Race Running Weather: What Are Perfect Conditions?

At the starting line of the Broad Street Run this past weekend, you could see a colorful array of clothing.  With the race having over 34,000 participants, it was no surprise to see so much variety in the attire being worn.

What was particularly interesting, however, was how people dressed for the weather.  With the temperature at about 58 degrees at the start and climbing no higher than 60 by 10 a.m. (when many runners would be finishing), many treated the race as if they were running on a summer day, with t-shirts or tank tops and shorts.  Others took a more “pessimistic” view of the cloudy conditions and accounted for the lack of sun with long sleeves, pants or crops. 

Then, there was the humidity factor.  Some said that the humidity (which averaged 78 for the day) was relatively low.  Others, like top American finisher Michael McKeeman, believed the high humidity hindered performance. 

So, were the Broad Street Run weather conditions good?  If not, what constitutes ideal running conditions? 

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