RunningAHEAD - Topic: Racing in Heat when Unaccostomed

celiacChris

3Days4Cure

posted: 6/3/2008 at 11:34 AM

I searched the forum for past topics, but I'm sure if I missed this, someone will point me in the right direction. I have a race on Friday in the early evening and they are calling for 88 degrees and high humidity. We haven't had heat like this yet in Philadelphia and the last time I ran in heat like this was August/September of 2007. That being said, I am determined to still go for my goal of 30-31 minutes. My training runs have been very good, with a few recent runs at about 30:30. The good news is I can hydrate all day for the race and really be ready. Any thoughts on if I should even consider electrolytes before the run? I think it's too short, even in the heat, but I could use some advice from people more experienced in heat. Honestly, I wouldn't worry if we had had three weeks of this crap and I was used to it, but the first real "heat" of the year happens to be race day. Chris

Chris
PRs: 27:26 5k/ 49:52 5mi/ 58:17 10k/ 2:09:24 half/ 5:13:17 Full

Post-Bipolar PRs: 38:35 5k/ 1:09:34 8k/ 1:09:39 5mi/ 1:33:03 10k/ 3:20:40 Half

2022 Goals

Back to 10k

Monkey Bunny

posted: 6/3/2008 at 1:52 PM

hi Chris, I have the exact same issue except I'm in Florida. My coach's advice to me was to hydrate the day before, then two hours before the race have a water/gatorade drink. During the actual 5K, any water I take in won't do my any good but it's ok to grab a cup and pour it down the back of my neck. I think the reason why you don't pour it down the front is to try and keep your shoes dry. Good luck with your time goal!

2008 Goals

Run Jax Bank 12/21/08 under 4 minutes (1st marathon)
5K 23.99
10K 50.40
1/2 1:52
Manage injuries so I can stick to training plan
Make healthy food choices

Berner

posted: 6/3/2008 at 1:59 PM

With a race distance that short (I am guessing from your log that your upcoming race is a 5K) I wouldn't bother doing anything different.

How To Run a Marathon: Step 1 - start running. There is no Step 2.

Viich

posted: 6/3/2008 at 2:02 PM

Quote from celiacChris on 6/3/2008 at 11:34 AM:

I searched the forum for past topics, but I'm sure if I missed this, someone will point me in the right direction. I have a race on Friday in the early evening and they are calling for 88 degrees and high humidity. We haven't had heat like this yet in Philadelphia and the last time I ran in heat like this was August/September of 2007. That being said, I am determined to still go for my goal of 30-31 minutes. My training runs have been very good, with a few recent runs at about 30:30. The good news is I can hydrate all day for the race and really be ready. Any thoughts on if I should even consider electrolytes before the run? I think it's too short, even in the heat, but I could use some advice from people more experienced in heat. Honestly, I wouldn't worry if we had had three weeks of this crap and I was used to it, but the first real "heat" of the year happens to be race day. Chris

Damn, that is hot. I just did the math and realized that that's 31C. Gatorade before the run won't hurt you if you drink it and don't have any problems with it. I'll drink some after my warm-up at 5K's sometimes. Just keep the water in ya the day before and day of, without getting stupid about it, and don't worry about stopping to drink during the race, it doesn't really matter in a race that short, accept the discomfort and push. Run easy at the start though, going out too fast hurts even more in the heat, in my experience.

BenBuck6

posted: 6/3/2008 at 2:20 PM

88 is nice as the heat index here reached over 100 degress yesterday. On our hot days (100+ temps, 115 heat indexes, this is how I would handle a 5k) 1) Just remember it will be over in 30 or so minutes. So you can and will get out of it in a relative short time. 2) Hyrdate yes, but don't get a sloshy tummy before you run in that kind of heat...to me it has a finish line puking pic written all over it. In other words don't drink a too much either. You will be OK...just make sure you hydrate properly/normally. 3) Make sure you don't start out too fast...doing that will ruin any run, but in the heat it will drain you to another level. 4) Remember, once again, you will be out of it shortly...relax, run, have fun, and use the water provided during the race if there is any doubt. Also, get out in it if you can...go work in the yard, play with the kids, take a walk in the mid-day sun and get used to it the few days before the race.

