Low HR Training

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Articles On Effects Of Heat On Performance (Read 708 times)

BeeRunB


    It's that time of year here in the Northern Hemisphere when it's time to start thinking about ice cream, beaches, and the effects of heat on running performance and how to acclimate.

     

     

    Here are a few articles I've been reading lately:

    To Beat the Heat, Learn to Sweat It Out

     Seasonal Running


    -Jimmy

    gregw


      Thanks Jimmy.  Those articles match my experience.  Often I'll run a hot/humid race and be amazed that the winners run their normal times.  I think a lot of it has to do with body composition and heat dissipation because I've known age group runners (who are generally very thin) who run much slower (and in packs and are out there longer) who also run near their normal time.  The second article talks about 55 being the point where it starts to degrade and again that matches my thoughts.  In fact, I was surprised I was able to set a HM PR in 55 degree weather, but it was in San Diego and very dry (45 dp).  For me, 40-45 is ideal for a marathon and 50 for HM and below.

      BeeRunB


        Thanks Jimmy.  Those articles match my experience.  Often I'll run a hot/humid race and be amazed that the winners run their normal times.  I think a lot of it has to do with body composition and heat dissipation because I've known age group runners (who are generally very thin) who run much slower (and in packs and are out there longer) who also run near their normal time.  The second article talks about 55 being the point where it starts to degrade and again that matches my thoughts.  In fact, I was surprised I was able to set a HM PR in 55 degree weather, but it was in San Diego and very dry (45 dp).  For me, 40-45 is ideal for a marathon and 50 for HM and below.

         

        Body fat is a key element. They say weight slows you 1-2 seconds per mile per pound, but I think it's more than that with each % of body fat you gain, because of the heat dissipation problems. That's what fat does--keeps your core heat in. Marathons in the 40's are very, very nice. 70º+ is tough if you don't slow from the beginning.

         

        My experience lately with acclimation has been interesting. We've been keeping it 78º+ in the house most of the time the past month (except for a few cold spells) and I've purposefully been running in a hot unventilated room. At the same time, I've dropped 2% of my body fat (went from a sea cow to walrus status). I've been progressing nicely.

         

        That chart of Galloways is fairly close. I was in aprox. 3:28 shape going into the Vermont City Marathon in 2008. The temperature was 73º.  I slowed by 6% (adjusted midway in order not to hit the wall). The chart says 7%. His chart is more anecdotal than scientific, but in the NY TImes article, it says at least 2.5% for elites, and up to 12% for us eliteless.

         

        --Jimmy

         

           

          Body fat is a key element. They say weight slows you 1-2 seconds per mile per pound, but I think it's more than that with each % of body fat you gain, because of the heat dissipation problems. That's what fat does--keeps your core heat in. Marathons in the 40's are very, very nice. 70º+ is tough if you don't slow from the beginning.

           

          My experience lately with acclimation has been interesting. We've been keeping it 78º+ in the house most of the time the past month (except for a few cold spells) and I've purposefully been running in a hot unventilated room. At the same time, I've dropped 2% of my body fat (went from a sea cow to walrus status). I've been progressing nicely.

           

          That chart of Galloways is fairly close. I was in aprox. 3:28 shape going into the Vermont City Marathon in 2008. The temperature was 73º.  I slowed by 6% (adjusted midway in order not to hit the wall). The chart says 7%. His chart is more anecdotal than scientific, but in the NY TImes article, it says at least 2.5% for elites, and up to 12% for us eliteless.

           

           

          --Jimmy

           

           

           

          very interesting stuff you say about losing fat vs pace improvement. this may be why I didn't find an improvement in pace or it was so small I didn't notice when I lost around 4lbs (which happened inadvertently!). before that, I already didn't have much fat so no heat dissipation issues.

           

          in my apartment it's usually 75F. winter, spring, always around 74-76. sometimes it would get too warm (forgetting to turn off heating, etc.) and then if it goes beyond 78F I start feeling it. funny because 75 or 76 is just fine!! seems like a small difference, but...

          I don't know if keeping it at 75 helps with my running. could 78 help more? not that I'll have much choice when we get into summer here, I don't have AC at all and the summer here is usually between 75 and 95 F outside and the apartment gets the sun in the afternoon so I bet it'll get pretty hot, hehe... (I've been living here since december only so no experience with that)

           

          stupid question, what does slowing by 6% mean? what time is that instead of 3:28?

          runnerclay


          Consistently Slow

            It's that time of year here in the Northern Hemisphere when it's time to start thinking about ice cream, beaches, and the effects of heat on running performance and how to acclimate.

             

             

            Here are a few articles I've been reading lately:

            To Beat the Heat, Learn to Sweat It Out

             Seasonal Running


            -Jimmy

             Thanks

            Run until the trail runs out.

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             The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff

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