After days of rain, sunny days are here. Although it's great to see the summer sun, the accompanying heat and humidity are not our friends.

By now, we all should know the summer drill — drink more fluids, wear light-colored clothing and slather on the sunscreen. But those precautions may not be enough to keep us out of danger from heat-related illness or injury. Here are a few suggestions to surviving and thriving summer's swelter.

Check the weather forecast early and often. Know what to expect for each day and plan your runs accordingly.Pay special attention to the heat index or “real feel” temperature and adjust your running based on heat cautions. Remember, the heat index reflects conditions measured in shade and light wind, so temperatures can be up to 15 degrees hotter in direct sunlight.

Guidelines are great, but it's only a start. Recognize who you are as a runner to customize your heat adaptation.Older runners tend to have less fluid in reserve and a lessened sense of thirst while common medications may lead to greater dehydration. Runners in the masters group (over 40) may have less tolerance to heat and find it harder to manage at longer distances.Kids have larger skin surface area relative to body volume, so they may become dehydrated easily. They may not recognize thirst or sunburn as they focus on play.Beginning runners or those at a lower fitness level may have more difficulty exercising in heat and humidity. It takes weeks of gradual adaptation for the body to learn to sweat at the proper level. And runners who have a higher resting pulse will hit their maximum sooner as temperatures rise.

— and ignore your mind. Your running buddies may be able to do that planned tempo run in 85 degrees with no problem, but if you find yourself gasping for breath or your form failing, just stop before those buddies have to call 911 when you have a heatstroke.Heat is not a challenge to push through. If you feel muscle cramping, dizziness or are light-headed or extremely fatigued, stop running immediately. Get to a shady area and alert someone of your symptoms. You need fluids and cooling immediately, so don't be too proud to ask for help from a stranger or phone a friend.Running in the heat and humidity will slow you down. Check the calculator at runnersconnect.net/training/tools/temperature-calculator to find your equivalent training or race pace based on temperature and dew point. Better yet, on hot days, leave your watch behind. Run by perceived effort, not by time.

You can't change the weather, but you can change your attitude and your plan. Despite your dedication to training for a fall marathon goal, the hottest week of summer may not be the right time to ramp up mileage or intensity or shoot for that personal best in the local 10k.Adjust your expectations. Maintain fitness with an evening run on a shady trail. Work out indoors or run in a pool. On days when the heat index is red, races may be cancelled. If not, focus on finishing, not finishing time.Recovery is important. If you've suffered any heat related symptoms, don't rush the recovery. Rest for several hours if you've suffered from muscle cramps and at least a few days if you've encountered heat exhaustion.

