The Running Thread --2025

[LSUlakes]

With a lot of folks getting some cold weather this week I came up with a good idea for a question.

QOTD: What is you low temp / ice situation in where you just decide, nope not running outside today? Whats you max temp you are willing to run outside during summer?

ATTQOTD: I have yet to find the lower limits of my outdoor temps yet , but I feel like the forecasted 12 for Wednesday morning will challenge that lol. For heat, 95 with the sun out is a nope, because the heat index is going to be way worse than that. To be honest I run before the sun comes up in the summer so I have not had to run in the 90's in a while, but would if I had to I guess.

 

[The Expert]

ATTQOTD: If the roads are clear and I have a safe place to do so, I'll run outside until its down in the teens (or the windchill is -0F). Sadly most of the winter our roads are NOT clear as they are mostly dirt and they can only plow so much. I've tried YakTrax but I still feel myself running tense, so if it is at all icy I don't risk it. I don't mind the treadmill.

For heat, if it is sunny, pretty much anything above 75 is no go. I am a wuss when it comes to heat!

 

[Naomeri]

ATTQOTD: if there's ice on the roads, I'm staying inside. If the feels like, or the actual temp, is in the negatives, I'm staying inside. High winds will probably keep me inside too, I'm out in almost farm-country, so there's a lot of open space for the wind to just howl through and the extra work required to stay on track and on pace isn't always worth it to me.

In summer, it's the sunlight that really gets to me, so I'm still working out the best way to get my summer running done. I have a Noxgear with a lamp, so I can run after dark, but then I have to deal with bugs swarming to the light and it's a whole different problem

 

[nancipants]

ATTQOTD: As a Floridian, I have yet to reach my lower limit.

I try to run first thing in the morning during the summer. Even so, it’s usually around 75 degrees when I go out. It’s less the temp than the angle of the sun; as long as the sun hasn’t come above the houses/trees, I can handle it. Anything over 80 is no good.

 

[jmasgat]

ATTQOTD: Well, I do go out in "feels like" temp of sub-zero (pretty sure I've done -teens), but I'm not a total idiot. I draw the line at ice on the roads and also play it by ear once I'm out there. If I feel like some body parts are getting too cold, I'll reconsider. And the workout matters: tomorrow I'm supposed to do a 2hr run in temps that will be colder than today. That might not happen, or else I might run to the Y, go inside to do most of the run on TM then run home.

I hate heat more than cold re: running, so just adapt by running early in the day and slowing down. But temps above 70 make me unhappy. And if I saw any temp starting with 8x, I would likely bail. Also, as @nancipants points out--it's the sun. I hate feeling the sun beat down on me in summer, but love in the winter.

 

[fatmanatee]

ATTQOTD: generally once it hits the 20s I have a hard time getting out, did it once last month because I absolutely had to get the long run in but for example, it's expected to be <30 all week and I'm just going to pass.

As for the heat, I'd prefer to keep it under 80 degrees? 90 is probably my limit, but it generally doesn't stay that hot at night so it's easier to figure out when to get runs in.

 

[Herding_Cats]

ATTQOTD:
I don't run outside once it gets to the 30s. I just get too cold to enjoy it in any capacity. And I don't mind the treadmill (I actually prefer it to running outside and getting cold.)

In the summer I'll run until it's about 80 (maybe a little over with the right other conditions.)

 

[xjillianpaige]

QOTD: What is you low temp / ice situation in where you just decide, nope not running outside today? Whats you max temp you are willing to run outside during summer?

I haven't really found my outside cap for heat or cold. Because I run with other people, if I committed to meeting people and they're still planning on going I'll bundle up to meet them. What usually deters me is road/sidewalk conditions since I'm not willing to risk a slip and fall and/or visibility. If I worry about cars being able to see me then I'll stay inside and either skip or borrow a treadmill.

I hate running in the heat but I know that summer training leads to fall PRs. Which is why I need a fall race on the schedule to get me out in the summer. Without that I'll stop running. The busy season of work can also interfere, but that's why I become a night time runner. It does cool down a little bit once the sun is setting/down.

 

[camaker]

QOTD: What is you low temp / ice situation in where you just decide, nope not running outside today? Whats you max temp you are willing to run outside during summer?

ATTQOTD: I've run in wind chill temps down to around 9 or 10 degrees. Didn't enjoy that at all and will only do it if absolutely necessary. If there are extensive patches of ice, though, I'm skipping it. The risk to knees, ankles, hamstrings, etc from a slip just aren't worth it.

On the upper end iv run in actual temps up close to 100 degrees and "feels like" temps up to 110 degrees or so. It's not fun, but I can get it done. It's better than the extreme cold, at least.

 

[Ronski]

ATTQOTD: I'm born and raised Floridian and so haven't really experienced low temperatures. LOL.
As for heat, I can handle about 92 as long as I'm not in direct sun.

Humidity takes more out of me than the heat.

 

[marty3d]

ATTQOTD: In cold weather, my limit is -10c/ 14-15f. Anything below that, I just don’t have the running gear for and it’s not worth investing in it since we get so few days that cold anymore.

