RUNNING IN THE HEAT

 

I have a 100 mile race coming up at the end of the summer and the last few weeks of my schedule will involve heat training. I know…right! Most of America is experiencing record breaking temperatures…and runners are struggling to train in the heat. They either run at the crack of dawn or train indoors to stay cooler. Here where I live in Colorado…it is not hot enough! Daytime highs here in Westcliffe are around 80 degrees, give or take a few degrees. The race that I am competing in the temperatures will be around 100 degrees. So I need to find heat!

I have had to study heat training all over again because there is so much new research. I have been heat training from 2000 to 2015. All of the races I did were in deserts around the world. And many of these events were held in the spring. Well, I was living in Canada, and sometimes there would still be snow on the ground when I was headed to a competition. I would sit in the sauna, or in some cases, would bring a stationary bike into a sauna and bake. I would usually spend about 30 minutes at a time.

 

MY DESERT RACES…

 

Here are a few of the desert races I have done where I have learned through trial and error how to deal with running in the heat. Here is a fun fact. No matter which desert race I have done… 9:59 was always the time where it felt like someone had turned on the oven. No matter what. I would be running along for a few hours and all of a sudden I would think “okay it’s hot now,” I would look at my watch… 9:59. ( There have been many other desert races which are listed elsewhere on this site.)

 

1.  Marathon des Sables ..9 times
2. Sahara Race………………3 times
3. Gobi Race
4. Atacama Race
5. Libyan Challenge
6. Mauritania Raid Sahara

 

 

I quit running in 2015. I had just simply burned out. It was at that time that heat research started to take off. The 2020 summer Olympics were being held in Tokyo. Sport governing bodies knew that this could potentially be one of the hottest, most humid games on record. Athletes were going to have to be heat acclimated in order to be prepared for their events.

Physical performance starts to decline when the temperature reaches 70 degrees fahrenheit. In running, the longer the distance the tougher it is to perform.

As a masters runner (61) there are even more health considerations to take into account. Our bodies start to slow down. It takes longer for our bodies to register that we are hot, and it takes longer for cooling signals to reach blood vessels and sweat glands. Masters runners also face a decreased thirst response. What does this all mean? We can dehydrate and overheat much more quickly than younger athletes.

During exercise the body has to get rid of heat to keep your core body temperature from rising to a critical level. One way is by sweating. Blood flows to the skin and heat is released to the enviroment by way of sweat.

Humidity is terrible. When humidity reaches 70 percent it becomes increasingly difficult for the body to lose heat. Why? Because sweat cannot evaporate as easily. The environment needs to be dry.

You have to be able to handle the heat. If you do not take heat seriously you will run into numerous complications.

1. Heat Exhaustion… dizziness, headaches, weakness, muscle cramps. The core body temperature is elevated but is below 104 F.
2. Heat Stroke…confusion, delirium, aggression, loss of consciousness. It can lead to coma and death. The core body temperature is above 104 F.

HEAT ACCLIMATION

 

So what to do if you have an event in high heat and/or humidity. You have to train the body to handle it. You either train in the heat, or you simulate heat by heading to the sauna. We can train our bodies to become more efficient sweaters. I incorporate heat training about 4 weeks out from a race. I sit in the sauna 4 or 5 days a week for about 30 minutes. I do this for 3 weeks.

On the last week before the race, I am usually swamped with last minute things to do. Also travel to a race can take hours or days. I was usually competing overseas, so I would leave a week early. This would give me time to overcome any travel delays, and also adjust to jet lag.

 

STAYING COOL BEFORE THE RACE

 

You have to do whatever you can to stay cool before the race starts. In some cases all you may have access to is a tent. Stay out of the sun and rest.

In other cases, you can have access to pre-cooling strategies. Stay in the shade. Sit in front of a fan. Have cooling towels to drape over your head and neck.

Have ice packs ready. Ice can be applied to key areas to keep body temperature low. The best places to ice are the armpits, groin, neck and wrists.

Sip on cold drinks. Make sure to hydrate well before the race.

 

 

DURING THE RACE

You have to get to know your body. In the weeks leading up to the race you have to train yourself to regularly hydrate and combine this with taking electrolytes.

 

Water

 

For my body, I know that I need about 1 liter to 1 ½ liters of water per two hours. So half a liter per hour. When I have a pack on I have two 1 liter water bottles. I always use clear bottles so I can see how much I have been drinking. I make sure I get one bottle down the first hour, and one bottle down the second hour. I have worked it out that I take a few sips every 10 minutes or so. I don’t guzzle. There is nothing worse than having liquid sloshing around in your stomach.

Know the signs of dehydration.

1. Dehydration…dizziness, headache, dry mouth lips and eyes.
2. Monitor your pee. You should be peeing regularly and it should be clear. The darker it gets the more dehydrated you are.

 

Electrolytes

 

I also know how many electrolyte capsules to take per hour. Electrolytes are very important. If you drink too much water, and do not have enough electroytes you can suffer from hyponatremia. This is a condition where there is not enough salt in the blood. When this happens your body’s water levels rise. This can lead to numerous health problems ranging from mild to severe.

1. Hyponatremia…Headache, loss of energy, muscle cramps, nausea and vomiting, seizures

 

Clothing

What you wear makes a difference. Back in the day I used to run in all black clothing. Not anymore. Now I wear light colored, loose fitting clothing that has sun protection. I wear a long-brimmed hat. I have a neck bandana that I can put ice in. Some runners have light colored arm sleeves and compression socks.

 

Icing and Cooling

 

If you are able, try to ice and cool while you are at aid stations. Fill water bottles up with cold water. Use ice packs to cool yourself down. Take advantage of ice towels. Use a sponge and soak your head with cold water. Put ice in your arm sleeves, bandana, bra…wherever!

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

So there you have it. That is my 2 cents worth on how to prepare to handle heat for your next race. As always it is important to consult with your doctor. Make sure you know what you are getting into. It is not worth it to put your health at risk. Heat is no joke.

I have seen a lot at desert races over the years. I have had two friends who were used to running in heat that ended up almost losing their lives. Both girls at separate events slipped into a coma from a combination of heat and dehydration. I was able to talk to one girl who related to me how it happened, what she experienced in the coma and coming out of it. Very frightening.

The other girl was on a running team with me. She had done the same event in the desert every year. She was a pro. She ended up in a coma and the doctors were able to bring her back. But she never went back to the desert. I never saw her again.

   SO PLEASE… BE CAREFUL OUT THERE. KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING.

  AND AS ALWAYS… EMBRACE THE SUCK!