Heat acclimatization works.

Cooling fabrics (e.g. "arm coolers") haven't worked for me. Less clothing the better, except headware.

best cooling techniques

#1 Don't overheat in the first place - running way too fast in hot race builds up a lot of heat quickly. Work into hot runs

#2 Ice, hold it, keep it in your mouth and let it melt, as it gets too small chew the last bits and swallow

#3 Dump as much water on yourself as you can at the aid stations

#4 Occasionally take the ice in your hands and wipe on your neck

#5 Sponges, put a couple in your suit

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+1 on less coverage...esp. on the run.

Arm coolers have worked for me on the bike...as long as I keep wetting them from my water bottle.

I typically use UnderArmour Heatgear sleeveless tops. They are super thin, UPF50, wick well, and don't have that "stick to your abs" feeling. Pair them with tri shorts (Castelli Free or Desoto low-cut in my case).

Best advice I've gotten is "stay hydrated...inside and out." I keep a water bottle on the bike (70.3+) just for squirting into my helmet and keeping my jersey/arm coolers wet (also serves as a backup if I eject a bottle).

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On the bike I wear arm coolers - keep them wet and they will keep you cool.

On the run I wear a Desoto long sleeve shirt. Keep the arms and/or the shirt wet and it will keep you cool. The shirt also has pockets to put ice.
https://www.desotosport.com/...?variant=41425044691

I also put ice in my hat.

The other advantage of long sleeves on the bike and run is that you stop sun burn and skin cancer.

In the tropics positive cooling is indeed important, since the normal sweat system of the body does not work well. Because of the high humidity the sweat does not evaporate such that no cooling effect is established.
In the book "I'm here to win" of Chis Mccormack he writes about a pocket in the shirt at the position of the heart to cool the blood directly there. I sewed a pocket in a shirt there which I used in Hawaii and put ice in at every station. Although I had other problems, at least not with the heat on the run.
You loose a couple of seconds changing shirts in T2 but it is worth it.

ice (in mouth, in hat, everywhere), sponges, cold water dumped over head. And I prefer a trucker hat. I never used to but I like it for the airflow with the mesh and that it doesn’t sit so close against my head like other cloth hats. In a drier environment seems like arm coolers would work but humid races I’m not sure they do much.

Ice in your shorts: your femoral arteries will thank you.

 

I put ice in the hat at each aid station. Not sure how effective it is but it feels good!

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Once, I was fast. But I got over it.

I am having trouble finding the source, but there a difference between feeling cooler and actually cooling down. Maybe it doesn't matter if your brain thinks the body is too hot well before becoming dangerous.

Anyhow, putting ice on your body will increase your core body temp if that extreme localized cooling tricks your body into stopping its own cooling techniques - sweating and increased blood flow to the skin.

I think the study found putting cool, not cold, things to your skin was best. Perhaps it was on the wrist or neck?

+1 on ice down the shorts

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So do you start the race in that cooling long sleeve jersey or put it on in T1?

As I believe you live in Florida, so you have a good grasp on this, are you saying to avoid "cooling towels" or other products and just use ice and your body to cool down?

How long has it taken you to acclimatize for heat?

Not sure about him but I’m still working on it after 48 years in Houston area.

+2 ice dumped down the shorts. Massive cooling.

Depends on how you do it. I think if it's done intensively, e.g. almost every day, you can get a lot of adaptation in a couple weeks. I do weekends in the Anza Borrego desert (120F), over about two months.

A lot can be done passively as well, e.g. just sitting in a sauna. I haven't tried that, though. Just read the research.

I can speak to this somewhat. I will do heated yoga with the lady. Crazy humidity (think 90%) and 40C or so. I live in a shite place for heat, but doing this regularly (emphasis that part. 5 times a week for an hour) has helped tremendously. I race really well now in nasty hot weather and as a bonus those yoga sessions in the hot really make me feel strong. Vascularity increases and I swear I get a bit extra power from it all. My data seems to back it up.

Hahahaha. I guess some can never get used to it!

Sauna has helped with getting used to the heat, back in Minnesota. But now trying to stay cool while racing

I am not at the pointy end of the race. A few minutes do not matter to me. I have put it on in T1 and worn it for the bike and run. I have also put it on in T2 and worn it just for the run.

There is a video tip on how to quickly put on the top in T1.
https://www.desotosport.com/...oler-long-sleeve-top

TR has done a good job recently of breaking the interesting bits of their 2-hour-long rambling podcasts into discrete, digestible segments on interesting subjects.

Here's the one on using a sauna to acclimatize to heat (and, interestingly, maybe increase performance at any temperature)

The short version is: get into a sauna for 30 minutes 3 times per week for at least two weeks. Get in the sauna right after working out.