Effect of cold on performance- question for the coaches and sport exercise scientists

Triathlon Forum
1

Given all the noise about the potential cold this weekend in st. George I am curious if there are any studies or specific examples to show a negative impact on performance from being cold?
I.e shivering and uncomfortably cold.

Is this a psychological issue of discomfort?
Is this an energy use issue from shivering burning extra calories?
Is it not actually an issue?

Follow up, at what point is it worth taking extra time in Transition and/or sacrificing some aero to be a bit warmer on the bike?

Curious to hear expert input not just more personal anecdotes

2

I live in Maine, i train outside most all year. I have become used to cool training and racing. That said, arm warmers and a TIGHT VEST might be enough. I also like to use something as a barrier on the knees - ie, vaseline or embro.

science here - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8704244/

3

The only issue with the cold is staying warm on the bike. Unless its some Ironman WI situation where the run is in the rain, I can’t see the cold negatively affecting a half marathon. Living in a hot climate running in cold to cool weather feels like using a cheat code. But you could get seriously cold on the bike if you don’t layer properly and that in turn could screw your run.

4

It is not a psychological issue.
-If you get cold enough, you can die. Dying is the ultimate form of “negative impact on performance”
-There is a reason a warm up is called a warm up. Cold muscles do not function as well.

Yes, you use more energy exercising cold vs. Hot.
-Hot comes with a whole other ball of wax that can effect performance. But too hot and too cold both slow you down.

It is an issue.
-Lots of people perform poorly in cold weather due to poor clothing choices.

-If it is actually 40F/5C at the start of the bike, and people come out of the water wet, and do not put on clothes, most (not all) will be negatively effected.

There will be a number of people who are slightly too cold, and as a result do not eat or drink enough.
-They will have shit races. And they will say, “I was only a little cold, that shouldn’t lead me to THIS”
And totally ignore the fact they ate nothing and drank nothing. In this case, cold isn’t the reason for poor performance, but it is the main contributing factor.

5

There have been studies done for runners suggesting that the optimal temperature is between 7C and 15C and that most world records are set on cool days. Probably a bit cool for cycling, but at least for the run part, it should actually be optimal.

https://www.outsideonline.com/health/running/racing/race-strategy/how-much-does-heat-slow-your-race-pace/

6

-Lots of people perform poorly in cold weather due to poor clothing choices.
-If it is actually 40F/5C at the start of the bike, and people come out of the water wet, and do not put on clothes, most (not all) will be negatively effected.
IM Rule 4.01
(e) Neoprene or any other booties are prohibited unless the water temperature is 18.3
degrees C/65.0 degrees F, or colder; (30 or 60 Second Time Penalty (as applicable))
(f) When the use of wetsuits is prohibited (see Section 4.03), clothing covering any part
of the arms below the elbows and clothing covering any of the leg below the knee is
deemed illegal and is not permitted during the swim segment of the Race but may
be worn after completion of the swim segment; (DSQ)

The rules do not proscribe arm and leg coverings otherwise.
Do not let peer pressure / subjective aesthetics adversely affect quality decisions on what you wear riding out of T1.

7

For the guys, think about how to insulate your nether regions. Cold air chills not just your fingertips and nose, if you know what I mean. It can be a serious distraction.

There’s a hilarious thread somewhere about cold weather running. I’d just stuff handfuls of pink panther fiberglass insulation down the front of your trisuit.

8

At those temperatures the big difference is going to be nutrition and hydration. You’ll need slightly more calories than at higher temps and significantly less fluid than you’d take in at higher temps. Hard to say exactly how much but on a 20 deg F day I will take 3x less fluids than I would at 85F.

As others have said the first half hour on the bike is where you’ll really notice. Have a good towel at T1 and completely dry off. Depending on the weather, base layers, arm warmers, a vest and a hat are good options. Don’t underestimate a thin hat, it’s aero, easy to take off and stows easily.

9

I think about at as what would I wear on the bike if I was just going for a ride. That may mean a gillet, jersey or waterproof jacket and possibly gloves.

Some folks will get there knickers in a twist regarding aero, but better to be warm, dry and smugg on the big ready to run, rather than cold wet and glum, waiting for hyperthermia to set in, but aero.

