HOW SUMMER TRAINING AFFECTS THE BODY

@run4prs Podcast Episode #111

Summer training can feel defeating. You aren’t able to hit your normal paces and you can feel like your fitness is suffering. Trust us: It is not! Training in the heat is just like training at altitude: You have to slow down but that does not mean YOU are slower

REMEMBER: The heat affects everyone differently. Keep a training log to figure out how much the summer weather affects YOUR body and paces. By the end of the summer and for training next summer, you’ll have a great idea of what you can expect out of yourself in certain different conditions

If you choose not to adjust paces in the heat, you will end up burned out because you’ll be doing all of your runs at too hard of an effort. Running 12:00 min per mile pace in 80 degrees is equally as beneficial as 11:00 min per mile pace in 55 degrees

Your body WILL adapt throughout the summer and those adaptations will make you faster come fall. These adaptations can take 6+ weeks so be patient

INCREASED BLOOD PLASMA VOLUME: Similar to how altitude stimulates your body to produce more red blood cells, heat stress stimulates your body to produce more plasma. With increased volume, your body sends blood to cool your skin without shunting the supply away from your muscles

INCREASED RATE OF PERSPIRATION: As you get acclimated to the heat, your body will begin sweating earlier than it did previously which improves the cooling process

DECREASED BLOOD LACTATE: Blood lactate accumulation during submaximal exercise decreases following heat acclimatization

MENTAL TOUGHNESS: Aside from the physiological benefits from training in the heat, there is also a huge mental component to it. No matter how acclimated you get to the heat, it’s still very difficult to run in and it will make you appreciate and take advantage of your 50 degree weather on race day!

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