Ep 90: Heat, Humidity, & Expectations - A Smarter Way to Train, with Dr. Michelle Quirk of Mindful Marathon

About this episode

This episode discusses how to train safely and effectively in the heat and humidity of summer running.

Summer running can challenge your body and your mind. For many runners, especially high-achieving athletes and women physicians, summer running can bring frustration when paces slow or workouts feel harder than expected. In this replay episode, I’m revisiting one of the most practical and important conversations from the Mindful Marathon archives about how to train safely, confidently, and compassionately in the heat and humidity. This episode is your reminder that adapting to conditions is part of training wisely. Whether you’re preparing for a fall race, rebuilding consistency, or simply trying to make summer running feel more manageable, this episode will help you adjust your training with intention instead of judgment. Inside this episode, we discuss: Why running in the heat feels harder and what your body is doing to keep you cool How heat and humidity impact pace, heart rate, and perceived effort Why slowing down in the summer is not a sign of weakness, but smart training Tips for hydration, electrolytes, and estimating your sweat rate What to wear and when to run to stay safer and more comfortable The warning signs of heat-related illness and when it’s time to stop How…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Michelle Quirk

Topics covered

• summer running
• heat training
• hydration
• athlete mindset
• heat acclimatization
• training strategies

Keywords

• heat
• humidity
• training
• hydration
• sweat rate
• pace
• effort
• resilience

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Mindful Marathon

More episodes of Mindful Marathon Podcast

• Ep 91: GLP-1s and Running - Fueling, Muscle Loss, and the Bigger Picture, with Dietician, Ann Kent & Dr. Michelle Quirk of Mindful Marathon · June 8, 2026 · 31 min
• Ep 89: Mindfulness Moments - Softening the Inner Critic, with Coach Michelle Quirk of Mindful Marathon · May 25, 2026 · 15 min
• Ep 88: Healing the Athlete Within - A Conversation About Anorexia, Running, and Recovery, with Dr. Jillian Rigert & Dr. Michelle Quirk · May 18, 2026 · 30 min
• Ep 87: Friendship, Character Stops, & My Favorite 10-Miler Yet - runDisney Springtime Surprise 2026 Recap, with Coach Michelle Quirk of Mindful Marathon · May 11, 2026 · 24 min
• Ep 86: Running with What We Carry - Finding Our Strength and Grace, with Coaches Gerald Collins & Michelle Quirk · May 4, 2026 · 29 min
• Ep 85: Training for Longevity - Redefining Success in Fitness as We Age, with Dr. Tracy Asamoah & Dr. Michelle Quirk of Mindful Marathon · April 27, 2026 · 29 min