Advice from other cold weather dwellers on preparing for a hot weather race

[jmasgat]

I'm on track preparing for Minnie 15k (there should be a smiley for "fingers crossed"!), and so now I'm beginning to mildly neurose about the weather. I know it will be hot and humid, and I can only imagiine how that will affect me--particularly hard to imagine now because it is still so dang cold here In Michigan (will winter ever end?) I know the drill about hydration & nutrition, etc, and I can work on that, but it just doesn't seem like enough prep to run in Orlando in May.

So for any of my fellow cold weather dwellers---were you able to do anything successfully during your training to simulate these conditions? Any helpful suggestions would be welcome.

Maura

 

[princessrunner]

Maura, I ended up in the gym on the TM the majority of my training for the WDW half in January. I think this helped as it is hot in the gym and I got used to being pretty sweaty and stinky!!!

Some things I did learn during the January marathon are:
1. Injinji tetrasoks are a godsend. I will never run high miles without them again. Not one blister (and there should be a smiley knocking wood too).
2. At the water stops, drink half a water and half a Powerade or whatever the nasty drink is that they are offering. The water helps you to absorb the electrolytes in the sports drink.
3. Performance fabrics only from head to toe.

I hope you get some great advice on this thread. Being a northerner I found it VERY difficult at both the half and the TOT race due to the humidity. We just don't get that here even during the middle of summer.

 

[wtpclc]

Maura - I hear you on that. I am very heat intolerant adn often wonder why I run WDW. Make sure you are hydrated. I start 1 to 2 weeks in advance. Cut out caffeine adn alternate water adn powerade or propel. Easiest hydration test is that your pee should be the color of light straw. Too clear, you may be overdoing it. Too dark, not enough. Come race day, listen to your body. If you start to cramp up or fatigue, slow down and get more liquids. ALso, a salt pack or tab helps me a lot. Oh, and I cannot live w/o my trusty sponge.

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

I run sleeveless, and if the jog bra shows, so be it. If it is too much, slow down. You can go slower to conserve. Make sure you do as Carrie suggested the time before. It will help. Don't over-hydrate during the event. If you sweat a lot like I do, endurolytes are a good thing.

 

[wfloyd]

As someone who lives in Florida, you could put a treadmill in your bathroom, turn the house heater up to 90 degrees and then turn the hot water on and get it nice and steamy. Then do your run and remember why you like the cold weather.

Just don't push it too hard. There are guidelines on how much to slow your pace down for higher temperatures but I don't remember them right now.

Bill

 

[wtpclc]

As someone who lives in Florida, you could put a treadmill in your bathroom, turn the house heater up to 90 degrees and then turn the hot water on and get it nice and steamy.

That's true/ FUnny, there is a wings player how is infamous for putting a window in teh team sauna so he coudl watch tv from teh exercycle he put in there.