Realistic pace adjustment for heat (Read 998 times)

When it's 85-90+ degrees and humid on top, sometimes no matter how slow you go it is going to feel horrible. All you can do is whatever pace gets you there with minimal pain. It is impossible to give you a decent guideline, people are very different. When I was in my early 20s, it did not slow me down much at all. Now, it does!

I use a HRM for my runs and Low Heart Rate training (maintain or stay below a target hear rate; mine is 138) and I've found that when the heat/humidity gets over 85/45 I tend to slow about a minute per mile. It will effect different people in different ways but this is what happens to me. I just accept the fact I need to slow down to steer clear of possible overuse injuries or running too hard too often. Gives me a chance to work on form.

Would I be better to maintain a slower pace altogether or try to run my normal pace mixed in with episodes of walking or much slower running? I did a 3/1 run/walk combo yesterday, which was more walking than I needed but I like the idea of keeping some of it at pace.

Would I be better to maintain a slower pace altogether or try to run my normal pace mixed in with episodes of walking or much slower running? I did a 3/1 run/walk combo yesterday, which was more walking than I needed but I like the idea of keeping some of it at pace.

My preference is to not take walk breaks, although some would argue that I slow down enough that I am really just walking fast. But this year I've been able to go out for an hour plus in upper 90 heat and not had to take walk breaks. My pace ended up being 90+ seconds slower than my normal easy pace. Because of the summer heat I try to schedule goal races late enough in the fall so that the heat doesn't have an impact on my key workouts. If I get a nice day in the summer I'll pick up the pace a little just to mix things up, but I generally just focus on getting the miles in. It still amazes me how much faster I run once we get into fall and the weather cools off.

I'm glad everyone else has this problem too. This past weekend I had a 20 miler scheduled and ended up doing 22. I could feel the pain from too little training and the already 78 degree temps at 6:00 AM. The temp started out in the high 70's and was in the high 80's with high humidity by the last 6-8 miles. I normally try to run at about an 8:45 mile but suffer from late run slowness. This time my goal was to start out at MP of 9:00 and try to hold it and maybe even pick it up the last 6-8 miles to break the rut of latter mile slowing. All that shattered at about 12 miles when I turned around. There was very little wind and the sun was beating down with 80+ degree temps. I felt tht I was running a near 8:00 pace down an incline but was actually at a 9:30 or so. I decided to forget about pace and just keep my HR below 150. That worked until mile 16 or so when i had to slow to a 9:45 pace to keep the HR down. It was a bit hilly so I figured the hills were spiking my HR. By mile 18 I knew I was in trouble as I slogged along at a 10:00 pace. At mile 20 I had to walk about 3/4 of a mile just to keep my HR below 160. by this point I was feeling as though the heat was becoming dangerous. I ran/walked through mile 21 and ran the last mile slowly. Overall the 22 miles was at a pace of 10:05 and the course was hilly. Keep up the pace and stay focused. Good luck

Heat sucks. I never plan to run X amount of seconds slower per X amount of degrees above temp X, but I do find that I'm 30 seconds to a minute slower per mile on hot/humid days recently. I just try to push myself extra hard, in hopes that all the suffering now will really translate into some significant gains come fall marathon time when the temp should be down to the low 60s again.

I just run. Not particularly fast or far, but I don't really go slower on purpose. Just today, I actually ran faster than I usually do...and it was not pleasant outside. It's all a matter of how you're feeling. Some days, you'll bust through it. Some days, it'll bust through you.