Question about humidity

[kps7795]

I can’t believe that I missed this post and the opportunity to share this perfect clip about our Florida weather.

 

[The Expert]

There was some recent research that I saw a few years ago about acclimation using a hot tub in the few weeks prior to the event, but haven't followed it up to see if it's been disproven yet.

I'd be very interested in this if you can find it. Even though I survived the 2020 marathon conditions and I usually acclimate for MW by overdressing on the treadmill, I have a hot tub now and I'd love to do as much as possible to acclimate for Dopey.

A Florida heat of 85 is very different from a mountain west heat of 85 (I’ve run in both). I don’t think any form of “heat training” can prepare a northerner for the pure swampiness of 99% humidity.

SO SO SO true! Moving to the northeast from Salt Lake has proven this out for me. I had a conference in Orlando in July and hit the parks a few times, anticipating it would be brutal. It was definitely uncomfortable, but I wasn't dying like I anticipated. Vermont isn't humid most of the time, but it's definitely more humid than Utah was. I honestly think the acclimation is made easier if you're used to even some humidity.

 

[nancipants]

See, I think I've lived in Florida for way too long because while the heat and humidity of summer does bother me, I HATE when I go someplace dry. We were in Washington over the summer, usually a pretty wet place, but the last week we were there they had a heat wave with no clouds and it was BRUTAL to me. I also got dehydrated after one of my runs because I didn't drink nearly as much as I usually do because my body said "meh, it's cold, you don't need it!" Actually, body, I DO, thank you very much! I also find dry heat waaaay worse, probably because I (personally) don't sweat as much when it's dry.

I might be part amphibian.

 

[DopeyBadger]

I'd be very interested in this if you can find it. Even though I survived the 2020 marathon conditions and I usually acclimate for MW by overdressing on the treadmill, I have a hot tub now and I'd love to do as much as possible to acclimate for Dopey.

I believe I was aware of the original 2018 paper. The same research group has done two additional studies in 2021 and 2022. The final paper states that Hot Water Immersion reduces core body temperature, but the final (not yet published that I can find) paper is to determine if there are "real world performance improvements and reduces the incidence of exertion heat illness."

 

[The Expert]

I believe I was aware of the original 2018 paper. The same research group has done two additional studies in 2021 and 2022. The final paper states that Hot Water Immersion reduces core body temperature, but the final (not yet published that I can find) paper is to determine if there are "real world performance improvements and reduces the incidence of exertion heat illness."

Thank you! I'll dig into this!

 

[Herding_Cats]

This topic was just discussed on Real Science of Sport in the episode with guest David Roche (who just broke the course record for Leadville 100) and while they didn't dig into the meat and potatoes of it, they did discuss how quickly any results can fade when you stop using the hot tub.

(Roche and his wife have their own podcast "Some Work, All Play" and I enjoy that when they talk about different training methods and approaches, they also talk about how it may or may not be in the best interest of female athletes because of endocrine/hormonal disruptions.)