How does the heat affect your training? (Read 728 times)

I didn't want to hijack another thread. However in this thread I saw a quote that is awesome from RunToWin: "I don't run my long runs at an easy pace; I run them at or near race pace." This is exactly how I feel. Somewhere along the line you have to train your body to efficiently handle the stress you are planning on putting it through on race day. I have been running more easy miles for Columbus then the Flying Pig. Mainly because I am running a lot more miles. The only run I consider hard at this point is my long runs that I have been doing at or near race pace. Like RunToWin I may change my mind for the training of the Flying Pig in 08 but for Columbus I am commited to this. I have no clue how I am going to do an 18 mile run this weekend when the temperature is supposed to be 100 with high humidty. I think the low for Sunday is supposed to be in the mid 70's with high humidity. Would you guys push a run like that off for next week or longer? How do you adjust for such days? I am not overly optimistic that it will cool down anytime soon here in Ohio though.

You could use the calculator I mentioned in this thread to figure out an equivalent hot weather pace.

I didn't want to hijack another thread. However in this thread I saw a quote that is awesome from RunToWin: "I don't run my long runs at an easy pace; I run them at or near race pace." This is exactly how I feel. Somewhere along the line you have to train your body to efficiently handle the stress you are planning on putting it through on race day. I have been running more easy miles for Columbus then the Flying Pig. Mainly because I am running a lot more miles. The only run I consider hard at this point is my long runs that I have been doing at or near race pace. Like RunToWin I may change my mind for the training of the Flying Pig in 08 but for Columbus I am commited to this. I have no clue how I am going to do an 18 mile run this weekend when the temperature is supposed to be 100 with high humidty. I think the low for Sunday is supposed to be in the mid 70's with high humidity. Would you guys push a run like that off for next week or longer? How do you adjust for such days? I am not overly optimistic that it will cool down anytime soon here in Ohio though.

My $0.02: Drag your butt out of bed REALLY EARLY to beat as much of the heat as possible. With 18 miles, you're going to be out there for a couple/ few hours, so you want to start WELL before the sun comes up. The humidity --- nothing you can do about that, but getting up before the sun should help a little. Hydrate well and listen to your body!! I wouldn't push it hard for 18 miles when it's 100+ degrees out --- IMO, that's just asking for trouble.

I agree with rockenmamof5. Get out of bed early, stay hydrated and cut it short, if needed. This week it has been miserable. I have been out of bed by 4:00 am to run. This allows me to travel near my work, be running by 5 and done by 6 or 6:30. I have a 16 miler to do on Saturday. I will be running by 4:00 am so I can be done by 6 or 6:15 regardless of how hot it will be later in the day. The key is time management and hydration. Manage those two factors and distance wont matter. Good Luck....

My problem is that I like to be up an hour and half before I get running. So I am usually up by 4:00 but run at 6:00.

That's my problem, too. I wish I could run without eating, but I've always been a little hypoglycemic and I will get seriously queasy and weak without food. Then I need to let it settle a little. I like to have coffee, too...it helps "clear things out." k

How does the heat affect your training?

Simple. I am not training. I am just putting in miles of basework right now.

Okay first Trent you have to tell me why someone would be avg 25 mile weeks for a while then do a 100 mile week? Then I would love to know why you have 3 runs on one day! Not just once but several times.

I'm not Trent, but I do believe that those 25 mile weeks we're right after his last marathon in June. Of course that may have nothing to do with it or maybe life got in the way those weeks. As for the 100 miles in one week. This is a guy who did 2 marathons within an 8 or 9 day period! Need I say more?

Hey Bearcat, fellow Ohioan here just chiming in to say I feel your pain. I have been seriously depressed over the weather here. I am not much of an early riser, and had finally established an after-work routine when the heat came in and just knocked me out of it. I've started some morning running, but it really has put a damper on my spirits. Running this morning at 6:00 was still too hot with all the humidity hanging around. I'm just not doing intense days, and am trying to just keep my base through the heat wave. Also trying to moderate pace according to perceived effort, as others have suggested, rather than keeping an eye on the watch. The only bad part here is that overheating toward the end of my run makes my pace pretty uneven, but I think it is the only way to go right now. Related to your original topic, I'm a big believer in training at fast speeds to get faster. This year, I've tried to mix things up by running a little easier, and I think I got alot better results per unit of time invested last year when I ran faster all the time. That said, I've been alot healthier this year, so I guess it can swing either way. Glad I'm not the only one struggling with it. Wish you luck! Here are couple quotes from Emil Zatopek which are relevant to both topics in this thread:

“Why should I practice running slow? I already know how to run slow. I want to learn to run fast.”

“There is a great advantage in training under unfavorable conditions. It is better to train under bad conditions, for the difference is then a tremendous relief in a race.”

That mentality worked for him, so why not us, eh?