I have no real upper limit for summer - I just adjust pace/ distance and stay on shaded trails. I’m more likely to head indoors if the air quality gets bad than because of any temperature/ humidity level.

 

[Dopey 2020]

Ice on the road is an immediate no go, other than that I’ll run into the single digits, that’s when it hurts to breathe the cold air and I’ll move inside. I haven’t found a high temp that’s too hot to run, just go a bit slower and push through.

 

[RuntheMouse]

ATTQOTD: I’ll usually run until the standing temperature reaches 0 F. It won’t be a long one but I’ll still do it. Ice is another story, not doing it, way too risky. It’s one of the issues I have with being a morning runner with the freeze/thaw cycles in spring. Snowing, no problem. Our little city is really good about plowing, even the bike trails but even if I beat them out before they plow, snowpack won’t stop me. I have so much winter running gear!

It was -5 when I got off the plane from Orlando last night and still hovering there now so no run for me!

ETA: Forgot to mention upper limit, my brain is totally in this deep freeze! I run early in the morning so I don’t have to worry about higher temps. That being said, I won’t enter races in the heat of summer, my body temperature doesn’t regulate well in the heat due to some medications.

 

[KCO5988]

ATTQOTD: For cold I'm more likely to treadmill, unless I have speedwork. I hate speedwork on the treadmill. For heat.... the limit does not exist. Haha. But as others have said, I just slow way down and bring water and electrolytes that I wouldn't normally bring on a shorter run. I run with coworkers at noon in southern GA in the summer and we have never cancelled for heat.

 

[PrincessV]

ATTQOTD: it’s all a bit nuanced for me…

COLD: it’s not just a temperature thing - coldest I’ve run since moving to FL 30+ years ago was a Feels Like in the teens, but dry. That was unpleasant but okay; I wouldn't refuse to run in it again, but might opt for the treadmill instead if I’m not up to wearing a million layers. But 40-something and pouring rain? Nope. Hard pass.

HEAT: again, it depends… in summer, when our overnight low rarely drops below 80º, I’ll run outdoors in the hours immediately before and after sunrise, when the Feels Like is generally around 85-95º. I’ve done short runs in full sun and a heat index of 112º and lived to tell, but it’s not a choice I make often. Rain + heat but no lightning? 100% yes!

 

[mmm_texas]

ATTQOTD:

For cold, I don't have the right clothing, and it doesn't stay cold enough here that it's been worthwhile for me to invest the time/research/$ to get some. So if it's too cold to run in shorts and one of the long sleeve runDisney shirts I've accumulated, I'll skip, which for me is under about 50º F (with reasonable wind and humidity).

For heat, as long as I can get out before/after the sun is too high, I don't think it's ever been too hot. I just slow down and stay hydrated.

 

[FFigawi]

With a lot of folks getting some cold weather this week I came up with a good idea for a question.

QOTD: What is you low temp / ice situation in where you just decide, nope not running outside today? Whats you max temp you are willing to run outside during summer?

ATTQOTD: the coldest I’ve been comfortable running in is about -10F. Below that, too many layers are required, making it really hard to run efficiently. In the summer, my limit is about 90, though I will run in hotter temps if the humidity is lower, or after finishing the first half of a brick workout and there’s no other option.

 

[Baloo in MI]

ATTQOTD:
Pretty much what we are having here now in Michigan is where my cold limit is; 0* and below. When the wind chill is legit dangerous I will venture to the basement for the treadmill. Hot temps really vary for me as it is really more about the humidity and heat that crushes me. When temps are getting up into the 90’s I tend to be quite unhappy. But if faced with choosing one over the other it will always be cold before heat for me.

 

[flav]

ATTQOTD: We went running today, it was -16°C (3F), sunny with a light wind. We were considering this comfortable normal real winter weather for running. I ran at -30°C (-22F) plus wind before and that was too cold to be fun for long. Eyelashes stick together at those temperatures.

Ice is a problem. We had to walk (very slowly and carefully) part of the route while the rest was dry. Yaktrax wouldn’t have helped in these specific conditions. We generally accept pace adjustments.

Snow or rain aren’t a problem but we might move our schedule to avoid the unpleasant moments.

I run much slower in heat but have become better at it or have accepted that I don’t perform well. The warmest I ran is probably in Florida, Greece, Spain or Italy during summer. Those are always short touring training runs… Except for that runDisney 2020 Marathon in January… Maybe that was the warmest… So I would say 32°C (90F). We also get these temperatures in Montreal in July.

 

[jmasgat]

My long run this morning reminded me of many scenes in GotG where people ended up jettisoned into space and we watch as they freeze--especially their eyes. Probably not the visual to fixate on, but I would have laughed too hard and fogged up my glasses even more if I had thought of Space Leia flying through the void in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

But honestly, my run was fine. I did learn that wool buffs can freeze stiff, that Gu ends up more like caramel, and that I earned the cocoa with whipped cream that I am now drinking.