Saturday, 9 a.m.: Ford City 5k Run/Walk, Ford City. Part of Ford City's Summerfest festival. 757-355-0113 or fordcity5k@gmail.comSaturday 9 a.m.: St. Joseph's Liberty 5k Run/Walk, Lucinda. Run on scenic Rail 66 trail, part of 80th Annual 4th of July Celebration with entertainment, games, food. 814-226-8192 or www.st-josephlucinda.org/fourthofjulySaturday, July 6, 9 a.m.: Heritage Day 5k, Greenville. Run on Greenville-Jamestown Trail. 724-815-6983 or jas26mrun@msn.comJuly 12, 7 p.m.: Emlenton Summer Festival, Emlenton. New course beginning at Hughes Park. brendabeikert@gmail.comJuly 13, 9 a.m.: Elk County Classic 5k, Ridgway. Run on Clarion-Little Toby Trail and nearby roads. 814-776-2413 or bczappa504@comcast.netJuly 13, 9 p.m.: Roaring Run Race to the Moon, Apollo. Night run on Roaring Run Trail. Bring a light. 724-681-6317 or ken7199@gmail.comJuly 14, 7:30 a.m.: Trail Blazer 15k, 5k Run and Walk, Meadville. Run on Ernst Trail. 814-853-8572 or www.ernsttrail.orgJuly 13, 9 p.m.: Roaring Run Race to the Moon 5k, Apollo. 7240681-6317 or ken7199@gmail.comJuly 14, 8:30 a.m.: Hermitage Arts Festival 5k and 2 Mile, Hermitage. Post-race breakfast buffet. 724-981-0800, ext. 1320 or bgriffin@hermitage.netJuly 14, 9 a.m.: Yinzer 5k, Pittsburgh. Run starting at Great Lawn at Heinz Field benefits Light of Life Rescue Mission. Contest for best Yinzer costume. 724-396-4241 or kpirl@lightoflife.orgJuly 20, 8 a.m.: Hot-to-Trot 5k and 1 Mile, Zelienople. Part of Horse Trading Days festival. hottotrot@horsetradingdays.com or online registration at www.active.comJuly 20, 9 a.m.: Laurel Hill Adventure Race, Somerset. Event at Laurel Hill State Park with 2 mile kayak, 9 mile mountain bike, 5k trail run. 724-987-3597 or hansel@performance-kayak.comJuly 21, 6:45 a.m.: ERC Presque Isle Half Marathon, Erie. Start at Beach 1 Pavilion in Presque Isle State Park, run one loop of the peninsula. 814-881-0060 or davecomi@gmail.com. Online registration at runsignup.com/Race/PA/Erie/PresqueIsleHalfMarathonJuly 27, 8:30 a.m.: 18th Annual Rube's Run 5k, Prospect. New location and course. 724-841-4306 or jtgallagher@zoominternet.net,July 27, 9 a.m.: Oil City Firefighters 5k, Oil City. Flat out-and-back course. 814-671-3633 or sammcsparren@yahoo.comJuly 27, 9 a.m.: Shannock Valley Community Festival 5k Run and Fun Walk, Rural Valley. Also bike race at 11 A.M. www.svcfestival.com or pamsteffy65@gmail.comJuly 28, 7:30 A.M.: Janney and the Y North Park Triathlon, Pittsburgh. Sprint Triathlon at North Park with 700 meter swim, 12 mile bike, 5k cross country run. 412-664-4990 or meehanma@upmc.orgJuly 28, 8 a.m.: Run with the Deer Flies Trail Run, Penn Run. Challenging 15k or 25k trail run at Seth Mack Scout Camp. 724-422-8388 or dwalker100k@gmail.comJuly 31, 7 p.m.: DAM race 5k, Sharpsville. Race 3 of Twilight Quad Series on Trout Island Trail. 724-866-1374 or smc@runhigh.comAug. 3, 9 a.m.: St. Barnabas Free Care 5k, Gibsonia. 724-625-3770 or ssommariva@stbarnabashealthsystem.comAug. 4, 7 a.m.: Drake Well Marathon and Half Marathon, Titusville. 814-827-2799 or rd_dwm@yahoo.com

