I live in Arizona where running during the summer and early fall months is difficult due to the heat. Even if I get up early before the sun rises, it is still 88o or hotter. Once the sun comes up it heats up pretty quickly making my runs really tough. Running in the heat takes as much planning as running in very cold weather. If you live in an area that has high temperatures or humidity, you need to know that during the summer’s heat you cannot expect to match your normal training paces. However, if you go out and run in the heat consistently for at least two-weeks your body will begin to acclimate. Once you have acclimated, you just need to understand the effect of heat and humidity on your pace to allow you to be realistic about your training.
A while back, I found two websites that helped me figure out what pace I should strive for during my training runs. I find that running through the dog days of summer allows me to stay in shape for future races without risking my health. It also allows me to not beat myself up mentally if I don’t hit a certain pace. Knowing what a realistic pace should be given the temperatures keeps me sane and healthy. The first website I visit when planning a training run is http://www.dpcalc.org/. This website allows me to figure out what the dewpoint is given the ambient temperature and relative humidity. To be able to figure a target pace, I need to know the dewpoint. The dew point is the temperature the air needs to be cooled to (at constant pressure) in order to achieve a relative humidity (RH) of 100%. This is a better measurement than relative humidity in predicting pace.
Once I have the dewpoint, I then go to https://runnersconnect.net/training/tools/temperature-calculator/. This website has an online calculator that predicts how much the heat will impact my workout times. I use this calculator to plan my training run paces to account for hot temperatures. Once I know the pace calculated, I then adjust my goal time for each run before heading out. I have tested this calculator against my training runs and have found it to be very accurate for me. But it may not be exactly the same for you because we all respond differently to the heat. For some reason, my body tolerates heat pretty well.
The general consensus among runners is that on average for every 10-degree increase in air temperature above 55 degrees, there is a 1.5 to 3 percent increase in your per mile pace. Most runners know what pace they can hit for different distances in ideal weather. I recommend going out for a 3 to 5 mile run test run. When you get back check your average pace against the on-line calculator. You can then compare the predicted pace against what the norm would be given the 1.5 to 3% increase in pace would be given the temperature. For example, if your normal training pace is 8:00 per mile for a 5 mile run at 55o, at 75o you should be able to hit a pace between 8:07 and 8:14 per mile. Once you compare this to the calculator, you will know how accurate it will be for you.
Once you know the right pace there are a couple of other things you can do to help achieve your training and racing goals. First, I cannot recommend enough to run as early in the morning as you can. I know getting up at 5 a.m. is tough. But the simple truth is that during the summer, the coolest part of the day is before sunrise. Running after sundown doesn’t really work as all of the heat stored in the ground during the day begins to radiate upward. The radiant heat makes running even harder. I have run at night and found that I prefer the mornings as it can still be in the triple digits here in Arizona after sundown. There is no arguing that running in the early morning is the best time to beat the heat.
Next, what running gear you choose to wear can also help to keep you cool. Frankly, the fewer clothes the cooler you’ll be. But if you are running when the sun is out you need to wear sunscreen on all of your exposed body parts to avoid sunburn. I choose to run in a very lightweight, breathable, and moisture-wicking fabric. I sweat a lot in the heat so I need the wicking to keep my shirt from sticking to me. I have found that these fabrics help keep me cool as they disperse the heat. Finally, I choose to run in light-colored shirts as they are more visible in the dark and after the sun comes up they reflect some of the sun’s incoming radiation which keeps me marginally cooler.
Finally, make sure you are fully hydrated. Here in Arizona we like to say hydrate or die. I keep a large 36 oz Nalgene like bottle at hand every day. I sip on it throughout the day while I work. I end up refilling it at least three times per day. I find that this keeps me well hydrated and ready for my morning runs. I don’t always carry water with me on a run. But when I am going longer than 5 miles I do. Because I am a heavy sweater, if I am going for a long run of 7+ miles, I like to carry water with electrolytes to replenish what I am losing on my run.
The good news is that if you can keep up your training throughout the summer even at reduced paces, you will reap the rewards when the temperatures start to fall. I find I feel so much faster in the cooler weather after a long summer of hot weather training. I am a strong believer that as long as you plan your runs and stay safe, there is no reason to fear the heat. Just do it! Go outside and run!
Aug 4 – 3.10 miles (24:49, 8:01 pace) – Speed Work
Aug 6 – 5.10 miles (41:08, 8:04 pace) – Tempo Run
Aug 7 – 6.20 miles (56:14, 9:04 pace)
Aug 8 – 10.10 miles (1:43:05, 10:12 pace)
Aug 9 – 4.60 miles (44:14, 9:37 pace)
Aug 10 – 6.10 miles (1:05:55, 10:48 pace) – Hill Repeats
Aug 11 – 3.10 miles (23:53, 7:42 pace) – Speed Work
Aug 13 – 5.10 miles (42:43, 8:23 pace) – Tempo Run
Aug 14 – 5.10 miles (47:42, 9:21 pace)
Aug 15 – 8.10 miles (1:16:44, 9:28 pace)
Aug 16 – 5.10 miles (47:28, 9:18 pace)
2020 Total Miles: 1,091.90 miles
No comments:
Post a Comment