Relentless Forward Progress_ A Guide to Running Ultramarathons - Bryon Powell [73]
Conclusion
In my experience, heat acclimation based on well-documented scientific principles can give athletes a significant performance enhancement in hot environments. It is important to recognize the effect of acclimation on the tapering period, and plan accordingly.
William Henderson, MD, FRCPC, is a critical care physician and exercise physiologist who provides coaching and exercise physiology testing services. He placed 51st at the 2009 Marathon des Sables.
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Tips for Beating the Heat
With or without acclimation, there are numerous ways you can beat the heat.
First and foremost, stay hydrated with a proper balance of electrolytes.
Wear light-colored clothing to limit the absorption of sunlight.
Wear wicking fabrics to pull moisture away from your skin to the exterior of the fabric, where it can evaporate and cool you.
In dry climates douse yourself in water whenever possible. This could mean pouring extra water from your hydration system or wiping down with a wet towel or sponge at an aid station.
On extremely hot days, take a couple of minutes to submerge in a cool body of water to cool your core.
Run in the shade when it’s available.
Put ice in your hydration system.
Put ice or snow under your hat. (Yes, I’ve logged plenty of trail runs when it was hot, but there was still plenty of snow to be found in the mountains.)
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Hot-Weather Ultra Tips
Jamie Donaldson
Hot weather brings ultrarunning to another level. Not only do you have to deal with the distance, you also have to deal with the environmental factors. I like that challenge because you never really know what is going to happen when you start a hot-weather race!
Pre-Race Tips
Put your body in the conditions it will have to face in the race. If it’s a hot race, train for the heat by running in the heat.
Get your body so comfortable with being uncomfortable that it feels normal to you. I run in a 200-degree Fahrenheit sauna (work up to one hour in it) for six weeks prior to the Badwater Ultramarathon. At first I can barely handle 10 minutes; by the end my body can handle an hour with no problems. This makes the conditions at Badwater feel cool!
Get your body use to fueling in the heat. Practice drinking a lot and fueling while in the hot environment.
I run in the hottest part of the day in layers—the more uncomfortable, the better. That way when all those layers are off, it will feel “easy” to your body!
Race Day Tips
Don’t be afraid to alter your pacing plan for when the day is at its hottest. If you go out too fast when it’s super hot, then it will take more effort from your body to keep running and keep cool. If you take it at a slower pace when it’s super hot, your body can keep itself cooler easier while you continue running. When it’s cooler, you will be able to push the pace back up.
I drink a little bit more than normal each hour during Badwater, all while trying to make sure my electrolytes stay in balance. I monitor my “output,” too, to see that I am processing the liquids.
When it’s really sunny and hot, cover up your skin in white, loose clothing. Make sure you are constantly wetting the clothing. I also wear a Cool Off bandanna with ice and put ice in my hat.
Jamie Donaldson has won the Badwater Ultramarathon three times (’08–’10), while twice setting the course record (’08 and ’10). She has won numerous other ultramarathons, set the American track 200-kilometer record, and been a US representative at the 24 Hour World Championships.
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Heat Cramps, Heat Exhaustion, and Heatstroke*
* The information for this section was obtained from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As mentioned at the outset, heat can have deleterious effects on your health.