just wondering. hotter weather means you can do less mileage, right? heat slows you down. let's say you average 13km an hour in your 30C country instead of 14 or 15km in a 15C place. It's 10% fewer km.
sweating more, more fluid intake, can't be as efficient also.
I think the answer is relative, just like training at altitude.
Both are harder than training under ideal conditions, but both can be beneficial when training smart and then reaping the benefits in better conditions.
But if you take racing somewhere else out of the picture, I would say, from a personal experience, yes, us runners in hot (and especially humid) climates are at a disadvantage.
I did my last weekend's 90' LR in 37.2 deg C (98.96 F), and a big portion of it was right by the Ocean which was terribly humid.
As of itself, I would say it was a disadvantage running my 90' under those conditions. But come December, the same effort will yield a much better performance, and more importantly, a much more enjoyable run.
Is it worth it though? I don't know.
I would still prefer a mild, consistent weather all year round. It makes comparing runs and data much easier too.
For the same effort, you can run much further in a lower dew point location.
Yes. The dew point is key. That is what I keep an eye on in FL. Running in sweltering heat is definitely a disadvantage the longer your distance. I have found it to be overwhelming trying to get in decent Marathon training in July-Sept. because you just cant get the quality needed and can't hit the paces needed. Much easier in cooler climates.
For the same effort, you can run much further in a lower dew point location.
Yes. The dew point is key. That is what I keep an eye on in FL. Running in sweltering heat is definitely a disadvantage the longer your distance. I have found it to be overwhelming trying to get in decent Marathon training in July-Sept. because you just cant get the quality needed and can't hit the paces needed. Much easier in cooler climates.
Now that people are shopping more online, I think air conditioned shopping malls should be converted to exercise malls and the empty shops converted to living accommodation.
Runners could pay a small fee to run in a cool environment.
Now that people are shopping more online, I think air conditioned shopping malls should be converted to exercise malls and the empty shops converted to living accommodation.
Runners could pay a small fee to run in a cool environment.
A few races actually take place in shopping malls in the UAE.
I can do a twenty miler in low dewpoints with only a few sips just above marathon pace. Maybe 10 secs. That same run is impossible during summer. Not even half the distance. With summer dewpoints above 75, that 20 mile run is done about 75-90 seconds per miles slower. So as another poster says, you can’t get the same quality. You over heat and you can’t drink enough to stay hydrated and not get dizzy. I’ve had to call many runs early because you underestimate how awful the weather is. And sometimes those water fountains are closed - like they were during Covid. I’ve cleared a 50oz camelback in 6 miles. C’mon. How much water do you expect me to carry?
Are runners training in hot climates at a disadvantage?
Answer: It depends.
If you train in heat and race in heat, you'll be at an advantage compared to people who haven't trained in the heat. You'll be adapted to it (at least partially), they won't and will have a hard time with it.
On the other hand, if you train in heat, then race in the cold, you may be at a disadvantage compared to people who trained in cooler weather, since they've been able to hit higher mileage, faster paces and don't carry so much heat-induced fatigue.
Living in the South I have to say that it is a big disadvantage. There's a reason distance runners flock to the West. The biggest enclaves of runners have always been, Eugene, Bolder, SD, Flagstaff... Sure you can the brief success of Shorter et al with the Florida Track Club in the 70's, but that's it.
Dealing with the Summer heat in the South isn't so much about one run, it's the constant every freakin day grind that wears you out. Sure you can hydrate hydrate hydrate, but that doesn't mean the run is cool, or enjoyable, it just means you don't die. Just doing a normal 6M run can you leave you so drained, so "done" that recovery is difficult.
Any time I vacation out West in the Summer and I get to run, I always think "Man, no wonder so many people talk about doing 100mpw like it's not that big of a deal." When you can knock out a morning 8M at 60 degrees with low low humidity you can finish that and still feel like a functional human.
Living in the South I have to say that it is a big disadvantage. There's a reason distance runners flock to the West. The biggest enclaves of runners have always been, Eugene, Bolder, SD, Flagstaff... Sure you can the brief success of Shorter et al with the Florida Track Club in the 70's, but that's it.
Dealing with the Summer heat in the South isn't so much about one run, it's the constant every freakin day grind that wears you out. Sure you can hydrate hydrate hydrate, but that doesn't mean the run is cool, or enjoyable, it just means you don't die. Just doing a normal 6M run can you leave you so drained, so "done" that recovery is difficult.
