The city of Phoenix, Arizona, made national news at the end of July: 31 consecutive days of heat above 110 degrees Fahrenheit, breaking its 18-day record in 1974.
Besides being known for its unrelenting heat, desert landscape, and a diverse and vibrant urban Indigenous population, Phoenix is also home to a thriving running community, with several local running clubs and stores (Sole Sports, Runner’s Den, Tortoise & Hare Sports, to name a few), a series of races, and Aravaipa Running, a popular trail and ultra-race organizing company.
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According to data from the Environmental Protection Agency, extreme heat is the number one weather-related cause of death in the U.S., killing more people most years than hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes combined. And yet summer is also a key training season for many races in the fall like the Chicago Marathon, Marine Corps Marathon, and the New York City Marathon.
As this year is likely becoming the hottest year on record, it is the residents from some of the country’s hottest regions who will continue taking the most heat. We reached…