Butler Road Race 5 Mile, June 29: Nick Edinger, 1st Overall M, 27:14; Andrew Mascio, 2nd Overall M, 28:39; Andrew Maxwell, 3rd Overall M, 29:15; Noah Petersen, 4th Overall M, 29:20; Brandon Wise, 5th Overall M, 30:18; Rebecca Pennington, 1st Overall W, 31:43; Olivia Murphy, 2nd Overall W, 32:38; Angie Jenny, 4th Overall W, 34:34; Melissa Cinjacik, 5th Overall W, 35:00; Connie Hoffer, 6th Overall W, 39:07; Alayna Edinger, 7th Overall W, 39:26; Jason Sittler, 2nd Masters M, 32:26; Evonne Patterson, 1st Masters W, 40:08; Noah Bowser, 1st 20-29 M, 32:00; Garret Daugherty, 2nd 16-19 M, 32:24; Jack Kelley, 1st 30-39 M, 32:35; Zachary Baker, 3rd 16-19 M, 33:13; Justin Maskal, 3rd 30-39 M, 33:23; Ben Capozzi, 2nd 12-15 M, 33:39; Ryan Steigerwald, 3rd 12-15 M, 33:46; Vernon Morrow, 50-59 M, 34:35; Matt Opdyke, 1st 40-49 M, 36:20; Titus Wilbur, 2nd 40-49 M, 37:16; Kevin Condon, 2nd 50-59 M, 37:38; Jim Gallagher, 3rd 50-59 M, 37:48; Mary White, 1st 50-59 W, 41:21; Jessica Pallone, 1st 30-39 W, 41:22; Tonya Theuret, 1st 40-49 W, 41:46; Dean Denicola, 1st 60-69 W, 41:48; Valorie Andreassi, 2nd 50-59 W, 42:24; Nicole Khoury, 2nd 40-49 W, 43:49; Jeffrey Burtner, 1st 60-69 M, 44:16; Crystal Wonderling, 3rd 40-49 W, 44:20; Kaitlyn Snedden, 1st 20-29 W, 45:28; Brooke Griffith, 2nd 12-15 W, 45:52; Gussie Beaver, 2nd 16-19, 45:57; Christina Dreher, 2nd 20-29 W, 46:18; Renee Rock, 3rd 30-39 W, 46:22; Kathy Hensler, 3rd 50-59 W, 48:24; Jane Sherry, 1st 60-69 W, 49:23; Lindsey Morando, 3rd 20-29 W, 49:35; Jocelyn Shetter, 2nd 60-69 W, 49:36; Robert Crawford, 3rd 70+ M, 50:20; Katie Jamison, 3rd 60-69 W, 51:18; Lucy Hartle, 3rd 12-15 W, 55:27; Matthew Slagle, 33:21; Ryan Hughes, 33:48; Evan Miller, 34:29; Nathan Sydlik, 36:43; Owen Davis, 38:09; Anthony Beilstein, 39:13; Andrew Callihan, 39:16; Rick Mckain, 39:27; Kevin Fazio, 37:28; Eric Weiland, 39:57; Kevin Clark, 40:15; Bill Schessler, 40:33; Andrew Menchyk, 41:25; Richard Mclaughlin, 42:55; Taylor Amerson, 42:57; Stephen Call, 43:11; Leah Rapp, 44:49; Joseph Pohl, 45:10; Aj May, 45:31; Travis Domhoff, 45:48; Bradley Regis, 46:04; Bryan Shoemaker, 46:22; Thomas Shetter, 46:39; Landon Wood, 46:43; Jason Delano, 46:43; Courtney Mclaughlin, 47:36; Brian Beals, 47:39; Amy Macdonald, 47:41; Mike Macdonald, 47:42; Rich Landgraf, 48:27; Tara Terwilliger, 48:39; Tricia Schaefer, 50:01; Marie Murdick, 50:06; Jessica Lauer, 50:09; Scott Baker, 50:18; Krista Geagan, 50:47; Suzzanne Freeze, 50:52; Ryan Helsel, 51:21; Jerry Heinz, 51:38; Karlee Kushnereit, 51:45; Susan Kushnereit, 51:45; Susan Landgraf, 51:45; Erin Hartle, 52:10; Christopher Capozzi, 52:33; Kory Nowakowski, 52:33; Todd Curtin, 52:57; Darragh Topper, 52:57; Stephen Sargent, 53:11; David Blackwell, 53:17; Trevor Miller, 53:41; Chad Broman, 53:41; Jeffrey Everton, 53:43; Tammi Landgraf, 53:57; William Barger, 54:04; Jonathan Kline, 54:15; Shannon Gallagher, 54:15; Emily Kline, 54:15; David Voland, 55:05; Jessica Ryan, 56:06; Kaitlyn Reges, 56:22; John Stutz, 56:23; Heidi Fleming, 56:25; Jerry Schwab, 56:37; Dane Winkler, 56:50; Douglas Hall, 57:02; John Richardson, 57:05; Paul Chadman, 57:15; Mike Freeze, 57:34; Peg Harper, 57:43; Antonio Steadman, 57:53; Lindsey Mccall, 58:24; Olivia Richardson, 1:00:06; Jess Lampman, 1:00:22; Danielle Schiebel, 1:00:23; Roger Stoner, 1:01:20; Cheri Stoner, 1:01:21; Nicole Munko, 1:01:39; Cara Roxberry, 1:02:05; Tom Turner, 1:04:14; Vickie Turner, 1:04:21; Robin Trinko, 1:04:21; Destiny Holt, 1:04:22; Mackenzie Birckbichler, 1:04:22; Seth Peasley, 1:04:59; Dezso Csizmadia, 1:06:47; Rafael Avecillas, 1:13:28; Karla Dodd, 1:13:29; Michael Green, 1:21:20; Lynnette Fetters, 1:25:38; Carole Hall, 1:34:37; Robert Beck, 1:35:30; Theresa Beck, 1:35:33Send comments and suggestions: Patricia Neubert. Phone 724-352-4395. Email lotzak@consolidated.netPat Neubert is a running columnist for the Butler Eagle