With apologies to people in other parts of the US who experience more relentless and oppressive heat than we do in New England, but I’m in this weird place with riding where by the time I’m able to get out of the house to ride it’s near peak heat and riding indoors is kind of limited to short intervals and endurance.
I did an abbreviated sweet spot session with 3x10 @ 88% today and any other time of the year sweet spot is totally my thing, but today was rough. I think I’ll have to incorporate this level of sweet spot into my CX specialty plan (doing low volume to give me flexibility), and hopefully get my both my sweet spot legs back and challenge me a bit more to train harder in the heat.
If you don’t already have a blower fan, they really help in the heat. It blows a concentrated stream of air so that you get high velocity air, right where you need it.
I have this one, but there are a few other models as well: Amazon Link
I have the lasko pro, a portable AC and a lasko cyclone (not so good), I’ve been wanting at least another pro and I could possibly benefit from a 3rd during the summer. Training in a 50 degree basement is much more pleasant!
its not oppressive here, just hot and dry. Look on the bright side, if you manage to get 2 weeks of 90-100 minutes workouts at aerobic endurance intensity, at 100 F, and you will raise VO2max!
Not used to the heat we’ve experienced over here in the UK recently. My last week or so of SS training was real rough just due to the temps, even with 3 Honeywell fans blowing on me. Luckily my recovery week fell at bang on the right time which was when we experienced the hottest days of the year!
I don’t usually break a sweat doing Baxter or Pettit, but it was running off me!
If you get used to the heat & train hard in hot conditions there will be a residual benefit when the weather turns cool. Hot weather is not an obstacle: it is an opportunity!
That’s true, but only for a relatively short period of time. Unless you maintain heat training, the effects begin to dissipate in a matter of 2 weeks or so.
“Unless you maintain heat training, the effects begin to dissipate in a matter of 2 weeks or so.”
Well, between 2% & 3% of heat adaptation is lost every day that you don’t expose yourself to heat. I’m just thinking about the Daanen meta analysis…I think 2.5% was the number they came up with. So it take longer than two weeks but for sure it tails away if you don’t maintain the training.
Good news is you train faster than you detrain. If you can find 3 hours a week (3 40-60 minute sessions) to do some moderate intensity work in the heat you can maintain the adaptation. As fall weather typically mixes hot days in with cooler days you can maintain adaptation late into the fall.
Those cool fall morning start times can really work to the benefit of your heat-adapted fitness!
I’m bringing this back from the dead, I’m sure it’ll be an annual tradition! lol Basement temps are up in the mid 70’s at the moment and it’s uncomfortable. I did add another lasko pro to the mix last summer, so I’ve got 2 lasko pros and a lasko cyclone.
My HR during sweet spot yesterday went over 170 and over SSB1 it generally didn’t go over 160, so there’s that lol I’m going to try and forgo the AC, because a) I have a TV where I previously put the portable AC unit to go to my basement window and b) it really doesn’t drive down the temp very far. Figure I should just embrace the suck and see how I adapt
Mesh base layer, drip cold water from a bottle on my shoulders, upper chest and entire back. This cools initially and stays in place from the base layer, then aids in evaporation cooling more than my pure sweat (at least that’s what I tell myself )
I haven’t gotten the base layer yet, but I have been using the cycling cap, and it’s helping (but even with that my cap was oversaturated yesterday and sweat was pouring off my face). Luckily the fans do keep my core pretty dry even in the hot conditions.
Have you tried ice stockings on your back / around your neck? I do them all the time on really hot days outside…see no reason why they would not work inside as well (other than a bigger puddle you have to clean up after your ride).
I’ve been tempted to get some reusable ice packs, and label them for “training” to stick on or under my base layer. Could be nicer and less messy than the overflow of water when I get too much on the base layer.
maybe an opportunity, in this day and age of “indoor specific” gear, for someone to make a baselayer with a pocket that accepts specially designed ice packs. Let’s patent this! lol
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