My garage has no insulation, so being in Tampa…in the evenings, it’s HOT, I’d guess over 100 degrees, even with an industrial strength fan in there. It affects my workouts…both the actual workout (HR I think is not accurate due to heat) and post-workout (next day, I’m flat out wiped out…and actually feel like I will come down with a cold after the workout). Moving the trainer indoors isn’t an option, and I’m going to be doing 80% of my workouts on the trainer.
HTFU. I’m training 5 days a week on the trainer…sometimes twice a day…in a hot garage. Just have to drink more. Ice in the water bottles works wonders.
one thing you may want to know in your training situation, generally, when air temp exceeds your skin temp, running your fan will actually make you hotter, not cooler …
(DISCLAIMER: Poster has no academic and little practical experience in ex phys)
Au contraire, I think your HR is dead on: You’re working out in conditions that are hazardous, to say the least, and you expect your heart to behave? Not a chance! Be thankful you haven’t gotten sick from heat exhaustion (although it sounds like you come close on a regular basis) because that what your heart is trying desperately to avoid.
Have you considered modifying your schedule to get quality workouts in the EARLY morning (4-5am, say?) because it looks like you’re careening headlong into a medical emergency before too long.
Only mad dogs, englishmen, and triathletes are out in the mid-day sun…
Tri, how long are you on the trainer for your sessions? How are you recovering, or feeling the next day? I feel like complete shit, to be honest, and I’m not doing 2 hour workouts…only like 50-60’ or so, and I’m shelled the next day.
Curious to know what you’re doing. Hope you reply. Thanks.
(DISCLAIMER: Poster has no academic and little practical experience in ex phys)
Au contraire, I think your HR is dead on: You’re working out in conditions that are hazardous, to say the least, and you expect your heart to behave? Not a chance! Be thankful you haven’t gotten sick from heat exhaustion (although it sounds like you come close on a regular basis) because that what your heart is trying desperately to avoid.
Have you considered modifying your schedule to get quality workouts in the EARLY morning (4-5am, say?) because it looks like you’re careening headlong into a medical emergency before too long.
Only mad dogs, englishmen, and triathletes are out in the mid-day sun…
MET, I’m up at 5A to run then to the pool. The bike is typically in the evening as it’s the only time I can get it in due to work/family.
Maybe I’ll move out to the back porch. It’s outdoors but screened in. Would make life a bit more complicated logistically, but HTFU, right?
Install a walk-in refridgerator motor in your garage…
… or buy a cheap AC and blast that sucker right at your head. They’re ~$100 and it’ll be the best money you ever spent. You don’t even need to point it out a window, you’re just worried about the 2 feet between you and the AC, not the rest of the room.
Put ice in your hands, put more in when it melts.
Icy water bottles might actually cause cramping in hot climates.
You definitely need to change the situation and not just HTFU. Training in 100 degree heat all the time will only train you to go slow in the heat. You’ll have to spend too much time recovering and too much time at a compromised wattage.
Get a water mister at your local garden supply or irrigation section of home depot. This is a device that attaches to your water supply and gently sprays a fine mist of water into the air. It is used by gardeners trying to artificially produce a tropical environment for tropical plants. Aim it at you or over you and get a fan that blows gently at you. You don’t need an industrial strength fan that blows air at hurricane speeds. This will only shoot the mist at you like little bullets. You need just enough air movement to evaporate the mist that lands on your skin. Its a rigged up evaporative cooling effect. I used this a lot when I lived in Vegas and it works.
I am a firefighter working at a small older station that is pier and beam except for the truck room(the place we park the fire engine) so I have been banished to ride out there due to the sound of the trainer on the floor and the others’ inability to watch TV over the sound (they need the HTFU). Our truck room is so small that we don’t have an industrial fan because it won’t fit, but I have managed to find a spot that I can set up my bike, dvd player and a box fan that blows directly on me. I think we had a record month for days over 100 in June and will probably have another record this month, so I know how hot it can get. It seems unbearable at first, but I have gotten used to it, but I drink tons of water and gatorade endurance, and I keep an extra bottle to chug in case we get a call.
I used to take a plastic grocery bag and put ice in it and hang it in front of the fan. That cooled the air down a bit, but be sure to put a pan or cooler under it to catch the water.
I am also in Tampa and I am inside but use a ceiling fan over me and it is not too bad. My wife and I take some spin classes at the Y and tonight the room was crowded and hot. Because we are so exposed to the heat in every aspect of the day we do need to be careful so drink at least every 5-8 minutes. Get as much ventilation as possible.
I live in Texas and that’s the norm for the summer 90+ in the garage. Lots of water and a fan and not too many hard sessions, just steady tempo. After an hour it feels cold when I head inside.
Just a couple of questions…why do you do 80% of your rides on a trainer? Why not hit the road?
Also…you said that you run and swim in the mornings and then bike at right? Who does all three sports in the same day consistantly? That is nuts! Just stick to two morning workouts and you will be fine…or do one in the morning and one in the evening…there is no need to being doing all three in one day consistantly.
I do 90% on the trainer. Single father thing. My apartment stays hot and humid, unless AC is cranked 24/7. Fan toes wonders in front of you, also keep a ton of drinks in your fridge, really wont hurt your riding much to hop off and grab a cold drink.
Dehumidify the garage. Then a small fan will work wonders and it won’t matter that there’s no insulation, just don’t be opening the garage door all the time.