Colorado Springs is in the grip of an unusually intense summer, and while the heat has not emptied the city's trails, it has raised the stakes for outdoor runners. It is an exceptionally hot summer in Colorado Springs, though experts say that shouldn't stop runners from hitting the city's plethora of trails.
One of the more counterintuitive hazards is the region's dry climate. While Colorado Springs is not as humid as other parts of the country, its dryness can affect people's perception of hydration levels — in dry places, sweat evaporates immediately, making the skin feel dry even when the body is losing significant fluid. That makes hydration especially vital in any runner's plan before hitting the roads or trails.
Nate Morris, Ph.D., an assistant professor of human physiology and nutrition at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, offered a range of practical recommendations. Morris has established a global career studying how the human body regulates body temperature. Before heading out, he recommends wearing loose-fitting clothing to help airflow and promote evaporative cooling, taking a cold shower or bath beforehand to cool the skin, and drinking cold water or another cold beverage to bring core temperature down slightly. Drinking electrolytes before a run can also aid in fluid retention.
On the question of how much to drink during a run, Morris drew a clear line based on duration. Runners exercising for less than an hour generally do not need to bring water, but it remains important to replace lost fluid afterward and to monitor hydration by urine color, aiming for a pale, straw-like shade. Athletes running for more than an hour generally need to bring both water and electrolytes, with options including a hydration vest, a handheld bottle, or a running belt, available at local stores like Fleet Feet or Colorado Running Company.
Route selection also matters. It can be as much as 20 percent hotter out in the open than in the shade, making shaded routes a meaningful factor in comfort and safety. Hard surfaces like roads and sidewalks absorb heat and radiate it back toward runners, making soft-surface trail running ideal in summer. Sections of the paved Pikes Peak Greenway trail are shaded and popular for runs of all distances; near Woodman Road, the New Santa Fe Trail transitions to the Greenway and travels 16 miles north alongside Monument and Fountain creeks. Ute Valley Park in northwest Colorado Springs offers a network of soft-surface trails shaded by tree-covered areas, while Monument Valley Park near downtown and Black Forest Regional Park also provide shaded options.
For competitive runners, Morris addressed heat acclimatization — a deliberate training strategy for those preparing to race in hot or humid conditions. Runners can acclimatize by overdressing to trap heat or running during the hottest parts of the day, though Morris recommends high-volume, low-intensity training for these sessions and advises using the buddy system in case of a heat emergency.
Whether the current heat pattern will persist through the remainder of summer, and how it may affect participation in upcoming local races and trail events, remains to be seen.