RACING IN HOT TEMPERATURES – 5 MUST-READ TIPS

With Australia sweltering through some of the hottest summer temperatures on record, professional triathlete Sam Betten leads us through some strategies to stay cool come race day.

Racing in hot conditions is something that even a seasoned professional like myself can struggle with. While racing an ITU Premium Cup event in South Korea a few years ago, I learned a valuable lesson to never underestimate the dramatic effects of hot conditions.

The race was held in 430C heat and humid conditions, and after leading the race by over a minute going into the last two kilometres of the run my body completely shut down. I blacked out and collapsed from heat exhaustion, unable to finish.

If you are an experienced triathlete, I am sure you will have seen athletes in the medical tent post race, hooked up to an IV drip. My point in telling you this is not to alarm you but to help you to understand the importance of being on the ball when it comes to racing in the heat.

1. Freeze your drink bottles the night before

When it comes to cooling your body, hydration is really the key. What I have found is that if you know it is going to be a particularly hot event, then freezing your drink bottles the night before can be extremely effective. By the time you get onto the bike, the bottles should have defrosted enough so that the fluid in them is icy cold. What this does is not only provide you with your much-needed hydration but is also an effective way of lowering your core body temperature during the cycle leg.

2. Maximise all the aid stations

The run leg is by far the most difficult in regard to keeping your body cool as you don’t have as many opportunities to grab fluid as you do on the bike. Far and away the best advice I have been given is to maximise all the aid stations on the run leg sipping on water as well as trying to lower your core temperature by pouring water over your head and face.

3. Put ice under your hat and/or in your race suit

If the aid stations offer ice, then putting this under your run hat and/or in your race suit can be quite effective. Another great thing about ice is that you can suck on it while running, which I have personally found to be very effective in tricking your mind into thinking your body is cooler than it really is.

4. Trick your mind

Some of the best advice I have heard was from Australian marathon legend Steve Moneghetti. He always runs in sunglasses as the darker view from behind the lenses makes his mind think that it isn’t as hot as it really is.

5. Wear a visor

It is also amazing the difference a good run visor or run hat can make, as it will not only shade your face from the sun, but also as you pour water over your face during the run it will absorb the water, which helps to cool your entire head as the it evaporates into the air.

I hope the tips I have provided this month have given you a few new things to try, and a few more things to think about during your racing this summer. Until next time, happy racing and training.