Running in the heat not beneficial?

[wjdistance09]

My friend says when you run in the heat it doesn't help you at all because your body is working so hard to cool off. Does he have a point?

[TdMdXc08]

when my schedule is tight and i have to run at 12 in the heat of the sun, it is indeed tough, but i think it actually makes me tougher to battle through the heat.

[bdub525]

when my schedule is tight and i have to run at 12 in the heat of the sun, it is indeed tough, but i think it actually makes me tougher to battle through the heat.

i have been runnin at 6-8 at night to avoid the heat; but one day i ran at 12 w/ some friends and i was suckin pretty hard; granted i did run a mile and 1/2 to get to where they did because i have been doin more mileage but i still died; however at a road race we did two days after when i ran with them i beat one of them who had been beating be for all of track but one meet so idk

[g2g4gold]

If it prevents you from finishing or running the right pace at the right effort its not good. If you are told to run 6 minute pace and you do it in 100 degrees compared to 70 its completely different effort wise. If you are running in the heat run 6:20 or so because you want the same effort. Dont be a slave to your watch.

[distanceking]

Running in the heat is ghey. That's why I follow this mantra during the summer:

Beat the heat then beat your meat.


Instead of jerking off you should be running in the morning.

[runningwoods123]

my coach said it's a good thing to do this summer to prepare for the meets where it will be flaming hot

[dangerpenguin]

Dont be a slave to your watch.

QFE

[WOOLYRUNS]

Yeah heat is just another factor to add in. It's like running uphill. You just go slower if you want to keep the effort at what it would be without the hill ((aka: heat))

[Rob A]

I've had to run around 4pm the last 2 days, and have to do it again today because of work at night. I normally run around 7:30-8pm. It sucks, but you just gotta get through it when you are forced to run it. Do I think it is beneficial? Not at all, all it really does is make an easy run feel alot harder. My normal pace (6:4x-6:5x/mile) feels much harder on hot, humid days in the beating sun.

edit - It was so hot today that I am splitting up my 7.5 miles for the day. Just did 4.5 mi in the heat, gonna do another 3 mi tonight around 11:30 when I get back from work.

[kobe8]

Running in the heat is ghey. That's why I follow this mantra during the summer:

Beat the heat then beat your meat.


Instead of jerking off you should be running in the morning.

ummm wow that's quite a mantra there

[txboi800]

Running in the heat is indeed harder, because the body has to work very hard to keep itself from overheating. However, heat acclimation is very important if you race in the heat. In Texas XC starts in August and it stays hot til October so we have to be ready for it. And running in the heat does prep you. First off if you do it enough your body learns to start sweating earlier in exercise, and to sweat more during exercise. Your body will also learn to retain more fluids in daily lifestyle to facilitate the increased sweat volume. I also think it's important mentally. You learn that you will be forced to run a slower pace on a hot day, and you won't go out as fast, thereby saving yourself from dying hardcore and possibly getting a heat illness. I personally think not getting heat exhaustion/heatstroke is just as much based on how wisely you run a race as the physical factors, if not more.

[omurphy21]

Running in the heat is indeed harder, because the body has to work very hard to keep itself from overheating. However, heat acclimation is very important if you race in the heat. In Texas XC starts in August and it stays hot til October so we have to be ready for it. And running in the heat does prep you. First off if you do it enough your body learns to start sweating earlier in exercise, and to sweat more during exercise. Your body will also learn to retain more fluids in daily lifestyle to facilitate the increased sweat volume. I also think it's important mentally. You learn that you will be forced to run a slower pace on a hot day, and you won't go out as fast, thereby saving yourself from dying hardcore and possibly getting a heat illness. I personally think not getting heat exhaustion/heatstroke is just as much based on how wisely you run a race as the physical factors, if not more.

where is this information from? It isn't a great thing to retain water... how does your body know not to sweat earlier in non-running activities?

I think just drinking more fluid will help with what you lose from sweating.

[10mexicans]

wow...i actually enjoy running in the heat.

1. I feel more accomplished at the end of my run.

2. I feel looser and it actually feels easier to me.
Or, runnin at like 10 at night also is the same, anywhere in the middle is my non-forte

edit: over the fact of my body cooling off, i do sweat a bit. But halfway through all my runs, i always take a quick breather and THAT is where i sweat it all out. After a few min, once i feel good, i go again, and im fine

[themanontherun]

To answer the question, yes, running in the heat is still beneficial. As people have said here, you just have to work a little bit harder for the same pace, or even better you run at a slower pace but same effort.

[mcdougallshen789]

When it's hot, theres also an element I dont think anyone has talked about which is density altitude. There is a formula you use with your altitude and the temperature that determines what altitude it feels like youre running at. That is part of the reason its beneficial and harder to run when its hot

[pln09]

If it's hot, more blood is sent to the skin for the purpose of dissipating heat, and that means there is less blood to send everywhere else. It is harder, but it is just as beneficial as normal running, with the added benefit of acclimatizing to heat. You can't run as fast though, due to the lower supply of blood (02) to the muscles. I guess it is similar to running at altitude in that respect, but I doubt that it has the same benefits.

Just suck it up and run. You will adapt.

