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Rushing heat acclimation (Read 1102 times)

    I have my goal spring marathon coming up in 4 weeks.  The unseasonably warm temps in the north east have me a bit concerned that race day has a better than average chance of being warmer than I would prefer.  Life and work pretty much force me to run at 5:30 am when it is, unfortunately, the coolest.  I have considered just doing a couple runs a week at the gym (for some reason they keep it at about 70), or just overdressing for some of my normal runs.  Does anyone have any experience trying to acclimate to higher temperatures sooner than would naturally happen. Does it work / help, how did you do it, how much time did it take (3 runs a week for 2 weeks etc.), did you make easy or quality runs the "hot" ones?

     

    Thanks for sharing any experience.

    Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.

    vegefrog


      I don't have any great advice to give you, but wanted to wish you luck on you race. I am interested to see what people say.

       

      Here in Charleston it's been in the 80's for the past week or so. I foolishly told myself that the heat wouldn't make THAT much of a difference...Then Sunday when I went out for my 13 mile run @ 11 AM I almost had to quit and call my husband to come get me. It was miserable, hard and I felt like crap.I luckily found a water hose to play in around mile 8, or I might have had to walk the last few miles.

       

       I am glad that you are wiser then me and are planning to combat the heat by preparing yourself for it!

        I ran in a 1/2M (March Madness, Cary, IL) over the weekend and also was greatly impacted by the unusually warm temps. I know the mid 60's aren't that bad, but when you're use to running in sub 40s it's a real shock to the body. I was surprised how I just wilted after about 4 or 5 miles.

         

        I also have a full marathon in about a month and am really concerned about being better acclimated for the warmth. 

         

        I'm going to try to start out with some shorter runs over lunch time. 


        Kalsarikännit

          I wrote about my experience with this last spring, but I can't find the old one, so I will do it again.  

           

          I have enormous problems running in the heat.  I will be out with the sunrise in the summer because once it gets hot I start getting really bad chills, goosebumps, and my running really suffers.  The spring is the worst.  When it starts getting warm I just suck.  In the summer of 2010 I had a race that gets up to 110 in the canyons.  It is known for the heat.  I have a friend that is extremely competitive at Badwater every year.  He does a ton of heat training for the race.  I started doing what he does so I could race.  I listened to him, got in the sauna, and the change was remarkable.  When I do it I'm not as strong in the 90's as I am in the 40's, but I am able to run with no problems.  The change that occurs with this heat training is truly remarkable.   The heat used to dictate my running schedule.  Not anymore.  I can run in anything.

           

          Funny you wrote this today because after a week of poor running, I got in the sauna this morning to start my spring heat acclimation.  All I did today was sit in the sauna for 20 minutes and got my sweat on.  Tomorrow I will sit for 15 minutes and jog in place for 5 minutes.  Wear flip-flops and really light clothing.  Bring a towel and cold water.  If you feel woozy get out.  It sometimes happens.  Just keep going in a couple times a week and work your way up to sitting for 15 mins and lightly (you don't have to go nuts) jogging in place for 15 minutes.

           

          A ton of articles on heat acclimation can be found on the Badwater site.

          I want to do it because I want to do it.  -Amelia Earhart

           

            I don't have any great advice to give you, but wanted to wish you luck on you race. I am interested to see what people say.

             

            Here in Charleston it's been in the 80's for the past week or so. I foolishly told myself that the heat wouldn't make THAT much of a difference...Then Sunday when I went out for my 13 mile run @ 11 AM I almost had to quit and call my husband to come get me. It was miserable, hard and I felt like crap.I luckily found a water hose to play in around mile 8, or I might have had to walk the last few miles.

             

             I am glad that you are wiser then me and are planning to combat the heat by preparing yourself for it!

             

            Ah,  to live in SC where the Pollen Count's > 800000000 and the heat index > 90 in Mid march...

             

            I've found that hydrating and slowing down is pretty much the only way I can get used to it.  

             

            Easy runs being 30+ second slower when the heat and humidity kicks in is just a way of life.  


            tomatolover

              I wrote about my experience with this last spring, but I can't find the old one, so I will do it again.  

