Hello Readers.
In our blog today, I will look at the:
How heat affects the body
How to manage heat and training
Heat affects the body in a number of ways all of the which takes place as the body tries to
maintain homeostasis (balance).
Increase in heart rate
Your heart plays a big role in keeping you cool. Exercise in itself increases the demands on
your cardiovascular system. For every degree the body's internal temperature rises, the heart beats about 10 beats per minute faster.
Increase in core temperature
Heat + exercise can be challenging for the body to cope with. Your body is trying hard to
control its core body temperature via a process known as thermoregulation.
Thermoregulation is when you maintain your core body temperature within a very narrow
range. The normal core body temperature is close to 37°C (98.8°F) at rest and, if it increases
to above ~40°C (104.5°F), or decreases by ~2°C for prolonged periods, you can find yourself
in a bit of a predicament.
Increase in blood flow to the skin surface resulting in an increase in fluid loss
When you work out in hot conditions you have to remove excess heat. The excess heat
transfers to the external environment this is done by radiation/convection and evaporation via sweating. Sweating results in a greater loss of water and electrolytes
Increased risk of heat exhaustion/ heat stroke/ dehydration / hyponatremia
How to manage
Now we are aware of the effects, let’s look at some strategies to cope with the heat.
Pace yourself
Plan training when its cooler, or take it inside
Keep cool by wearing light clothing.
Pre freeze your water bottle, you can tank us later
Wear a light-colored hat and pour water over your head
Stay in the shade where you can.
Hydrate hydrate hydrate, before during and after
We recommend taking on electrolytes for longer runs and if you have lost a lot of water through sweat.
Do not wait until symptoms kick in- be proactive and stick to a hydration strategy.
Perhaps reduce your long run due to the added stress of heat.
Thanks for reading,
Jill Calvert
24Ndurance