What is the optimal dew point for running?

Good question -- was wondering the same thing myself.

My guess would be in the 40's...

I'd say about 40-45...with the temperature 5 degrees (F) warmer than the d.p.

Just DEW it!

Found this on a website. Sounded good.

Dewpoint <55*F: Go for it!

Dewpoint in the 60s…it’ll be tough for racing, training runs OK

Dewpoint in the low 70s…hard training will be tough

Dewpoint in the upper 70s….anything other than a recovery run will be a struggle

Dewpoint in the 80s…even a recovery run is tough

I have never seen a dewpoint much above 80. I can't imagine where you would see that.

This morning it was 77. I did a 7 mi tempo run that ended up being about 20-30 sec per mi slower than the same effort level in good weather. You can train and race in high humidity/dew point, you just have to adjust your times. 79 is the worst I have ever had.

For me, anything below 65 is fine. Certainly, under 50 feels much better than over.

I've ran in 81 dp, it was rough. I cut the run in half and ran over a minute slower per mile. I can run with anything under 65 under 60 feels perfect to me.

All I know is my run this morning with a 74 degree dew point sucked. Not to hijack the OP's thread, but is it normal for this kind of dew point to just kill you; my 6.5 mile run today which should have been real easy felt difficult at a slower pace.

Corn fields of Iowa are a good place to see high dewpoints (can push the upper 80s in extreme situations). Think the Persian Gulf coast is another place...when the water temp is low 90s, the air above it can be SOUPY.

Current dew point in Doha, Qatar is 73, in Portland, Maine 71. Current dew point in Baghdad is 28 and in Riyadh is 39. I'm just saying...

Upper 80s really only happen in the Persian Gulf, that's the only place in the world. It does hit low 80's on the Eastern US coast, as well as in parts of the Midwest like you mentioned. (And anywhere in the ocean where sea surface temps are well in the 80's).

I think there can't be an optimal dew point. The lower it is, the more efficiently sweat cools you (because it evaporates faster). This would also depend on the temperature. At 65 degrees, a dew point of 15 would be an amazingly refreshing day...probably bright blue sky, a breeze, basically perfect running conditions. At 110 degrees, it'll be uncomfortable even with a ridiculously low TD like that. So basically the lower the dew point the more comfortable it feels, but that doesn't mean it's necessarily comfortable.

Here's the question which we all feel like asking: if you are scheduled to do an easy or recovery run and the dew point is in the 70s -- is it even worth it to do the run or will it end up being like a workout in terms of the toll on the body (and thus ruining a subsequent real workout)?

What is the effect on the heart rate for running in low versus high dew point conditions?

John Westover wrote:

We know that above 70 is oppressive

As a white man living in America, you have no right to comment on what is oppressive.

Probably Mountain.

I don't think absolute dew point is as important as the gap between dew point and temperature. A run in 50F with 49 dew point, while not bad conditions, will leave you absolutely soaked with sweat. A run in 50F and 30 dew point is perfect. Another typical example is 70/40 is way better than 70/60.

I don't think its really possible to have big gaps when the dew point is in 60s or higher. At least not in Eastern US. We might see something like 90/72 in Ohio in late July or something.

I'm in Florida, it's pretty much over 70F dew point from spring to fall. It's rough

Here you go everybody...

https://runnersconnect.net/dew-point-effect-running/

To the guy asking if an easy run is worth it...just swallow your pride and slow down until it's easy. Problem solved...I guess unless it's above 80 like the link describes.

I think I'm adjusting to the dew point in Louisiana. I did 14 miles the other day in 80F air temp, 75F dew point and it didn't feel as bad as it did last year. Granted, I was about 15 lbs heavier this time last year, so I think being in better shape may have made the humid conditions more bearable.

I disagree with the poster who said 50/49 air/dp will leave you drenched in sweat. Maybe if you're naturally sweaty, conditions won't matter much. But I can finish a long run in conditions like that and be almost dry. Except my nether regions. Those always are moist after a run, no matter the humidity or air temp.

The worst my nether regions ever had it was on a 8 mile morning run one winter. I'd gotten used to temps in the low teens and had dressed accordingly. Without checking the weather I dressed as I had been and went out the door. 2 miles later, mini me was throbbing in pain. By the end of the 8 mile run, I was seriously worried about frost bite and permanent damage. Turns out the temps had dropped to less than 5F. I learned that 5F is a 3-layer kind of day for the little guy. I don't know what was more painful, the end of the run or hopping into a warm shower immediately after.

Is Flagpole still around? Haven't heard from that guy in a while. These boards lose people all the time and little peckerwoods are always taking their places. Oh for the good ol' days.