               

              I have enormous problems running in the heat.  I will be out with the sunrise in the summer because once it gets hot I start getting really bad chills, goosebumps, and my running really suffers.  The spring is the worst.  When it starts getting warm I just suck.  In the summer of 2010 I had a race that gets up to 110 in the canyons.  It is known for the heat.  I have a friend that is extremely competitive at Badwater every year.  He does a ton of heat training for the race.  I started doing what he does so I could race.  I listened to him, got in the sauna, and the change was remarkable.  When I do it I'm not as strong in the 90's as I am in the 40's, but I am able to run with no problems.  The change that occurs with this heat training is truly remarkable.   The heat used to dictate my running schedule.  Not anymore.  I can run in anything.

               

              Funny you wrote this today because after a week of poor running, I got in the sauna this morning to start my spring heat acclimation.  All I did today was sit in the sauna for 20 minutes and got my sweat on.  Tomorrow I will sit for 15 minutes and jog in place for 5 minutes.  Wear flip-flops and really light clothing.  Bring a towel and cold water.  If you feel woozy get out.  It sometimes happens.  Just keep going in a couple times a week and work your way up to sitting for 15 mins and lightly (you don't have to go nuts) jogging in place for 15 minutes.

               

              A ton of articles on heat acclimation can be found on the Badwater site.

               

              I wonder if doing Bikram yoga would be in this same vein....

              Ojo


                I'll let you know after my 50k in 5 days!  I have been training in the 20s and 30s and the predicted race day temps will be low 60s!  One thing for sure is that my pasty white body will be sporting a tank top!  

                Sara

                MM #2929

                vegefrog


                  Ah,  to live in SC where the Pollen Count's > 800000000 and the heat index > 90 in Mid march...

                   

                   

                  Yep! You guys lucked out for the Cola marathon/half/10K. I was volunteering at an aid station and the weather was a little chilly  just standing around at the beginning but perfect for you runners Smile Glad the heat waves hadn't quite hit us yet.

                   

                  Pollen doesn't bother me too terribly bad, but the heat and humidity YIKES!

                   

                  WrigleyGirl thanks for the link, that is interesting stuff. I never even thought about a Sauna for heat acclimation until one of my ultra friends mentioned it. I thought he was nuts when he said he was going to jog in place in a sauna to prepare for the Cremator 50 miler in July.

                  Well, actually I thought he was nuts for signing up for that race period Wink   I guess he knows what he's doing though!!

                  PaulyGram


                  Fast is better than long

                    I ran in a 1/2M (March Madness, Cary, IL) over the weekend and also was greatly impacted by the unusually warm temps. I know the mid 60's aren't that bad, but when you're use to running in sub 40s it's a real shock to the body. I was surprised how I just wilted after about 4 or 5 miles.

                     

                    I also have a full marathon in about a month and am really concerned about being better acclimated for the warmth. 

                     

                    I'm going to try to start out with some shorter runs over lunch time. 

                     

                    I wilted to the point of quitting. How did you do Tom? Most of the people I chatted with mentioned they were far behind last years times.

                    2017 Goals: Give up goals; they're stoopid

                     

                    Give a man a fire and he'll be warm the rest of the night;
                    Set a man afire and he'll be warm the rest of his life.

                    What in the Jehu?

                      I'm doing a marathon in May in Houston that'll have temperatures in the 90s (start about 2pm).

                      I've done all my training indoors during the winter to keep it at 70 degrees.  I've also started running with a sweatshirt in the gym to better mimic the heat challenge for race day.

                       

                      Who knows whether it'll work.  But, let's hope it does.

                      Cheers,

                      Life Goals:

                      #1: Do what I can do

                      #2: Enjoy life

                       

                       

                      xor


                        I'm doing a marathon in May in Houston that'll have temperatures in the 90s (start about 2pm).

                         

                         

                        What race is this?!

                         


                        Feeling the growl again

                          I'm doing a marathon in May in Houston that'll have temperatures in the 90s (start about 2pm).

                           

                           

                          Houston is a freaking sweatsock.  The heat will be the lesser of your worries.  Few places I have enjoyed running less...can't imagine doing so with several hours of exercise already in the legs.

                          "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                           

                          I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                           

                            What race is this?!

                             

                            It's an Ironman.  The bike portion will be finished about 2pm.  It's at the Woodlands.

                            Life Goals:

                            #1: Do what I can do

                            #2: Enjoy life

                             

                             

                              An Ironman in May in Houston seems like a bad idea.

                                An Ironman in May in Houston seems like a bad idea.

                                 

                                I fixed that for ya :-)

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