Heat and Race Times

Mr VMr V ✭✭✭

Do people find that their race times are much slower than expected on a hot day? I did the Newton Aycliffe 10K yesterday and was at least 2 minutes slower than I expected. I was also slower than expected last time I raced when it was hot.

 Is there sciecne to this or am I just making excuses for a poor performance?

Comments

  • ...the science is dehydration basically - losing water and salts

     The heat affects some more than others - doesn't affect some at all, but you are generally more likely to run better in cooler weather...very scientific image

  • Virgil_Virgil_ ✭✭✭

    I'm surprised there hasn't been a little more comment on this.

    My experience is that the heat affects your performance all right, and seemingly some people more than others.

    It's definitely partly due to hydration but also I'll find that my heart rate can be, say, 5 beats per minute faster when running on a hot day, so somehow it seems the heat involves greater exertion of your cardiovascular system.

  • I do find this as well, but not as much as i used to be, i think training in the heat is good because you body adapts to it, thats what ive found.

    i think when its hot the sweat on the skin does'nt cool as much, hence you feel hotter, and also the air is less dense, (i think), which affects the lungs in some way, and of course loss of body fluid.

     i prefer winter running and always have.

  • According to Pfitzinger & Douglas:

    "Your heart rate increases because (a) your blood volume decreases as you sweat, which decreases your stroke volume, so your heart must beat faster to pump the same amount of blood and (b) more of your blood is sent to the skin for evaporative cooling when you run in the heat, which leaves less blood going to the working muscles, so heart rate must increase to supply enough oxygen to the muscles."

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