Optimal is well fitting/areo layers or baselayers below the Tri suit.

The swim is different if the water is very cold and personal tolerances vary.

10

My day has not been wasted.
“Dying is the ultimate form of negative impact on performance”
I’ll have to keep that in mind.
-Shrugs shoulders AND face palms-

11

Once you get on the bike if the sun is out and there’s no rain you should be fine with some typical measures such as arm warmers, toe warmers, plastic bag in the front of the suit etc. Latex gloves will work to keep your fingers from freezing.

Key is to not get cold before the swim. I know once I start to get the shakes my swim goes to shit. I put my wetsuit on somewhere indoors (bathroom, car etc.). I wear warm socks and a hat while waiting around for my wave. I also do a short jog before the swim to warm up (assuming there is no warmup swim area).

This routine worked for me in several 70.3 and IMs where the starting temperature was in the low 40s ('18 IMAZ, '14 IMFL, Challenge Daytona in 2019 etc.).

I have other issues in cold IMs, mainly peeing a thousand times. I train in FL and tend to carry a bit of water weight into these races due to being heat adapted which is probably why this happens.

12

At 55 deg F without clothing u will eventually die. The body cannot maintain core temp.

13

Funny, I know TriDot has done a lot of compiling of research about environmental factors and I think 55 F is the around the ideal temp for running.

My guess is you could run in very little clothing at 55 as long as you were maintaining a pace something around threshold.

IM pace is so far below threshold for most I would also guess that you’ll need to add clothing based on your preference the slower you go and the colder it gets.

I don’t think you need an exercise physiology degree to deduce that some temperature and some lack of clothing will eventually impact performance as far as quantifying that for you and giving a recommendation that’s a pretty big ask. I would imagine relying on your own experience is more reasonable. In every outdoor pursuit I’ve ever participated in everyone agreed that the faster and higher exertion you go the less clothing necessary. Push that too far and you will certainly crash.

14

I think even cooler is better for running. I like 40s for racing long distances. I know the bike will be cold but it’s really looking like a good day of racing to me. I live in New England & I’ve been biking all fall in these temps. I’d rather be able to hammer than make pace conversions because it’s too hot. The run will probably get warm for most folks, especially if you keep any layers on. 60s, while on the cooler side for most triathlons, is still warmer than ideal for pure running. Cover your hands/toes. There’s plenty of early hills to help get the heart rate up on the bike.

15

We have lots of great information here: https://www.fasttalklabs.com/...xercise-in-the-cold/

  1. Why it’s hard to go fast in the cold.
  2. Cold air & breathing
  3. Cold Temps and Metabolism
  4. Dressing for Cold weather
  5. Training in Cold Weather

I don’t normally plug our paywalled content because I don’t want to “sell” anything on here, but it’s currently available for free for 30 days.

16

I don’t think you need an exercise physiology degree to deduce that some temperature and some lack of clothing will eventually impact performance as far as quantifying that for you and giving a recommendation that’s a pretty big ask.//

EXACTLY… Only question is what is that temp for each person. A lot of talk here about this and that in cold temps, but just like heat, it can vary widely. My best ever /12 distance race in my career was in weather much worse than they will see this weekend. It was 48 degrees and pouring rain almost the entire race, and this was even before wetsuits were allowed in the swim. I put on zero extra clothes, did the entire race in my lycra skin suit, and I never felt more energized in my life. I was able to hammer with a relatively low HR the entire race, never once felt cold, and did the entire race on one bottle of Coke. In a hot race of this duration, I would be suffering to hold normal power, head would be hot and uncomfortable, and I would be drinking at least two big bottles an hour, while pouring unlimited bottles over my head and body.

The cold had me burning “less” calories, using less water in sweat, and had my breathing super calmed by the extremely cold air. Of course theoritacally everyone must know at some level that there are people like me, but from all the whining here, you would think that these are just unacceptable circumstances to race in. I on the other hand, do find it unacceptable when it gets over 90+ degrees!!! Of course my whining falls on deaf ears, like all the complaining here too. At least folks in the cold can take the time and layer up, a lot more than us heat challenged guys get to do on the typical triathlon racing day that comes in the summers…

And the comment about people dying if it is too cold, well for some, sure. But this topic reminded me of a documentary on the guy that swims in the arctic and any other cold body of water, and just doesn’t seemed to get phased by it. They studied him, and just looking at the cold water began a process in his body where blood would move around quickly, to absorb that extreme cold. He would do miles and miles in water so cold, that the average person would be dead in minutes from that exposure.

