MWM Episode 95 - Its Hot! - Earn Your Fall Fitness

As temperatures rise and summer training settles in, many runners find themselves asking the same question:

"Why am I so much slower than I was a few months ago?"

In this Midweek Motivation episode of the Run the Riot Podcast, ultrarunner and ultrarunning coach David Theriot shares an important reminder for every runner grinding through the heat and humidity: the work you're doing now is building the fitness you'll rely on later.

With Western States just around the corner and many runners preparing for fall marathons, trail races, 50Ks, 100 milers, and 200-mile ultra racing adventures, it's easy to focus on race-day performances and finish-line celebrations. What we don't see are the countless training miles, early mornings, difficult workouts, and uncomfortable summer runs that make those moments possible.

David explores why summer training often feels discouraging, why pace can be a misleading metric during hot-weather running, and how endurance fitness is built beneath the surface long before the results become visible.

In This Episode

Why heat and humidity slow every runner down

The difference between effort and pace during summer training

How ultrarunning fitness develops over time

Why consistency beats intensity

The "summer deposit" mindset for endurance athletes

Lessons from Western States and elite ultra racing