Running in the heat (Read 1394 times)

If you're racing in the heat though, I'd think you'd have to train in the heat to prepare yourself.  I totally bonked on a 5K on the fourth of July...it was 90 degrees and 80% humidity at the 8AM start.  My mile splits were 5:40, 5:50, 6:30 (yes, that's not a typo...that's a 40 second split the wrong way) for an 18:38 overall.  By sheer dumb luck, my track/interval work has been fortunately cool so far this year.  I just don't think I've logged enough miles in the heat to be ready to race in the heat.  If your 5K is a couple months away, then maybe you can count on cooler conditions but if it is going to be hot, I'd think you'd want to train in the conditions you'll race in.  Similarly, I've always heard that you should run in the mornings since 99% of races are are in the AM.

I agree with what you're saying. However, I think no matter how much training us mortals do in the heat, we can forget about racing well, or setting PRs,  in the conditions you just experienced.  I'm with Spaniel in that if I have an interval workout to do, and it's hot or humid outside, I'll hit the treadmill.

I just don't see the benefit of attempting an already hard training run in hot/humid conditions, and making it that much harder. Everyone says to adjust your pace? Adjust it to what? The only adjustment that works is an easy jog.  I will however attempt all of my recovery and easy runs outside in the heat for acclimation purposes.   

For what it's worth, my treadmill is in my basement, which is about 70 degrees (not overly cold). I've also noticed the humidity constantly rises while I'm running and often times it's just as humid in my basement as it is outside. 

"I just don't see the benefit of attempting an already hard training run in hot/humid conditions, and making it that much harder."

 

Isn't the benefit of the workout attributable to effort not pace?

 

That is, even though the heat has slowed you down, if you're working just as hard as on a cool day, shouldn't you receive an equal benefit in your training?

That depends, I think, on the purpose of the workout. If it's a speed session where the emphasis is on leg speed/turnover, I don't think the benefits are the same.

Even if I'm wrong on the above running a hard workout in the heat makes me sick (has happened too many times). I don't see a benefit to that. 

I ran quite a bit in the Texas heat last summer. Once I got acclimated I found I could run 20-30 seconds per mile faster with a drop of 10 degrees, say 90 vs 100 or 95 vs 105. YMMV.

This sounds about right. Running in the heat, there's more blood going to your skin to maintain your temperature. That means less blood going to your muscles to deliver oxygen. It can't do both things at the same time, and there's no getting around it.