[adberg]

I'll tell you this. I lived in Key West, Florida and it sucked running at 4pm when I got out of school. It is hot, humid, and all around terrible running there. I do think I got better because of it though. I was able to run mid day when I lived there, and be able to at least finish a run. When I went away to college I started running in the cool morning. I came back to Key West and tried to go out for a mid day run, and it wasn't going to happen.

You definatly run slower, but the effort you are giving I think gives you an added benefit. Not to even mention the ability to race in 100 degree humid heat.

[PrimalXC]

Correct me if I'm wrong: But when you run slower in heat, don't your legs not get pushed as fast (like a faster turnover) and when racing in normal weather your legs won't have actually prepared to "move faster"?

[pln09]

Correct me if I'm wrong: But when you run slower in heat, don't your legs not get pushed as fast (like a faster turnover) and when racing in normal weather your legs won't have actually prepared to "move faster"?

Yeah, kind of. When you run at altitude, you adapt the lower O2 supply, but you also can't train at as high of speeds. It would be similar with running in hot weather, but without the benefits. The main advantage to running in heat is acclimatization, which can be invaluable.

[Funnage]

I suck at running in the heat & humidity and have poor heat adaptations. Today was in the 90's at 9am when I went out for an easy 6. 7:30 pace felt like hell on earth in this weather, while a week earlier I ran the same route in under 6 minute pace without even feeling it that much.

I mean today I had to stop because I felt horrible and it's not like I've been hiding in airconditioning either as I have a job where I play sports with kids for 5 hours (which is one of the reasons why my training has suffered throughout the summer because it's tough maintaining 70mpw and then playing a game of basketball or soccer with kids for 5 hours)

I threw on a HRM and my average HR for 7:30 was 182! I was in my regular zone of 140-160 for about 1 minute...

I hate summer and wish winter would come. I love running in the cold.

[80miles/week]

I suck at running in the heat & humidity and have poor heat adaptations. Today was in the 90's at 9am when I went out for an easy 6. 7:30 pace felt like hell on earth in this weather, while a week earlier I ran the same route in under 6 minute pace without even feeling it that much.

I mean today I had to stop because I felt horrible and it's not like I've been hiding in airconditioning either as I have a job where I play sports with kids for 5 hours (which is one of the reasons why my training has suffered throughout the summer because it's tough maintaining 70mpw and then playing a game of basketball or soccer with kids for 5 hours)

I threw on a HRM and my average HR for 7:30 was 182! I was in my regular zone of 140-160 for about 1 minute...

I hate summer and wish winter would come. I love running in the cold.


i live in SF where in the summer its still foggy and 60 degrees and 7am. i consider myself lucky. now i am on vacation in a forest in the middle of nowhere and the temp yesterday was 100 degrees. im at 4000 feet altitude. i ran 7:35/mi for 5mi at 2pm yesterday and it sucked majorly. i tried to relax to keep my HR down but i averaged 171 or something. my normal range is 145-162 for an easy run. the average is for running time only and i found a random community pool on the side of the road and stuck my head into it before continuing. i hate the heat!

[distanceking]

Someone Just Neg Repped Me For My Mantra...why Is Everyone Neg Repping Me Nowadays!

[zakroshdy]

of course one should be able to run in a range of conditions. but i personally don't see running in heat making anyone tougher. the guys at texas say they fall behind in cross becaue they are incapable of doing the kinds of workouts they need due to the heat. running in extreme temperature is dangerous. bekele dropped out of world champs of cross because of it.

[shs renegades xc]

ill be called a wimp for this but personally im afraid to run in the very hottest time of day after what just happened to that runner in Tennessee. early morning runs FTW

[inhale_exhale]

If u got heat, run in it, it u got attitude, run in it, rain ,run in it.cold,warm up run in it.new york, colorado, california...run.

[bdub525]

ill be called a wimp for this but personally im afraid to run in the very hottest time of day after what just happened to that runner in Tennessee. early morning runs FTW

i think u are smart lol; this has been the hottest week in oklahoma this summer temps in the hi 90's lo 100's and the humidity is still pretty hi, in my estimation 40-60% so runnin in the heat of the day isnt super smart, our school started practice tonight and ran at like 7pm and so it wasnt too bad but we are going to start running at like 3 in the afternoon when school starts.

[Rob A]

I hate summer and wish winter would come. I love running in the cold.
QFMFE

[inhale_exhale]

My friend says when you run in the heat it doesn't help you at all because your body is working so hard to cool off. Does he have a point?
when u run heat your body should work to cool off thats what it is suppose to do, if lets say u run in colorado in january(ITS COLD,u don;t have much sweat, them six months latter u run in july its hot, so your body should think thats its still january and not cool off. move to a place that u dont sweat or have cold stuff going on.

[Timdog]

QFMFE

Nah, early spring and fall (XC SEASON) are the best times for me. First month of XC (starts next week) are pretty brutal, but then it won't get much hotter than 70 and usual temp is 50-60s.

[vagy]

Heat takes a toll on anyone, but do enough runs during the midday, your body will adapt to it. It will eventually learn to cool itself better than when you previously didn’t run in the heat. If you race in the heat, train in the heat.