Sports & Recreation: Howl at the moon with nighttime sports

Did you see the stuff you can get from that Japanese dollar store from earlier in our Summer Guide? You don’t want to miss out on inexpensive ceramic cats, do you?

If you are a runner, a cyclist or any kind of outdoor sports enthusiast, you know Sacramento summers can seriously cramp your workout schedule. “Spare the air” days at 100 degrees can bring on heat stress before you even finish your warmup. Sure, you can avoid the hottest hours by working out at dawn, but if you’re a night owl, you’re better off going full-on nocturnal.

From June through August, you’ll only work out at night. And not indoors under artificial light, either. You’ll be outside in the moonlight, sweating it out with the bats and owls, like a wolf—a fitness wolf! A wolf with a kayak maybe, or a golf club, but a wolf nonetheless. Here’s how to howl:

82. The Sacramento State Aquatic Center on Lake Natoma holds sunset paddles on Friday nights when the moon is high. Strike out at dusk on a kayak, paddle across the lake and navigate your way back by the light of the moon. Awooooooo! $30, 7 p.m. on occasional Fridays at 1901 Hazel Avenue in Gold River, (916) 278-2842, www.sacstateaquaticcenter.com.

83. Run with the pack at the Davis Moonlight Race on July 9, with 5K, 10K and half-marathon options. Glow-in-the-dark race gear is encouraged, or wear black and go stealth. $37-$70; various start times on July 9 at DMG Mori Campus, 3805 Faraday Avenue in Davis; http://changeofpace.com/davis-moonlight-race.

84. Not even tired yet? Good, because the driving range at the Haggin Oaks Golf Complex is open 24 hours a day, May through September. Buy 50 balls for $6, or spring for 175 balls for $18 and tee off all night long. 3645 Fulton Avenue, (916) 481-4653, www.hagginoaks.com.

85. Sign up for a Bat Talk and Walk and witness your nocturnal cohorts, the Mexican free-tailed bat, flying into the sunset. This family-friendly event includes a 45-minute talk about bats and a walk through private rice fields in the Yolo Basin to see them fly. $12 for adults, children 15 and under are free; various dates at Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area; http://yolobasin.org/battalkandwalks2016. B.C.

Read on to see our picks for the best ways to play outside this summer.