2008 GOALS GET BELOW 175 (at 175 now) RUN 6:00 MILE (at 6:29) RUN BELOW 25:30 5K RUN BELOW 55:00 10K RUN A MARATHON (DEC. 6TH - MEMPHIS - ST JUDE)

Ed4

Barefoot and happy

posted: 6/3/2008 at 2:42 PM

Don't beat yourself up if your time takes a significant hit from the heat. It's just a fact of nature. In hot weather, your body has to devote a lot of blood flow to moving heat out through your skin -- which reduces the amount available for running.

Curious about running barefoot? Visit the ~~new~~ barefoot running group.

JDF

Non-Stroller-Still Crazy

posted: 6/9/2008 at 9:56 AM

I ran in a race on Saturday at 7:00 PM. The high was 101 that day with very high humidity. My car’s thermometer read 99 degrees 15 minutes before we started. I decided to run the short 5K with two frozen water bottles that melted in the first mile(6:09). I struggled through the rest of the race and I drank or poured on myself nearly 44 ounces of cold water. I ended up running a 20:14 which is more than 1 minute slower than I had been running my 5ks in with both kids in the stroller. The heat will absolutely DESTROY you even in short races. Every single person in that race lost more than 1 minute on their 5k time because of the extreme heat index. I can’t imagine what the people that run the Badwater 135 must feel! Hopefully, it won’t be too bad this year. Go Jamie! http://www.badwater.com/

http://runningahead.com/profiles/69d214e40d824ad0b0a73c925d655a13

JakeKnight

posted: 6/9/2008 at 10:29 AM

I had a different experience: in Saturday's 5-k, the 92 degree heat and high humidity (heat index had it at feeling like 97 degrees) didn't seem to have much if any impact at all. I ran just 40 seconds off PR pace when I was expecting to run at least 3 minutes slower and won my first AG award; a girl who ran with me (our own Candice) obliterated her own PR and won her age group by 4 minutes. Heat affects people differently. In short races, it may not have a big impact. Or it may. That depends on you. By the way: hydrate well, but don't overdo it. Drinking 10 gallons a water won't help you, but it might kill you.

E-mail: eric.fuller.mail@gmail.com
-----------------------------

JDF

Non-Stroller-Still Crazy

posted: 6/9/2008 at 10:43 AM

Quote from JakeKnight on 6/9/2008 at 10:29 AM:

I had a different experience: in Saturday's 5-k, the 92 degree heat and high humidity (heat index had it at feeling like 97 degrees) didn't seem to have much if any impact at all. I ran just 40 seconds off PR pace when I was expecting to run at least 3 minutes slower and won my first AG award; a girl who ran with me (our own Candice) obliterated her own PR and won her age group by 4 minutes. Heat affects people differently. In short races, it may not have a big impact. Or it may. That depends on you. By the way: hydrate well, but don't overdo it. Drinking 10 gallons a water won't help you, but it might kill you.

What kind of paces are we talking about here? An 8 minute per mile person in the heat probably will not be affected as much as a sub 6:00 minute person. The winner of our race ran a 15:50. He should have been below 15:00 and he said the heat really took its toll on him.

http://runningahead.com/profiles/69d214e40d824ad0b0a73c925d655a13

celiacChris

3Days4Cure

posted: 6/9/2008 at 11:12 AM

Quote from JakeKnight on 6/9/2008 at 10:29 AM:

I had a different experience: in Saturday's 5-k, the 92 degree heat and high humidity (heat index had it at feeling like 97 degrees) didn't seem to have much if any impact at all. I ran just 40 seconds off PR pace when I was expecting to run at least 3 minutes slower and won my first AG award; a girl who ran with me (our own Candice) obliterated her own PR and won her age group by 4 minutes. Heat affects people differently. In short races, it may not have a big impact. Or it may. That depends on you. By the way: hydrate well, but don't overdo it. Drinking 10 gallons a water won't help you, but it might kill you.

I would also argue heat impacts people differently depending on the day. Friday my pace wasn't impacted too much, even though my coach argued he expected me a bit faster (so I lost 5-10 seconds per mile). Saturday I would argue the heat had no impact. Today, though, at 5am in similar heat and humidity I was at least 1 min per mile slower than average training pace. Jake--you are also right about smart hydration, enough but not too much. I think the key (which everyone else so clearly stated) is to HTFU and get out there, and run where you are comfortable.

