How I'd Race This Summer (Thoughts from CoachP)

Coach Patrick

With this massive heatwave in effect over much of the US, all of us are suffering right now. Hard workouts feel 2x; heck I spend 8 minutes on Wednesday walking 20 min / mile pace and my HR was Zone 4 the WHOLE TIME. 

But training is training. You only have to do one discipline. You can come home and rest. You can jump in an ice bath. You can skip tomorrow. Race day is entirely different. There are no breaks. No short cuts. No ice bath waiting for you at mile 8 (HIM) or mile 18 (IM). 

A hard day, a hard event, only just got harder. Ignore reality at your own risk. Understand your desired personal best day is not a battle of attrition...time is out placing is in. 

If you think your race day is going to be hot -- not just uber-hot like now, but hotter than expected -- here are a few things to consider: 

• Hydrate well all week; aim to replace all fluids lost and an extra 120oz of water a day.
• Slow down on the swim. Consider sleeveless or no wetsuit. If the water is 74 ish or hotter, you can lose a TON of fluids sweating it out.
• Sunscreen in T1 and T2 is a must. Shoulders, back, lower back.
• Make sure you have extra room on your bike / body for fluids. An extra cage can mean another bottle of calories or water to stay cool with. 
• Watch your HR all day on the bike; riding steady even with a powermeter, means nothing if your HR is 10, 15 or 20 beats higher than normal!!!!
• Consider arm coolers for the bike and run, keep them wet especially when going uphill!!!!
• Use excess water at bike aid stations to soak body and stay cool.
• T2 is critical to get cool as your core body temp will spike off the bike...first aid station is MANDATORY STOP AND WALK. Ice in hat. In shorts. Water on heat, sponges, etc. Leave with ice in your hands, etc. 
• Eat as best you can early, as later on you'll have so much fluid in you that calories will be hard to keep down. 
• Ditto with the HR...no more than 10 to 15 beats higher than what you saw on the bike. 
• Know the suck will start a lot earlier...be ready!

Anything else I missed????

Jenniferlyn Kryvicky

Excellent advice coach P! I have historically struggled in heat, but that was because I was so focused on PACE. It all changes in heat, so our approach must change as well.

William Jenks

A couple subtle things I'd consider...

I'd drop pretense of using a strategy of carrying my own fluid calories unless I just HAD to. Cool/cold fluids are better than warm fluids for keeping the core temp down for obvious reasons, and the aid stations are more likely to be able to keep them cold than you will on the bike.

Slow WAY down on bike aid stations. You're going to need to get at least two bottles if it's 40 minutes or more between stations. Can't afford to get just one and drop one.

Michael Byerts

Heat adaptation, especially for the run. I try get in at least 2-3 runs in the heat in the 2 weeks before a hot race day, optimally at the same time as I expect to be running on race day. I don't run hard, or especially long, but doing at least a few workouts in the early afternoon when it is already hot has seemed to help some. When we had a cool stretch, I even went out for runs wearing 3 layers, and fleece pants, jacket and hat.

If you have a month or more, then also focus on dropping weight -- the bigger you are, the more heat you have to get rid of.

cgres123

If your a coffee drinker. In the AM have some if you are use to it to move things along but limit it and have a sports drink instead.

Drink even if you are not thirsty as when you decide that you are thristy it may be to late to catch up.

Drink your sports drink avoid drinking water use it to cool yourself.

Satish Punna

After a hot race, and particularly if it takes longer than normal to complete, I wonder if recovery might also take longer?