Last weekend I made a classic summer running mistake. I hit the snooze button. I really wanted him to sleep for an hour later, but the heat didn’t get any worse after a bit, right?
As I stepped out of that comfy bed and that sweet, sweet air conditioner, I was hit with a wave of regret, the heat and the humidity that made my glasses stuffy. My long runs were a lot like long slogs.
If you have to go out for a run and wake up early but the temperature is still hot, how can you train successfully? Sure, I know the basic tips. But how do extreme athletes excel in those situations?
talked with Max CalderanSeek advice from your Instagram account titled ‘Son of the Desert’. A 55-year-old desert explorer, Calderan has described himself as “his 25 years in the sun,” but has spent much of his life working long hours in some of the world’s most extreme climates. I spent my time training for trekking. In February 2020, he crossed the Arabian Peninsula’s Ruv He Al He Khali Desert for nearly seven hundred miles (700 miles) in temperatures over 115 degrees Fahrenheit. I’m sure he can teach me how to train better in the heat.
“The key word here is deprivation,” he began. oh boy. I asked him to withdraw the proposal. We were talking about running in the heat, I clarified, not necessarily trekking hundreds of miles through pristine desert.
Here are some of his top tips for more average athletes.
This interview has been condensed and edited.
About timing: The best thing you can do is start your physical activity early in the morning or late in the evening. Start adapting. Turn off the air conditioner in your car or switch it on and put it only on your feet instead of directly on your face.
About hydration: Adapt to what your body needs. The best energy drink ever is water with lemon juice and a little salt. Drink it during the day. Drink small amounts of water frequently, every 15 or 30 minutes.
About clothing: As strange as it sounds, people start running and training in full-covering clothing. Feel the difference running in shorts and a t-shirt, long pants and a long-sleeve t-shirt. Synthetic material of course. The more air there is between your body and the outside world, the less hot you feel.
About shoes: If you do a lot of running in the heat, you may need to buy shoes one size larger than you normally wear. Hot temperatures can cause your feet to begin to swell.
On athlete mentality: You have to think of yourself as an athlete. You’re not a runner, you work in an office or something, so you’re not a normal person. As a 24 hour runner, you have to eat, drink and think like an athlete.
