Rising Mercury Part 4 - General Tips

Here is a summary of the advice given in these two articles (article 1; article 2):

• In order to acclimate more quickly, try walking/jogging for 15-20min in the heat of the day. However, you should
• Do your main workout early (before 10AM) or late (after 6PM, especially if you have allergies). And, don't be afraid to
• Slow down, run less, and/or walk until you get used to the heat and humidity. Or, you could try to
• Stay cool by pool running or jumping in a pool repeatedly while running. Drinking cold water also helps. Just don't push yourself too hard until you know that
• You're ready to run in the heat. Also, make sure that you're well hydrated and getting enough sleep.
• Wearing moisture-wicking clothing also helps. If you suffer from allergies, wash your clothes and shower immediately. 

With respect to racing in the heat, be prepared and err on the side of caution (article 3):

• Training: (1) Over-dress  (i.e., wear a long sleeve shirt, tights, and/or a hat when you don't have to); (2) Train on a treadmill during the cooler months (it's always 60+ degrees in a gym)
• Warm-up: (1) Stay in the shade as much as possible; (2) Reduce the intensity of your warm-up to avoid over-heating; (3) Have a water bottle close by and keep drinking
• After the gun goes off: (1) For shorter races, use the water at the water stops for cooling; (2) For longer races, keep drinking; (3) Keep your pace conservative

Ok, so we shouldn't have made fun of Marty the other week at the track for dressing like it was 40 degrees out when it was really 60. However, I really wouldn't recommend over-dressing in 80+ degree heat (or humidity), especially for long runs. This just seems like a bad idea to me, as well as a sure fire way to dehydrate quicker, we're not wrestlers trying to make a weight class after all! Also, the whole warming up thing... I get what he's saying, but going from a standstill to "all out" is not a good idea. Just because it's warm out doesn't mean your muscles are warmed up... so I really wouldn't recommend skipping strides for shorter races.