I say let them race!! It is so few times that the cold adapted and gifted get to actually race a triathlon in their prime environment, that it would be criminal to change, shorten, or even get rid of any of the segments or miles that are due to be raced in this world champs…

17

The cold had me burning “less” calories, using less water in sweat, and had my breathing super calmed by the extremely cold air. Of course theoritacally everyone must know at some level that there are people like me, but from all the whining here, you would think that these are just unacceptable circumstances to race in. I on the other hand, do find it unacceptable when it gets over 90+ degrees!!! Of course my whining falls on deaf ears, like all the complaining here too. At least folks in the cold can take the time and layer up, a lot more than us heat challenged guys get to do on the typical triathlon racing day that comes in the summers…

And the comment about people dying if it is too cold, well for some, sure.
Hell, yeah! Where’s the harm in that? Only some are at risk of . . . .
It’s meant to be 'ard, right?

As far as the 90+F temperatures, WT also offer a risk table for that (@ p68 of 196):
https://www.triathlon.org/...022_20220128_xxx.pdf
any air temperature at above 32C is deemed “extreme high risk” and event rescheduled (standard and sprint distances)
and “for middle- and long-distance events. . . agree the heat countermeasures to be implemented” . . . .

18

My biking is always crap when it’s cold (even after accounting for aero loss) but my running peaks around 40F/5C. The body is much colder on the bike because of the wind and I’m sure that has an impact on the ability to generate power. My guess is the blood delivery to the muscles just isn’t the same on the bike as on the run, maybe something to do with weight bearing helping circulate the blood better running in the cold.

I’d really like to see data on the arguments about burning more calories in the cold (assuming pace is the same or lower), maybe if shivering uncontrollably it makes sense but it seems like pseudoscience. The body also has to work extra hard to circulate blood to extremities in the heat, and HR is massively increased there. HR should also go up if the cold is increasing calorie burn since cardiac output would be higher, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone with a remotely high HR on the bike in the cold.

There are only a handful of pro cyclists known for performing their best in the cold, but pretty much all pro runners do their best in it

19

Most of the races I do are of the Xtri variety and there are some interesting studies done within that arena regarding the impacts of cold. This study on the impacts of swimming in cold water done by the Norseman doctor was very interesting.

https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/9/6/87

Personally I much prefer racing in what most of you would consider cold. My “local” race features a swim in a fjord that usually averages about 11-12degrees C, with temps as low as 8 due to water ingress from the surrounding mountains (you can feel the brain freeze when you pass through). The difficult choice is clothing in T1, since you start with a monster climb that tops out over 1000m altitude and even on sunny mornings is low single figures without wind, some editions it’s been well below zero. Your body is still cooling an hour after the swim, so you think you’re heating up on the initial climb and then you hit zero temps at the top and begin a fast descent, usually far colder than you should be and under-dressed. On the run I don’t really care, I very rarely get cold enough that I have any issues, except freezing fingers in the deep winter, and even then only until I’ve been running for a little while.

At the weekend it will be interesting to see how the pros cope, with a colder than normal swim. In theory if the bike is a lot colder than the water, which in turn is colder than they are used to, then they will be in relatively new territory for at least the first half/40% of the bike. I wonder if they have trained specifically for using extra clothing to normal, might we see some new trisuit tech?

I wonder if these conditions will benefit the northern european athletes more than anyone else?

20

Good points and very interesting local race you do, I don’t know if I could handle a brain freeze on the swim. I swam 25m in a similar glacial lake this year and it was painful.

I wonder if the heat adaptations from Kona will help or hurt athletes in any way. Could be a bad shock to the body and create unexpected issues, or do heat adaptations help in the cold? I’ve always felt effortless when going from extreme heat to cold, but is there actually a benefit to it?