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Running in humid weather can make you a stronger runner—if you approach it smartly.

Gear editor Amanda Furrer recently shared tips for surviving extra hot and muggy weather, like running earlier in the day and drinking lots of water. That’s excellent advice which is sure to help you stay safe outside when other runners head for a treadmill in an air-conditioned gym. But, if you run outdoors year-round like me, then let me share with you a couple more tips I’ve learned from running in humid conditions for more than three decades.

I prefer to wear a shirt in hot weather. If I run shirtless, the sweat just runs into my shorts and makes it feel like I’m wearing a soggy diaper. Not fun. So keep your shirt on but, when it gets soaked with sweat, strip it off and wring it out. When you put the shirt back on, you’ll be surprised at how cool you feel.

On days when the thermometer pushes triple digits, you’ll find me in the creek. I suggest you head for your local river or lake, too. Dunk yourself—shirt, shoes, and all. Sure, you’ll be soaking wet when you come out, but weren’t you already drenched from all that sweat? And you’ll feel amazingly fresh for the next mile or two thanks to that cool dip.

How does the “pinch” method compare to other techniques? Watch to learn.

RW+ members pocketed phones in Pacterra’s Middy Compression Short to test if it rose to the occasion—or sagged.

Protect yourself from the sun’s harmful rays mile after mile.