| gunner25 |
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I realize there have been older posts on this topic, but I was wondering if anyone has some new information. When I run in hot weather, my legs feel fine, but I reach a point where my breathing is really labored. Much more labored than it should be at that pace. While I understand some people cannot handle the heat/humidity, most of my running group do not exhibit the difficulty I am having. I do not have any problem in cold weather. I can breathe perfectly even at temperatures in the teens. I was just wondering if anyone knows the physiology behind the breathing issue and why some people are more affected than others. I could slow down my pace, but then I couldn't run with my running group. |
| sssss |
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It's not the heat or humidity that is causing your breathing issues - it's the excess carbon dioxide. |
| Check This |
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Type your zip code into weather. com. You will notice that often times weather alerts come in 3's. Severe heat indexes usually correspond with low air quality & high allergen counts...both of which can give you additional breathing problems. That being said, the heat is enough to cause breathing problems by itself for many reasons. It takes more energy to keep you cool (higher O2 demand). Plus, air becomes less dense as temperature rises, and less air density, means less oxygen per volume (assuming constant pressure). |
| hott |
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It takes 10 days to 2 weeks to acclimate to the heat. I have asthma & do fine in the hot weather. I slow down some but it just depends on what time of day I run. Everyone is different.... |
| SteepleMcgee |
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I have the same problem man. In the beginning of summer I was laying down 8 milers at 6:15 pace with ease, now the same runs are like 6:45 and feel a lot more labored. I have asthma too and pollen allergies so that def doesnt help. But the way I see it, if you put forth the same effort even if it feels harder, you'll end up running faster when the temps start to fall down becasue the breathing will be easier |
| TrackCoach |
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A few things, heat has a real affect on every aspect of your running, not just your breathing. You can look up the details on the internet. If you are running in the heat on a regular basis, your body will adjust to an extent. Although no one likes to hear this, but running in the heat to an extent is mental. The heat makes you feel more uncomfortable than you really are, but if you are fit and hydrated, your systems are functioning better than you feel. Also, it is not a good idea to spend 90% of your day in 68 degrees and only go outside for a run. When I was young, I had a landscaping job, where I worked in the summer heat everyday, I was able to go for a run in 80+ degrees with very little discomfort. If you have to do your long runs in the heat, carry an ice cold water bottle with you, drink some and splash it on your head and the back of your neck. This actually provides more mental confort than real physiological benefit. Accept the fact that your distance/time in the heat will decline...if you feel like it was a hard run, it was a hard run no matter what the distance and time is. With that said, one of the worst mistakes you can makes is totally avoiding running in the heat for the simple reason you need to do some of your training in the conditions you will race in. In most of America, it is still hot in the early part of the XC season and on the track, you are going to have some races when it is hot and you have to mentally train yourself to perform in discomfort. |