We’re setting up another listener question episode for the Athlete’s Compass podcast.
For those of us in the northern hemisphere, we’re midway through the summer season. Maybe you have a big goal coming later this summer, maybe you’ve finished your big goal and are planning your next event.
What questions do you have for us?
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It’s the middle of summer and for those of us with families (or anyone I suppose) that means vacations. When traveling to an unfamiliar place how do we adjust our workouts for the environment?
Context/details:
I’m specifically wondering about heat but this could apply to elevation as well. Or other stresses like jet lag. I arrived in Charleston SC yesterday and had a long run scheduled for today. At 5:30am my run was 22 degrees warmer and 15% more humid than my typical run at home. I ran slower with a higher HR. I used HR to guide my effort but it still climbed higher than I’m used to for a long run and took a lot out of me. I found articles like this that are interesting: Maximum Performance Running: Temperature + Dew Point For Pace Adjustments
Is that over thinking it? Should I just run by RPE and cut my runs short if the effort surpasses what I know the run should feel like?
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Hello, and great question. I would continue to use RPE and heart rate to guide the runs in hot conditions. Don’t be afraid of slowing your run down under those conditions as well. You want to keep think ahead so that you are able to complete the next workout. Heart rate shows you what’s going on internally due to your workout so if your HR increases a lot more than usual, it’s a sign your training stress is higher than normal. So go with your initial feeling and roll by RPE and HR. Good luck and have fun in Charleston!
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