You need to hydrate and slow down. It sucks, but it is what it is.

That's life for us in the Houston area! Slow down, hydrate, electrolytes.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

Yep, I was celebrating the cool 71* we had this morning! Christmas in July!

I live in Florida and am currently training for a fall Ironman. I gave up this battle about 3 weeks ago and moved my long runs indoors onto the treadmill. It sucks, my Sunday morning long runs down by the beach are my favorite training session I do each week, but I just can't get quality work in like I want to right now. I tell myself that this is the trade off for all those 75 degree, sunny days in January. I've found some effective ways to break up the monotony but it still can't compare to the pleasure I get from running outside. Good luck, but sometimes you just can't compete with mother nature.

Depending on where you live, humidity can be problematic... "beating the heat" early morning runs can be more humid. One thing I've found that helps is to lower my expectations. My pace is going to be slower for one.

A few weeks ago, I did a big brick: 2.5 hours on the bike trainer + 60 minute run. I went outside and ran and it was high 80s and quite humid. I felt "good" and probably pushed the pace a bit more than I would have normally because I was feeling fine. Maybe just because my body was "warm" from the ride, but that run wrecked me for about 3 days after. I was so sore, and I couldn't figure out why. I felt good in during the run, and my pace was a little quicker. I think the heat and humidity took a toll on me that I wasn't even recognizing at the time.

The point is, as others are saying, slow down more and hydrate more. I think the heat and humidity can have a huge affect on you, both in the moment and after the fact.

sounds like you set out to run 18 miles and you did it. you can front-door brag, it's ok.
if you want to make future runs easier, try doing them when it's raining.

this is life in texas most of the year

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2024: Bevoman, Galveston, Alcatraz, Marble Falls, Santa Cruz

YMMV, but I actually do better running in the afternoon in 90-degree heat but 50% humidity rather than early morning when it's 70 degrees and 90% humidity.

There's really nothing you can do beyond acclimate, lower your expectations, or move indoors.

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http://mediocremultisport.blogspot.com

By the end of a 10miler on Saturday I'd lost 7lb & my shoes were both dark and squelchy.

Even early in the morning in Texas it's gonna be hot, does make it a lot of fun when you go running in other places though.

Is the target marathon hot(-ish) too?

I promise you, I hate humidity as much as the next guy. Almost as much as my HR monitor, but on the really bad days I run by that more than pace. When heat index is above 80 at 4:30am it is one of those days.

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Brian

I used to do my IM training runs in FL and split them in two: 1h on the treadmill then finish off outdoors. A 1h treadmill run is not too boring especially if you break it up a little bit and add a few incline intervals etc... I also split the outdoor run in two 30min loops and had water, ice, coke whatever in a cooler outside my house. I also did this in the afternoon because humidity is much lower than in the morming even if it's a few degrees warmer. Also... slow down :)

The marathon should be cool.
Although I probably can't complain too much compared to Texas I still had the sweat soaked sneakers. Once that happens it is usually put a fork in me.

I have developed my own heat / humidity index. It is the mile when my shoes start to squish. In the humid NC mornings it's often 6.

I like to locate water fountains and garden hose spigots so I can carry less and hydrate often. My turn around is a fire house, water and a bonus bathroom, gas stations usually have a hose and spigot, and possibly a restaurant or condo development. My biggest problem is keeping clean sunglasses because when I stop, the flood gates open and my gear is ready to be wrung out.

I have gone back and forth on this and have a question. I have done 100% outdoor training in oppressive conditions, and for other events have done 90% indoor treadmill running / 10% outdoors. I feel like I get a better workout (ie. I don't implode, HR pegs at a high HR, and I have to walk) inside, varying incline throughout the run. My race is not in these crazy conditions we are experiencing right now.

I am a believer that a cycling trainer workout can be better than an outdoor workout.

I am not sure of the answer on a treadmill? Again....I run at various inclines to simulate outdoors. Can you get the same effectiveness training indoors vs outdoors for running?

Your body will acclimate to the humidity and while humidity will hinder your aerobic fitness as your running muscles will receive less oxygen, thus not getting into as great shape, training when it is humid your body will adapt and if you ever run a hot and humid marathon, you will perform much better than someone who may have had tougher workouts but wasn't acclimated to the humidity.

In one marathon, I forgot his name but he was a White American runner who basically in a very hot and humid marathon picked off many Kenyan runners who were much faster but did not train in humid weather so their bodies were not as accustomed to dealing with that kind of heat. Humidity prevents the sweat from evaporating so the body overheats faster, thus less oxygen for running muscles, body is force to slow its pace.

Lasty, don't sweat too much over it. How fast you can run is largely determined by genetics than anything else. I have seen very thin guys who look fast but cannot run fast in spite of their 70 mile a week training. If you were born with more slow twitch fibers than fast twitch and you got a huge Vo2 max you will be super fast. But if you were born with a lot of fast twitch, you will be quick at short 5K but slow at marathons.

anyway a good book on running is Bob Glover Runners competitive handbook.