Heat Training for Runners
Training in heat before a race can help condition your body to hotter temperatures. That’s great for races in warm climates. But what about if you’re not planning a sun-baked run? We spoke with ultra marathon coach Chris Taylor to find out everything there is to know about heat training for runners and the benefits.
What is heat training?
Heat training, or heat acclimation, is a way of conditioning your body to perform better in the heat. It means exposing yourself to hotter environments either during or after your training. The aim? To raise your core body temperature and get used to working in heat.
What’s the point of heat adaption running?
Many people will learn about heat adaption while training for a race. When you’re planning to race in a hot climate, it’s best to practice in the heat before you go to get the best from your performance.
We spoke to Chris Taylor who trains ultra marathon athletes about the science behind heat training.
“When you're exercising in hot conditions, you have to work harder to keep yourself cooler. So your heart rate will go up, your sweat rate will go up, your perceived exertion will go up. For most people, all of that consequence leads to a reduced performance. And if you don't do something, that’s effectively slowing you down.”
What are the benefits of heat training before a race?
Heat training before your race will help your body become better at performing under heat stress.
There are three ways that this will happen:
Your body will produce more blood plasma. With more plasma, your body can spread and get rid of the heat.
Your body will become better at sweating meaning you won’t lose so much sodium and you’ll feel less dehydrated.
Your core body temperature will drop so you’ll find it easier to work out in the heat.
How to heat train: active vs passive
There are two types of heat training: active and passive. Active heat training is about exposing your body to heat while you're exercising, whereas passive heat training is about doing it afterwards – like heading to the sauna.
If you don’t live in a hot area, heat training can be a little tricky. But there are ways around it. Some people train with specific suits that cover most of their body to raise their core body temperature. Others run on a treadmill with a heat fan blowing at them. Some people run in a black bin bag.
Passive heat training is a lot simpler. (Especially if you’re a Virgin Active member.) Head for your workout, take on some fluids and then hit the sauna. The exercise will have increased your core body temperature and a trip to the sauna will help it to stay elevated for a little while longer.
But what’s best for you? Chris says:
“Passive heat training is not as time consuming. It still does require 30 to 40 minutes at peak per exposure, but obviously compare that to the 60 to 90 minutes needed to do the active heat training - it's much less time consuming.”
Should you heat train if you don’t have a race in a hot climate?
While heat training is a must for desert races, it can also help your performance whatever the weather. In the past, heat training was only for hot race prep but now, Chris says:
“People are now saying, well, if you can accrue all these physiological adaptations, does it matter whether you're racing in the heat? And no, it doesn't.”
Pre-race heat training
The good news is that it doesn’t take long for your body to adapt to the heat. Start heat training 2 - 3 weeks before your race, beginning with 15 minutes and gradually building up to 30 minutes per session. You’ll want to do 5 - 7 days of heat training in a row. Then, a week out from your race, taper off.
Chris says:
“If you have never done it before, especially in a two week period, you can really adapt to heat and generate some pretty significant adaptations. Once you've got your adaptation, you only need to maintain it for two or three sessions. So, on race week sometimes I'll do 2 sessions, but you don't want to be doing any in the few days before your race.”
Ready to give heat training a try? Head to the sauna at your local Virgin Active to start.
Not yet a member? Find your nearest club and start your membership today.
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