As any experienced runner knows, the weather is a critical race performance factor. Months of excellent training can easily be undermined by high temperatures or humidity, a chilling headwind, or subfreezing temperatures. Before selecting a race, I check the 10-year weather history for the race city. As any runner soon finds out, averages can indicate only the likely temperature for a specific day. You make your race choice and hope that playing the percentages pays off.
What do you do on those days that the unexpected occurs and the conditions are extreme? You have the choice of not running the race and choosing another within the next couple of weeks. That choice will give you a chance to perform in conditions that are more conducive to achieving the goal finish time representative of your months of training. Another choice is to run the race because it is one that you particularly want to experience. It may also be likely that you have incurred travel expenses and made arrangements with friends to share the race experience. For whatever the reason, you must modify your goal finish time and your planned race pace, realizing that the conditions dictate the modification. The worst choice is to believe that you can defy conditions and successfully run to your potential against the heat, wind, or extreme cold.
We receive many messages from runners in the southeastern United States or Southeast Asia asking how to train in heat and humidity. In the western part of the country, the low humidity and large daily range of temperature provide cooler times of day for workouts. However, in the regions of the country with high humidity, it is not possible to run as fast in the summer months. So how should runners in these regions adjust their summer running?
There’s no question that heat and humidity will slow your pace. This poses a problem for the runner who is using the summer months to prepare for a fall race. Because you will most likely not be running your fall marathon in the extreme heat and humidity that you will experience in the summer, training in very high temperatures that cause you to run 30 seconds per mile slower than your normal training pace will not provide the preparation needed for that fall race.
To combat this problem, we prepare during the summer for fall marathons by running early in the morning when the temperatures are typically in the low 70s with little radiant heat, even though the humidity is high. There will still be a performance decrement, but the neuromuscular and biomechanical training will not be much different from fall training and racing. You can expect to run a little slower than your normal targeted pace. As long as your effort is challenging but doable, you will be getting the benefits you are seeking. Running in the afternoons with a 90+ degree heat index does not permit the faster running needed for training specificity, at least not safely.
We recognize that our location in the western part of the Carolinas provides cooler temperatures than those near the coast or those in the Deep South, where temperatures can be in the 80s or even 90s in early morning. For those runners, it makes sense to choose a late fall race so that there is time to perform long training runs in early fall with cooler temperatures. In Chapter 5, we discussed using a treadmill for performing runs at a faster pace than what is possible outside. The lower temperature and humidity of the indoor environment will enable you to run at a faster pace than the outdoor heat would permit. Mixing outdoor running for acclimatization with indoor running for speed may be a good race preparation strategy. Consider the specificity principle. Try to train in conditions similar to those you will be racing in.
• Ideal conditions for running performance is 40° to 60°F (5° to 16°C) and low humidity.
• Heat and cold above and below the ideal have adverse effects on running times.
• Heat is the most dangerous and most difficult environmental condition to combat.
• Properly hydrate before, during, and after workouts in hot conditions.
• Avoid comparing training and racing times run in the heat to times run in ideal conditions.
• Reduce exercise intensity in very hot conditions.
• During hot weather, train in the early morning when the temperatures are coolest.
• Acclimatize to heat for 7 to 14 days when warm weather begins.
• The adverse effects of cold can be minimized with proper clothing and apparel accessories.
Q. What is a hot environment?
A. When the temperature begins to climb over 60°F (16°C), you can expect the temperature to influence your running, i.e., 1 to 2 percent loss of running economy for each 1.5°F increase in temperature. This performance decrement becomes more pronounced as the race distance increases. Add increased humidity to an already warm day and the impact is even greater. Your expected performance goals must be adjusted when you encounter high temperatures and humidity.
Q. How important is hydration in countering the effects of heat?
A. Very important. The answer to this question could easily be an entire chapter. You must be aware that hydration becomes a key factor in running performance in those sessions lasting more than 1 hour. A 2 to 3 percent water loss will result in a significant performance decrement.
Q. How can you be sure you are drinking enough but not too much?
A. Make sure that your urine output is plentiful and the color clear or pale yellow before you begin running. If you lose more than 2 percent of your body weight during a run, you need to drink to avert a compromised performance.
Q. How do you acclimatize to the heat?
A. Heat acclimatization requires exercising in the heat. Sitting in a hot environment, even for extended periods of time, will not result in the adaptations necessary for exercising in the heat. The body learns to sweat more effectively and to tolerate liquid replacement as it trains in hot environments. The body requires 10 to 14 days for complete acclimatization to elevated environmental temperatures, although initial adaptations occur in the first 5 days of acclimatization.
Q. What’s a runner to do when it’s hot?
A. You will not be able to sustain as fast a pace as normal in the heat, even after adequate acclimatization. In Key Run #1, you may substitute short repeats (400s, 800s) for longer repeats (1200s, 1600s). Another strategy is to take longer recoveries between repeats and hydrate throughout the workout. In Key Runs #2 and #3, you may not be able to maintain the prescribed pace for the specified distance. Run at an effort you perceive as moderate to hard. When running in hot, humid conditions, be smart and listen to your body.
