- According to new research, there is a legitimate reason why running in the heat is more difficult than running in cooler weather.
- Higher body temperatures are associated with an increase in perceived exertion, as well as an increased cardiovascular and metabolic stress, which is affected by an increased core temperature and dehydration.
- To make the most of warm weather, it is important to drink enough water and even switch back your intensity.
If you are running in the cold, you need to wear the right layers to keep you comfortable. But as soon as the heat hits, and you wear nothing but shorts and a tank on the run, you seem to get tired much faster. What gives?
A small study published in The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness offers some clues. Researchers in Brazil looked at five male recreational runners in their mid-30s and measured their physiological responses to hot temperatures while using a long-distance race with a portable metabolic analyzer – which measures oxygen consumption during activity. Researchers also tracked the cardiovascular responses of the runners, including their heart rate, and their body temperature with another device, a telemetric system with capsules.
According to co-author Danilo Prado, Ph.D., of the Ultra Sports Science Lab and the University of São Paulo in Brazil, the sample size of the study was so small due to the amount of data collected during the race. But despite the modest number of participants, he said Runner’s World, there were some interesting results that warranted more research.
“Our study shows that the hot temperature in the external environment has a physiological burden,” he said. ‘Our findings suggest that the increase in body temperature is accompanied by an increase in perceived exertion, as well as cardiovascular and metabolic stress, which are affected by higher core temperature and dehydration. It can impair aerobic performance in hot environments. ”
Despite the very small sample size of the study, it has been well established by other research that elevated body temperature does increase cardiovascular and metabolic stress – which is true in hot and cold weather, according to Carol Mack, DPT, CSCS. Runner’s World that body temperature can be a factor in depletion, dehydration and depletion of glucose / glycogen, all of which can lead to a slower pace.
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Although this can happen in any type of weather, Mack added that running in hot weather appears to increase the risk of dehydration due to more sweat production. The fluid loss mentioned in the study – just one percent – can increase physiological stress, and Mack said that even a loss of 0.5 percent can stress the heart.
That means increasing your water intake for warmer weather, she said, especially for longer workouts. Mack recommends drinking two to four cups of water during activities, and the same amount after the workout, and adding another cup for each phase in warmer weather.
For workouts with very hot or longer than an hour, add a sports drink with 30 to 45 grams of carbohydrates and electrolytes, she suggested. Another hydration tip is to drink enough water the day before the run-up, usually about one to two glasses of water at each meal.
4 Sugar-free sports drinks
In addition, Mack recommends switching back your intensity. She said if you are not running or exercising in hot weather, then aim for a pace that is 60 to 90 seconds slower per mile.
“It takes the body at least a week to adjust to the hot weather,” she said. ‘During this time it is not safe to exert yourself to reach your normal pace. On top of that, if you can plan your route, run in as much shade as possible, and be extremely careful when exercising in temperatures above 85 degrees. “
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