Every race requires a bit of planning but racing in the heat requires a bit more
thought. When the ambient temperature is extremely high and your working muscles are generating additional heat, it's very important to externally keep your body cool
and to replenish what you lose from sweat.
During a race, when your metabolic and heat production rates are high, core temperature increases. This isn't too much of a worry in cool conditions but if it's hot and humid outside, the body then has to cope with the environmental heat and the heat produced by the working muscles. To keep you from overheating, the first priority of your body is sending more blood to the skin to help with cooling – leaving less oxygen-rich blood for the muscles and less blood for your gut to help with digestion.
As a way to help cool yourself, your body increases the sweat rate to remove heat from your body through evaporative cooling. As you become dehydrated (from water loss), blood volume decreases. In turn, more blood to the skin means less to your heart. To maintain cardiac output, heart rate increases to try to supple the muscles with blood. But decreased blood availability means less blood is available to go to the working muscles. When the body can't overcome the heat stress, heat builds up in your body, your core temp increases and you are at risk for overheating and a heat illness.
For endurance athletes, it's important to note that your muscles demand more fuel (glycogen) in hot conditions. Muscles are more taxed which can affect efficiency and can also cause greater tissue damage.
A few tips to help you better manage racing in hot conditions:
During a race, when your metabolic and heat production rates are high, core temperature increases. This isn't too much of a worry in cool conditions but if it's hot and humid outside, the body then has to cope with the environmental heat and the heat produced by the working muscles. To keep you from overheating, the first priority of your body is sending more blood to the skin to help with cooling – leaving less oxygen-rich blood for the muscles and less blood for your gut to help with digestion.
As a way to help cool yourself, your body increases the sweat rate to remove heat from your body through evaporative cooling. As you become dehydrated (from water loss), blood volume decreases. In turn, more blood to the skin means less to your heart. To maintain cardiac output, heart rate increases to try to supple the muscles with blood. But decreased blood availability means less blood is available to go to the working muscles. When the body can't overcome the heat stress, heat builds up in your body, your core temp increases and you are at risk for overheating and a heat illness.
For endurance athletes, it's important to note that your muscles demand more fuel (glycogen) in hot conditions. Muscles are more taxed which can affect efficiency and can also cause greater tissue damage.
A few tips to help you better manage racing in hot conditions:
- With less blood available to the working muscles and the cardio system under
stressed, you have to be careful with pacing. Do not push yourself or chase paces (or PR's).
Run within your capabilities under heat stress. Certainly this will be more of a factor with running (full-body) compared to swimming or cycling.
- Go into your race well fueled. It's much easier to give your body fuel when you are sedentary than when you are exercising. A fueled and hydrated tank going into the race will help reduce the risk of GI issues that often occur from consuming too much nutrition during a race (your body can only digest and absorb ~1g carb per minute when you are exercising).
- Go into the race well hydrated and salt your food. But don’t overdrink. Your
urine should not be clear or dark but lightly yellow. If you have practiced
with a hyper hydration drink like Osmo, NBS, Skratch or Vite, I suggest to pre-load with between 600-1200mg sodium twice a day in the 24 hours before you race (and on race day morning). Otherwise, just salt
your food.
- Before and during the race, keep yourself cool. During a triathlon, use water to cool your body when cycling (aid stations) and when running, use a cooling towel, sponges and ice.
- Stay well hydrated on the bike by drinking frequently – even in the first hour
when you don’t feel thirsty. Use your well-formulated, practiced sport drink and try to stick to a drinking schedule to optimize digestion and absorption.
- Don't assume that "more salt" will keep you better hydrated. Your body can only accept so much when you are exercising. Your body functions best when you are proactive, not reactive.
- On the run, your stomach can only empty about 5-7 ounces of fluid every 15
minutes. If you drink more than you can empty from your stomach, you may risk a
sloshy stomach. Also, if you only drink water, you risk diluting sodium in the
blood. Make sure to rely on a sport drink throughout the race (that’s why I also suggest to wear a hydration belt) and use water for sipping and
cooling.
- The harder the effort, the more your body temp will increase as more heat is being generated. Think about the hardest/more demanding places on the course (ex. hills) that may cause an increase in heat production. Control
your effort to better manage the entire race.
- Look for shaded areas on the course to avoid running in the direct sunlight.
- If you feel overly hot, dizzy or chills. Stop immediately and lay down and get
yourself cooled.
- Use sunscreen, cover exposed areas with breathable, moisture-wicking fabrics and stay out of the sun before the race. A sunburn is extremely stressful to your body.
- After the race, cool your body down with ice/water and rehydrate. Take a cold shower and
don’t just drink water. Suggest a mild-tasting electrolyte drink like Skratch, NBS or Vite.
Discounts:
NBS: TRIMARNI
Vite: TRIMARNI25
Carborocket: TRIMARNI
Naked Running: TRIMARNI15