There’s something about running on days like yesterday and today and the day before yesterday, when the temperature is 95 but the “real feel” is 104, and the dew point, which apparently is used to calculate the real feel, is in the 70’s… which, as it turns out, is pretty steamy. There’s something about running — or biking, or any kind of outdoor workout — on a day when TV news and radio and Twitter and the Accuweather app warn: Stay in the air conditioning! Drink lots of water! Check on your elderly neighbor! Don’t overexert yourself (by things like running and biking and outdoor workouts, for example)! You’re at Valley Forge Park, or Kelly Drive, or somewhere else along the Schuylkill River Trail. The runners and cyclers are fewer than usual and you’re soaked before you get to the first quarter mile. But there’s a kind of cool camaraderie. You and the others – you make eye contact, give a nod, a thumbs up. It feels kind of badass. Like saying, “Screw you dew point, screw you AC… I’m out here in the wild, with these other badass F-ers, and we are taking humidity down!” Aside from the 5 or 10 or 15 mile run, or the 12 or 20 or 30 mile ride, or boot camp in Valley Green, If you want to be truly badass, here are some pointers. And if you want to be truly badass, and also not have a heat stroke, here are a few safety tips too, from presumably reliable sources.

5 tips to be truly badass while running in challenging (high heat) running conditions:

• Incorporate mountain climbers, pushups, planks, body weight squats, 8 laps up and down the Art Museum steps, into your workout.
• Wear badass attire. Like a bandanna. And camouflage (not the heavyweight military kind, but maybe shorts with a camouflage pattern). Don’t wear pink or aqua blue. Those colors say “Not Badass.”
• When passing other runners, or cyclists, make eye contact and give a thumbs up. Don’t smile. This isn’t about being sweet and happy, it’s about your badass attitude.
• If someone says, “It’s so hot today, I can’t believe we’re doing this,” that person is a badass poser (they are probably wearing pink). Your response should be, “Really? I think it’s kind of nice, with the breeze and all.”
• Check in on Facebook and make sure your Map My Run is active

For the sake of being a safety conscious responsible blogger, here are 4 tips to run safely, so as not to pass out, throw up, or otherwise get sick or die running (in what would be considered springtime conditions in some other states, like Arizona or Las Vegas (I know Las Vegas is not a state, but it should be)).

• It seems obvious, but hydrate… very early before, as well as during and after. I personally am a fan of water, rather than sports drinks, but according to Runner’s World, you should drink 16 ounces of water or sports drink before your workout, and 5-8 ounces of a sports drink every 20 minutes during. After running, I always like to rehydrate with a beer (like a high octane IPA, being badass and all), but be mindful of how the alcohol might impact your dehydrated body.
• According to Active.com, it takes two weeks for your body to adapt to heat. Which is inconvenient for sudden and intermittent heat waves like we have in Philadelphia. So Active says “run by your effort level rather than your typical pace… add power walk breaks every 4-8 minutes to cool yourself during your runs.”
• Active.com also says to avoid running noon – 3 pm. Which is really great for those of us who have day jobs.
• Finally, the Shut Up + Run blog post, How to Run in the Heat and Not Die, offers plenty of tips for running in the heat and not dying.

In the end yesterday, I ran 6 miles. Not too shabby considering I am also recovering from a sprained ankle (how badass is that??). After, I went to the Giant supermarket in Audubon to pick up dinner, and the cashier said, “Is it still really bad out there?”

I said, “No, not really. I mean, it’s hot, but i just got finished running 6 miles and it was fine.”

The lady behind me said, “Running?! You must be crazy! I can barely walk out there!”

The cashier said, “Yeah, the heat was ridiculous the last time I was out there.”

A guy from the line next to me incredulously said, “Did you say you were out there running? That’s insane.”

Another guy, who just went through the self-checkout, had on a soaked tank top and running shoes and overheard the conversation. We made eye contact, and he gave a little nod and thumbs up.

Badass.