The temperature this summer in Houston has been one of the hottest recorded yet. According to the NCEI (National Centers for Environmental Information) July’s weather clocked in at a high of 109 degrees, setting this as the hottest month ever recorded. 

The heat has set limitations on the activities that students attend or participate in. This summer, the average temperature was 89 degrees, with a nine-day-longer temperature cycle than average. Additionally, this heat brings health risks for these athletes, as well as huge effects on their events. 

“We are in the sun for a good amount of the course, so with the adrenaline running and everybody around you, you try to tune it out,” Noah Rotolo, a freshman on the cross country team, said. 

Hot days can be unhealthy and even dangerous, so this year the cross country team has had to take extra precautions to avoid overheating. These precautions include waking up earlier for runs and limiting afternoon practice.

“We’ve had sprint work in the afternoon sometimes, and normally that doesn’t last too long, but that can be pretty hot,” Noah said. “So waking up early is pretty worth it to avoid the heat.”

It is important that athletes remain healthy, so they can compete at their A-games.  

“The heat is just pretty exhausting,” Noah said. “But most of the time we have water and ice to cool us down.”