Chris
PRs: 27:26 5k/ 49:52 5mi/ 58:17 10k/ 2:09:24 half/ 5:13:17 Full

Post-Bipolar PRs: 38:35 5k/ 1:09:34 8k/ 1:09:39 5mi/ 1:33:03 10k/ 3:20:40 Half

2022 Goals

Back to 10k

Berner

posted: 6/9/2008 at 11:42 AM

Quote from JDF on 6/9/2008 at 10:43 AM:

An 8 minute per mile person in the heat probably will not be affected as much as a sub 6:00 minute person.

Interesting perspective. The materials that I've read suggest the opposite, however. I.e., that the 8:00/m runner suffers the effects of heat more than the 6:00/m runner because the slower runner is on the course for longer. Assuming both Runner A and Runner B are exerting at equivalent effort levels (even though Runner A is faster), I don't see how Runner A could be affected more than Runner B by heat. Confused

How To Run a Marathon: Step 1 - start running. There is no Step 2.

JakeKnight

posted: 6/9/2008 at 11:49 AM
modified: 6/9/2008 at 11:50 AM

Quote from JDF on 6/9/2008 at 10:43 AM:

What kind of paces are we talking about here? An 8 minute per mile person in the heat probably will not be affected as much as a sub 6:00 minute person. The winner of our race ran a 15:50. He should have been below 15:00 and he said the heat really took its toll on him.

21:43. And I was in no condition to run at all. Should have been 23-34. Candice ran 21:55 or so, which was a big PR for her. No idea how much the leaders slowed down. They weren't under 16.

Quote from Berner on 6/9/2008 at 11:42 AM:

Interesting perspective. The materials that I've read suggest the opposite, however. I.e., that the 8:00/m runner suffers the effects of heat more than the 6:00/m runner because the slower runner is on the course for longer. Assuming both Runner A and Runner B are exerting at equivalent effort levels (even though Runner A is faster), I don't see how Runner A could be affected more than Runner B by heat.

I agree. I'd guess the faster runner would be affected much less dramatically, for two obvious reasons: they're already in much better shape (and probably trained in the heat, anyway) ... and they're just out on the course for a lot less time. I know that's true for me. The faster I get - and the shorter the race - the less the heat has an impact. But as always, that's me - YMMV. Nevertheless, I was awfully pleasantly surprised on Saturday. I expected it to be a lot harder.

E-mail: eric.fuller.mail@gmail.com
-----------------------------

JDF

Non-Stroller-Still Crazy

posted: 6/9/2008 at 3:20 PM

There are several factors in your body’s ability to dissipate heat that I can think of. 1. Surface Area of your skin 2. Amount of energy your body is converting from stored energy 3. The environment your body is trying to dissipate the heat into Let’s compare those factors for two different runners. One runner is an average to advanced runner who runs the 5k in 22 minutes. The other faster runner runs it in about 16 minutes. The slower runner might have a little more body fat than the faster runner so their ability to dissipate heat might be hindered. However, getting to even a 22:00 time requires some training so I doubt that runner will have a lot more fat than the faster runner. I have seen some sub 20:00 Clydesdales before though so it is not out of the question. The faster runner is probably using and converting much more energy. However, their body is probably much more efficient at converting the energy so it is hard too tell who is trying to release more heat into the air. Both the runners are running in the same environment except the air moving past the 5 minute runner is going slightly faster. That might allow the faster runner to dissipate heat a little better. If both of the runners are of similar body type I would expect the faster runner to generate more heat internally. If that runner is exceptional at dissipating the heat then maybe it wouldn’t affect them as much. The real difference would come in if the slower runner is a very large individual with a disproportionate amount of body fat. That would severely limit their heat dissipation ability and would slow them down greatly. I don’t think the amount of exposed time in a short race like the 5K is that big of a factor. The faster runner is only exposed for 6 minutes less than the slower runner. We stood on the starting line exposed to the direct 100+ degree sunlight for 20 minutes while we waited for the race to start. That took its toll on everyone!

http://runningahead.com/profiles/69d214e40d824ad0b0a73c925d655a13

Racing in Heat when Unaccostomed (Read 762 times)