9 best ways to stay cool when racing and training in the heat

With temperatures rising into the summer 🌡️💥, we cover the best ways to manage your race performance and adapt your training in the sun! ☀️🏊‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♀️

1. Avoid the sun. ⏰ Adapt your schedule and try to train early in the morning or late in the evening. Consider how this will affect the target of your session and adapt to suit.

2. Long sessions in the plan? Split them! Maintain the volume but split it through the day. This should stop you from overheating and give you the opportunity to manage hydration and fueling needs easier. 🏃‍♂️➗

3. Plan your routes. Can you run or complete a session in a shady area to avoid direct sun?! 🌳

4. Slow down! We generate a lot of heat when we're moving, and you have to adjust to the conditions. As an approximate rule of thumb, for every 3 degrees above 18°c, you want to slow your goal pace by approx 2-3 seconds per km. So say it's 32°c on a very hot day, that's 5 increments of 3 degrees, so, approx 10-15 slower per km.

5. Running slower should also allow you to take on more fluids and fuel. 💧🍌

6. Cover your head. 🧢 When running, wear and cap or visor to keep direct sun off your face. Wearing sunglasses will also help. Psychologically it can make you feel the environment is cooler around you, avoiding bright glare. 😎

7. Wear sunscreen and light-colored garments.

8. Cool areas where blood vessels are closer to the skin. Pouring cool water onto your wrists, groin (Femoral artery) or neck will help cool you down. 💦♥️

9. Stay well hydrated, drinking to thirst throughout the day. 🚰