science to prove that summer running, especially in the kind of heat we’ve experienced in the last few months, isn’t going to be PB season. This isn’t a case of “what should I do”; rather, “what can my body physically do right now?” 

Being sensible and acknowledging that pushing your body to the max in extreme heat isn’t just harder but genuinely riskier is the first step. Clinging to pre-heatwave paces isn’t just a surefire way to make yourself physically unwell, but can leave you feeling mentally deflated, too. 

Taking the pressure off pace doesn’t only show running maturity, but will mean you enjoy your runs more and likely bank more miles in the long run. Slowing your pace doesn’t mean failure; it represents maturity, understanding of the discipline, and just as much genuine effort and fitness. Try this: Reframe your goals from pace to consistency, from splits to simply finishing, and reassess how you feel at the end of your week. I guarantee if you bank your mileage this week by feel, turning your running watch around and dismissing your speed entirely, you’ll feel nothing but positive come the end of the week and grateful to have a healthy body that’s able. 

Fun fact for you, too: I did this for the vast majority of my Boston training (and the marathon itself) and have never felt stronger in a race, because I listened to my body, rather than being ruled by arbitrary kilometre paces on a watch.

Summer doesn’t need to feel like a setback. It can actually be a seriously productive few months of training that only bolster your love of the sport, if you approach it with the right mindset.

With all of the above in mind, I thought I’d share my cheat sheet for not only enjoying, but smashing your summer training miles. Screenshot this, bookmark it for later, and share it with your running friends. Trust me – I’ve tried the below and they’ve personally made the world of difference.

BOTTOM LINE

If you take one thing away from this piece, I hope it’s this: that there’s no such thing as a “perfect” training block, race, or split. We’re only human, after all. Losing motivation doesn't mean you've fallen out of love with the sport – it often just means your body and mind are asking you to adapt.

This summer, remember to embrace the season you’re in, enjoy the long, lazy days while they last, and remember that sometimes the smartest thing you can do as a runner is change your approach, not give up altogether.