Running advice needed

OK, it was a toss up posting here or tech talk so I took a chance. Any advice on training for a marathon when the temps are contantly in the 90's with high dew-points? This morning I went out, temp at 6am was 72 degrees with a 70+ dew-point. I was drenched in just a few miles, and no relief from sweat evaporating. I hate treadmills, I get a little dizzy after a few miles, maybe it's trying to watch tv, and even if I run in the middle of the night the dew-points are so high it provides little relief. The outlook shows the next two days temps will drop back to normal, then go back into the mid-90s all next week. I'm behind on my mileage due to extreme heat for the last 6 weeks, and I'm getting a little nervous with how far behind I am. I pulled out of a half marathon because it's next week, it will be extremely hot, and I don't want to fuck up my self just doing a training run.

I'm paying very close attention to hydration, not running during the "heat" of the day, any other advice? Paging Viva!!

Jay

I have no idea other than to keep hydrated, run a slower more manageable pace, and look for sprinklers to run through for cooling. I had the same thing last night; 92 degrees and humid as hell. It's basically impossible to cool properly. Fortunately, we don't normally get much humidity so it's not an ongoing issue.

When it gets like that around here (which is now), I generally plan to run right around sunset when it's cooler and there's a bit more light out. The bigger benefit to running this late is that it gives me all day to hydrate. I literally am non-stop drinking water to prep for my run.

Lightest possible sleeveless shirt as well....

Some great tips on running in heat in the latest issue of Running magazine.

Some of their tricks:

-Get a bandana and wrap a line of ice cubes in it, then tie it around your neck.
-Soak a baseball cap in water then freeze it overnight and put it on for your run.

Other than just staying hydrated make sure you're getting some sodium/potassium and all that good stuff. I used to xc race mtbs back in NC and you can acclimate to the heat and humidity, just take it slow and work you're way up.

Running in the heat is something you just have to train for. There is no easy way around it. It sucks, but you just gotta sac up. I've been running every day here in CO between 4PM and 5PM, and it's not exactly chilly this time of year.

You can get used to running in almost any condition. Just run. Stay within you limits initially, but you will acclimate and increase your mileage.

You can also try running in the evening or at night. I used to do a shit-load of night runs. Maybe your long run can be on Friday or Saturday night, say starting at 9:00PM?

If time's an issue, try running twice a day a couple of times a week- early morning and later when it's kooler.

If you run in a shirt or singlet that's drenched in sweat, watch out for nipple chaffing- not fun.

If there's water along you route, pour some over your head periodically.

I can understand your wanting to avoid the heat/humidity, but you really ought to be prepared for any condition that race day may throw at you, so don't eschew hot, muggy days entirely.

Cool thanks for the advice. THe hat thing is something I forgot. Back when I was a caddie we would fill out hats with cold ice water on hot days and it really helped. I'll have to give that a try. I'll also try to run later in the day and drink water leading up to the run. Guess it will be a while before I can crawl out of bed and go for a run before work.

Thanks,
Jay

From your avatar, I'm guessing you live in Minnesota. You are complaining about temperatures in the 70's. Are you going through menopause?;)

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Originally Posted by Viva

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If there's water along you route, pour some over your head periodically.

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I run along a lake and have had the thought of jumping in on more than one occasion this summer. Guess there really is something to this global warming thing all the kids are talking about.


Oh and Viva, I'm banking on decent weather for the marathon, it's the first week of Oct and in MN we could have snow. I hope.

Jay

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jim J

From your avatar, I'm guessing you live in Minnesota. You are complaining about temperatures in the 70's. Are you going through menopause?;)

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70's would be ideal, our temps are way above normal. This morning it was 72 at 6am with a dew-point over 70 degrees. That's the same dew-point you'd find in the tropics/African jungle. Just taking the garbage out requires a shower at that dew-point. Heat isn't really that big of a deal, it's when your sweat doesn't evaporate that things get a little dicey.

Jay

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Viva

You can get used to running in almost any condition. Just run. Stay within you limits initially, but you will acclimate and increase your mileage.

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that was my immediate response, too.

i don't know how much more experienced people will agree with this, but one thing i personally found about hot weather running were the mental toughness benefits.. i really seem to be able to dig a lot deeper after heat waves.

wife ran Boston this year and a typical week for her is 60 miles or so. She trains in MT and now CO so heat and humidity not so much. However she swears by running only in the mornings, just better for you and gets you ready for the day. Stay hydrated and keep a good pace, about all you can do.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by steve

i don't know how much more experienced people will agree with this, but one thing i personally found about hot weather running were the mental toughness benefits.. i really seem to be able to dig a lot deeper after heat waves.

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Yep. Because most of my races were in California, I purposely trained in the heat- in fact, I would break around noon or one on 100 degree days just to run because I wanted the heat training.

In 95, we had a high of 103 or 105 at Western States, I remember descending into one of the canyons into a wall of heat. I thought to myself "Bring it on!" I passed more than a few people on that 2 mile downhill who weren't physically or mentally ready for those conditions.

I've been running my short days at lunch time in the heat/humidity.
It gets better (bwahahaha) after a while.

Also you may way to try Thermo Tabs or succeeds caps or something similar to that. Just think you'll be much faster when the temps start to drop back down. Training in that kind of heat and humidity only makes you stronger.