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by Patrick McCrann

Believe it or not, the hot stuff is right around the corner here in New England. We all remember what happened during this year’s Boston Marathon/DeathMarch.  Soon the heat and humidity will be on our doorstep, just waiting for us to get outside and try to exercise.  Here are some tips/pointers on making sure that you are on the right course!

Heat Dehydrates You
No duh, right? Wrong! We all know that we need to drink more, but be sure to drink more ALL DAY long (not just on the bike/run).  A helpful motto: If you are already thirsty, that means you are on your way to dehydration.  For all you Starbucks fans out there, this means keeping a grande H2O next to your no-whip supreme-o mocha thingy. Seriously.  You might also consider an electrolyte replacement drink (Gatorade is the most popular) as well as some salt tablets (I train/race with Endurolytes from Hammer Nutrition). Whatever you do, make sure you have used it in training before race day!

Heat Burns You
Sunscreen should be a mandatory part of your routine – like your bike helmet.  Any time spent outside means time spent getting exposed to the sun and UV rays.  Sunscreen is key to make sure your body temperature remains as low as it can.  This will also help you recover better from you workout!  Also consider wearing a hat/visor to protect your face.

Heat Affects Your Heart Rate
Your body needs to keep its temperature within a narrow range to be able to function effectively. The hotter it gets outside, the higher your core temperature will become. Your heart rate will often rise whether you’re exercising or not. When you are running in the heat, this increases your body temperature even further. Note for those of you who use training zones: Your heart rate for a set running speed will increase in higher temperatures in an attempt to cope with this.

Theoretically, your body should adapt to the heat after a few weeks - your resting heart rate will return to normal levels - and thus, so will your training zones. If this is the beginning of a long hot summer for you, stick with your zones except for a few (up to 4) key workouts. This may mean cutting back on the pace, but you will be ready to go in a few weeks - i.e., log HR at key track workout today, check HR level @ same track workout in one month. Chances are, your HR should be closer to your normal training zones!

For those of you who will see spikes in the heat depending on the day, make sure to get some training done in the heat so you will have fewer surprises on race day.  Plan out your race and do your runs, for example, at the time of day you plan to hit the pavement on race day!  This will give you some great physical – and mental – preparation for race day!  Otherwise, do your best to avoid the heat…save the “scorching” for the course!

For now, Stay Hydrated!

Coach P

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