3 Training Tips for running and racing in the summer heat is brought to you by Kevin Kuhn, M.S.Ed., CSCS, MFS. Kevin is a Kinesiologist who uses his education and experience in Kinesiology, Biochemistry, & Sport Nutrition to optimize adaptations in the training of the athletes he works with. Kevin owns Athlete Factors based in Richardson, TX (where it’s been consistently over 100 degrees already this summer!).
Embrace the Heat
If you will be racing in the heat, make sure to train in the heat! Even if race day ends up being “cooler” weather, your body will be that much better at thermoregulation. Training in the heat (even if it’s just for one week) also significantly improves plasma levels! That’s one of the reasons why heat training is called “the poor man’s altitude.” If you’re stuck in the heat this summer with no way to escape, turn this into a positive and tell yourself that your fitness is improving!
Quality Sessions with LEVER
Hard workouts don’t just disappear off the training calendar when the temperature starts rising to near triple digits. In your quality sessions, make sure to continue tracking the metrics that really matter (heart rate) vs. the ones that look good on Strava (pace). However, sometimes the heat and humidity may get to a point where it’s not beneficial to be exercising outdoors. In these circumstances, try doing your quality sessions on the treadmill with LEVER. Reducing body weight while running your quality sessions will allow you to hit faster paces than you could outdoors. For example, say your workout today is 5*1k on the track, but the insane heat index would make it nearly impossible to complete the workout while staying safe and healthy. Transition this workout to the tread with LEVER and reduce 10% of your body weight. You can run these 10% unloaded K’s about 15 seconds faster per K at the same heart rate and effort as you would run outside at full body weight. There are numerous benefits to this as well!
Hydration
Hydration in the heat and humidity is a game that resets every 24 hours. If you want to win tomorrow, you have to show up with those plasma levels up at optimal levels today. This is the thing I try to explain to my athletes: what you drink before a workout is to help you get through that workout, but what you drink after the workout is to not only replace what you lost, but it’s also to keep your plasma levels high until your next run. Hydration and rehydration take time, and the game never stops!
