Ok, I know how the summer heat and high humidity reeks havoc on everyone's training.  I know in another 30 days everyone will be begging for snow or cooler weather.  Happens every year, like a birthday - it comes and goes without fail.

My question is:  I realize that my LR and MLR paces suffer by perhaps +20 sec - +30 sec p/mile.  I assume that is due to the inability of the body to shed the excess heat, thereby having a corresponding lower blood flow to the muscles as flow is needed to cool the organs.  As a result the lactic acid build up is faster or at prevalent at slower paces.

Is there still an equivalent training stimuli at the lower paces, ie - am I gaining fitness at an equivalent or nearly the same level as during cool weather?  Conventional wisdom would say no, however I lack the understanding of how it affects training gains as much as the more experienced runners herein.

Like letting your leg hair grow out when you're training for a swimming event. You work harder to stay on pace, and when you shave, YOU'RE SO FAST!!!

Ok, I know how the summer heat and high humidity reeks havoc on everyone's training.  I know in another 30 days everyone will be begging for snow or cooler weather.  Happens every year, like a birthday - it comes and goes without fail.

 

My question is:  I realize that my LR and MLR paces suffer by perhaps +20 sec - +30 sec p/mile.  I assume that is due to the inability of the body to shed the excess heat, thereby having a corresponding lower blood flow to the muscles as flow is needed to cool the organs.  As a result the lactic acid build up is faster or at prevalent at slower paces.

 

Is there still an equivalent training stimuli at the lower paces, ie - am I gaining fitness at an equivalent or nearly the same level as during cool weather?  Conventional wisdom would say no, however I lack the understanding of how it affects training gains as much as the more experienced runners herein.

Well, that's not correct but the rest of it is.  It's not lactate build up that slows you down.  Rather, it is an increased heart rate coupled with overheating and your brain's refusal to recruit muscles for exercise as you begin to overheat.  Lactate accumulation isn't really an issue.

Having said that, I think you would derive the same aerobic benefit from a 9:00 paced run in hot weather that you do from an 8:30 paced run in cooler weather because your heart is having to work just as hard.  140 beats per minute is 140 beats per minute no matter why it's beating that rapidly. Depending on the workout though, you may not get quite as much muscular development benefit in hot weather.  You simply are not recruiting as many muscles to run a 9:00 pace as you are to run an 8:30 pace.  Lactate threshold typically suffers during the summer as it is very difficult to run long enough at your LT pace to prompt a training stimulus without overheating and bonking and being forced to slow.  However, you can do fast speed reps and even VO2max intervals on some days because the recoveries allow you the chance to cool between the next workbout.

I think it is nature being cruel, the awfully cold winters with slick ice and blizzards make us wish for summer but as soon as summer arrives we are begging for winter. I would be quite happy if it was just Spring and Autumn all year long, 6 months of Spring......... no make that 3 months of Spring (because storms come with Spring) and 9 months of Autumn, I love Autumn.

Agreed...not a fan of the extreme seasons at all.  Fall is my favorite time of year to run.  Seems like we skip right over Spring and head into Summer in recent years.

I wish my Summer didn't last 10 months....

I feel so sorry for you D, lol.

 

No you don't. She knew what she was getting into

No, I didn't.  And I don't get a choice.  Stupid mortgage fraud and damn bubble.  My house is still more than $50K under water.  Once I can sell, Miami be gone (even Ft. Lauderdale would be an improvement).

 

ouch- my sister lives in coastal north carolina and even after tons of upgrades to her house she would have to write a $30,000 check to get rid of it.

i hope there is some sort of humidity/heat benefits. Here in south texas it is 87 with a feels like of 97. The temps should get up to 96 later. I am planning on running while my kid is at T-ball practice.

I wish my Summer didn't last 10 months....

i will gladly trade you that for the 8 month winter we just had here. Damn winter just ended like 2 weeks ago.