Any time I vacation out West in the Summer and I get to run, I always think "Man, no wonder so many people talk about doing 100mpw like it's not that big of a deal." When you can knock out a morning 8M at 60 degrees with low low humidity you can finish that and still feel like a functional human.
True!
We could put it another way. In simpler terms. When you are training you hope to see that your paces are increasing. That you are making gains. When you are training in the heat/humidity those gains rarely are visible because it is too damn hot to push the pace for any significant distances. So you are always running slower.
you know the old saying. "You need to run fast to run fast". You can't in Florida in the summer.
Going by performance results, extreme heat may be a disadvantage for all T&F athletes 400m and longer. For 400m, only a slight disadvantage. If a 400m athlete logs 20 miles per week of road mileage at 9 minutes per mile due to extreme height is he at a disadvantage compared to 400m athletes in cooler climates running at 8:30 per mile for 20 miles of road mileage? United states historically going back to Lon Myers pre-Olympic era is the best country for 440y & 400m. Most U.S. elite 400m athletes are not men or women who grew up south of 30 degrees latitude north. This isn't even a topic worth discussing for athletes 1500m and longer. Of course heat is a performance disadvantage for athletes who grow up in extreme heat. The vast majority of elite 1500m runner Africans, Central Americans and South Americans who grew up north of 30 degrees latitude south and south of 30 degrees latitude north grew up at cooler higher elevations.
tThe Kenyan legend John Ngugi won the World XC in a blizzard in Boston in 1992 and the Olympic 5000m later that year on a very hot day in Barcelona.
Being from Kenya he would have done plenty of running in the heat.
So, I think the moral is that with good preparation athletes can deal with any conditions.
Iten is at about 8,000 ft and is right on the equator. Temps are pretty much the same all year and only vary based on the rainy season in the summer. Highs are usually right around 70f and lows are 50f. Back in the day, Kenyans actually used to struggle when they would race in the summer on the track because they did not take any time to acclimate to hotter weather.
Marathon training in hot weather is a disadvantage. It is just too hard to get the kind of volume and speed you need on long runs and long interval session. You are always going to have a better session doing 10 mi easy/10 mi MP when it is 40 deg than when it is 78 with a 78 dew point. The heat breaks you down and then recovery takes a bit longer after a big workout or long run. But when it is cool or cold out, you can maintain high mileage with the big workout because you do not have to go that deep into the well to battle through the heat.
That article does not show raw data or statistical methods. One anecdotal example and a summary of conclusion. Best U.S. runners 1500m and up are from cities and towns north of 35 degrees north latitude except for the U.S. runners from higher elevation, elevations higher than 2000ft. Two-thousand feet is not high enough for benefits of altitude training but elevations higher than 2000ft. means it is cool before 7am even in summer.
Living in the South I have to say that it is a big disadvantage. There's a reason distance runners flock to the West. The biggest enclaves of runners have always been, Eugene, Bolder, SD, Flagstaff... Sure you can the brief success of Shorter et al with the Florida Track Club in the 70's, but that's it.
Dealing with the Summer heat in the South isn't so much about one run, it's the constant every freakin day grind that wears you out. Sure you can hydrate hydrate hydrate, but that doesn't mean the run is cool, or enjoyable, it just means you don't die. Just doing a normal 6M run can you leave you so drained, so "done" that recovery is difficult.
Any time I vacation out West in the Summer and I get to run, I always think "Man, no wonder so many people talk about doing 100mpw like it's not that big of a deal." When you can knock out a morning 8M at 60 degrees with low low humidity you can finish that and still feel like a functional human.
I have to say that Gainesville/ocala area is plenty cool in the winter and stays that way into June. Early mornings during summer are still reasonable if you can get your run finished before the sun creeps over the trees. And speaking of, there’s lots of trees. Way easier to run in 90 when it’s shaded as opposed to running in blaring sun. It’s a huge contrast once you get past Vero/Stuart. And even then, it can still be 10 degrees cooler in the morning than Miami/ftl/wpb. The central part of the state into Okeechobee will be 10-15 degrees cooler in the morning during summer and will often hit freezing during winter. And those temps sustain into late morning because of… trees.
