If I had to choose between training in severe heat or severe cold, I would choose heat. Hands down.
I ran in Vermont over Christmas break, in some ungodly cold weather. First I had to put layers upon layers of borrowed clothing items since I don’t own any. Then, the cold hit me in the face as soon as I walked outside and seemed to freeze my lungs as it hurt to even breathe. As I began to sweat, at first I would get too hot, but if I stopped the sweat seemed to get instantly cold and I would freeze again. It was miserable.
Which doesn’t mean that running in the heat doesn’t have it’s challenges as I learned, yet again, this week. I am from Brazil and I live in Miami. I can handle hot. But then again, I never did more than sit in a pool or swim in the ocean. Training for an Ironman takes heat issues to a whole new level. Last year, I was training for Ironman Florida during the summer, but I was away in Europe for over six weeks (boo hoo, I know, poor me.) So I guess I missed the brunt of it.
This weekend I had a seventy-mile bike ride. It started off in the almost dark, then got cloudy, then we had a storm with a downpour and then out came the sun with all its strength. It was hot but not hell. I made a mental note: “I need to bring salt pills for these.”
I sweat too much. It’s not a medical condition (I think) but when I workout and look at someone doing the same workout next to me, I am usually drenched in sweat and the other person is just starting to break one. I go through water bottles as if they were going out of style, and have to stop often to replenish. Yet if I sweat too much and drink too much water two things happen: first my stomach complains and begins to churn where I can feel the water slushing around. That is neither pleasant nor effective. But second, I get dizzy. My sodium levels have decreased too much between sweating and drinking too much water. In a sense, I am diluting my electrolytes. I am not a doctor, so please don’t quote me on this. But it’s my experience, and so when I begin to get woozy, I take a salt pill. In a matter of minutes, 99% of the time, BING: I am revived. I gain my senses once again, and continue on my merry way as if nothing had happened. Later, I am very conscious of rehydrating at home. Weird huh?
Why don’t I take electrolytes with me you ask? I drink so much liquid that it’s impossible to bring enough Gatorade or the like as I need to refill my bottles constantly. In fact, my running courses are designed by access to water fountains. The salt tablets are easy enough, and I just pop one in when I notice it is really hot and I seem to be drinking a lot of water. But I am wondering if I should try a different strategy for Ironman Arizona. I know there are several new products out there.
My long run on Sunday was a disaster. It was so hot, I needed so much water, that I was a dizzy mess by the end of my twelve miles. Instead of making a mental note about those salt tablets, I should’ve put one in my running kit. Instead, they were at home and doing me no good. But I finished the run, and slow as it was, I felt it an accomplishment given how I was feeling.
I got home feeling awful, and went straight to the fridge. I downed my chocolate milk, and then ate something that was heaven on earth. When I did the GEICO Road Safety Bike Tour with 400 miles in four days, I was taught to sprinkle coarse sea salt on watermelon. Things rarely taste as good as that. I devoured my watermelon while my kids looked on in horror. And magically, I felt better.
As for the training recap here it is.
Monday: REST – not really, but I took it.
Tuesday: SWIM – some semblance of a pool workout but not really. I wasn’t too serious or motivated.
Wednesday: RUN – 5 miles
Thursday: BIKE/RUN – Did the NYC Triathlon course at Ultrabikex Computrainer Studio, and then went on a 5 mile run with Carol. The only problem is that we BEGAN to run at noon, and it was very hot. I also didn’t have breakfast because boys were giving me trouble to get to camp, and did not fuel right before heading out.
Friday: SWIM – Ocean open water, 2 miles. I am fond of those.
Saturday: BIKE – 70 miles with middle 50 at tempo pace (most of the time)
Sunday: RUN – 12 miles. This is where the heat beat me up.
I need to look closer at the hydration part of my plan especially as we still have some hot months with many miles. Any suggestions? What do you use to stay hydrated and healthy on your hot workouts?