Q. How do I know if I am encountering a heat disorder and what should I do?
A. There are three major categories of heat injury: heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke. Heat exhaustion is the most common type of heat injury experienced during running competitions. All of these conditions can be prevented with proper fluid intake and by paying appropriate attention to the symptoms associated with heat disorders—headaches, excessive sweating or cessation of sweating, muscle spasms, irritability, and disorientation. Heat injuries can be serious. It is important to stay hydrated, listen to your body, and train smart. It’s not necessary to risk your health to complete a run just because it’s on your schedule.
Q. What are the risks associated with exercising in the cold?
A. Exercise in cold environments presents few risks to the runner who makes proper preparation. The runner must pay close attention to dress, hydration, length of race, and energy sources. As long as you generate more heat than you lose, exercising in the cold should not present the problems that exercising in the heat does.
Q. How should the runner dress for cold weather?
A. We wish we could create easy-to-use tables for choosing racing gear for every 10-degree interval. However, while many runners are comfortable in a short-sleeved T-shirt at 40 degrees, some want a long-sleeved shirt any time the temperature drops below 50 degrees.
Even with the wide variation in individuals’ toleration of cold, there are some general guidelines we find useful. The most important is to remain dry while keeping warm. Adding layers of clothing as the temperature drops and/or the wind picks up is usually the most effective way to keep moisture away from your body. The layer next to your body should be a material that wicks moisture from your skin. Silk will accomplish that, as will a number of high-tech synthetic materials. Even when you are wearing only a T-shirt, it’s a good idea to keep the moisture away from your skin. Remember—you perspire constantly and the rate of sweating increases as you exercise harder.
You may need to add a second layer of insulating material such as wool, down, or fleece if you need to keep body heat in. Finally, if you are running in severe conditions, you may need to add a wind- and water-resistant shell to protect you from the elements. This layer should be capable of letting moisture pass outward. The advantage to using layering is that you can peel off unneeded clothing if conditions improve or if your body provides sufficient heat to keep you feeling warm.
Once the temperature is below freezing and especially if it’s windy, you must guard against frostbite. Gloves are fine, but mittens conserve more heat. Remember to cover your head, since a great deal of heat is lost through the head. Finally, socks that wick moisture are just as important for cold-weather running as they are for hot-weather running. Your feet produce great amounts of moisture that need to be eliminated. Breathable shoes will complement high-tech wicking socks.
Q. Is hydration important in cold weather?
A. Most individuals tend to take in less liquid in the cold, even when exercising. Just as in the heat, thirst is a very poor measure of your need for fluids. Fluid replacement in a cold environment is important, but the need typically is not as obvious to the runner as it is in warm conditions.
Q. What’s a runner to do when it is cold?
A. Follow the guidelines above and be prepared to be uncomfortably cold for the first 10 minutes of your run. If you are comfortable when you start your run in the cold, you will be too hot once you begin producing heat. It is well worth the expense of purchasing technical clothing that wicks away moisture. You can remain remarkably dry while running. Having dry clothes makes all the difference for staying warm and enjoying a winter run.
When checking the temperature to determine how many layers to wear, pay attention to the windchill factor. Wind can reduce the effective temperature considerably. It is nice to have an outer layer that can be zipped and unzipped as you move into a headwind or a tailwind. And don’t forget the sunscreen just because it’s cold!
Dear FIRST program,
I am 31 years old and have been running since 2004. I started out walking, and then completed my first marathon in October of 2004 with a time of 4:58. Since then, I have completed seven more, most recently, the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon, which I did yesterday. I had been one of the runners you discuss in your book, Run Less, Run Faster, who ran to get in miles, but had no real purpose for WHY I was running the distances or paces that I did.
Qualifying for Boston is a goal for me, but my fastest marathon was in 2006 at 4:10. My age- group requires a 3:40 to qualify, which until yesterday seemed out of the realm of possibility. I took a look at your program for a couple of reasons. First, I had always “heard” of speedwork, but had no idea what it entailed; how fast to go, for how long, with what recovery? Secondly, being part of a newly blended family with three children instead of one, I needed to be home with my family more. Your program allowed that.
Using your program, I had trained to run a 3:53 marathon which I chose based off a recent 24:00 5K time. I had run a 1:51 half-marathon in May of this year, but to be honest, I felt that the 3:53 marathon was pushing it. The FIRST program was great. I got all my workouts in and felt refreshed, not exhausted at the beginning of each. I didn’t dread the runs, like I typically do when I was running 40+junk miles a week just to get in “my mileage.” I lost over 10 pounds and am significantly quicker now than before.
Yesterday, at the Twin Cities Marathon, I ran a PR chip time of 3:49. I was on pace to qualify for Boston until mile 21, where I hit some large hills and felt my entire energy supply disappear. While I am pleased that I cut 21 minutes off my prior fastest time, I am unsure of how to train for those last 5 miles, or what I could have/should have done differently. I’m happy to provide any additional information about myself if it would be helpful. I’ll make a solid attempt at a BQ time next fall on a fast, flat course and I will use the FIRST plan. I recommend it to everyone I know, and I will never be a “junk mileage” runner again. Thank you!
Emily J. Blomme
Quality Assurance Director
Horizons, A Family Service Alliance
Cedar Rapids, Iowa