Training for a Marathon in Hot Weather

There are several tips you can use to effectively train during the summer months as you prepare for you endurance events.

Beat the heat!

Training to walk a marathon has forced me to something I hate: walk in hot, humid weather. Although the marathon I'm training for is in November, the bulk of my training is taking place during the summer months. The good thing about this, of course, is I should be able to clip along at a nice pace come November, without the heat wearing me down. In the meantime, though, I need to stay alive during training. Literally.

As I am often heard mentioning to my poor walking partners, I do not "do" heat. Maybe it's my Slavic heritage, but if it gets above 70 I am soaked with sweat by the end of even a short walk. Hydration and electrolytes become serious matters. More than once this summer I've returned from a long distance walk on the weekend to find myself with a fever and chills, muscles cramping up from dehydration and heat exhaustion. So now that I've learned the hard way about the perils of marathon training in hot weather, I've got a few ideas to share so you can beat the heat when you are doing your training walks, or even if you're just out walking for the health of it.

Bring water when you walk

Yes you could plan to stop for water at certain points along your route, but in my opinion, you should have water with you at all times. This is a bit of a pain, since you'd probably rather not have to carry anything with you. Believe me, it's worth the trouble to find a water carrying method that works for you. I have found that walking with my toddler in a stroller provides a convenient place to put my stainless steel Klean Kanteen water bottle, while also providing a spot in the bottom of the stroller to bring along a container of water for the dog (hey she gets hot and dehydrated too!). But when I am walking without the stroller, I might just carry my water bottle in my hand, or tuck it into a large fanny pack. I've seen hydration belts you can buy as well, which have places for the bottles on the fanny pack.

For my long-distance walks (which range from 8 to 20 miles), I have a hydration pack that you wear like a back-pack, which has a tube that loops through the shoulder strap and allows you to take convenient sips of water without breaking your stride. The most popular one of these is Camelbak, but there are other brands out there at well. Mine is a High Sierra hydration pack. I love it!

The best thing about bringing your water with you, especially if it is convenient to take a drink while you keep walking, is that you don't feel the need to put off taking a drink but can respond to your body as it needs. If you notice you're losing fluids through sweat, make sure you are drinking plenty of water to replace the fluids.

Electrolytes help you stay hydrated in the heat

Along with water you lose precious minerals when you sweat. These electrolytes are important to such key functions as your heart rhythm and blood pressure, not to mention helping you stay hydrated so your muscles don't cramp up and you don't succumb to heat exhaustion. If you're planning to train in hot weather, take some electrolytes before you even leave your house. In my case, and I hear this is true for many endurance athletes, Gatorade and Powerade don't cut it.

Because of their high sugar content, they may not absorb quickly enough and leave you with a "swampy" stomach. I have found that before I go out, I like to mix up a pack of EmergenC drink mix with a half a cup of water (it tastes better when it's more concentrated), slam that, then chase it with some straight water.

Some people mix theirs ahead of time and carry them in their hydration belts (the small bottles are just the right size for an electrolyte serving). I know a biker and a marathon walker who both like to drop a few Nuun tablets into their hydration packs before heading out. Another option, which I think is especially adaptable to your varying need for electrolytes depending on weather etc., is to take an electrolyte capsule every 30 minutes to an hour. A great product for this is Salt Stick. It's really popular with triathletes and bikers, but I've heard of some racewalkers and marathon walkers who use it as well, and now I'm going to start carrying it in my pack. This may be just the thing to convert me into someone who can "do" heat!

Running shoes, moisture-wicking socks and non-chafing clothes: keep cool by dressing for hot weather

There has been a veritable revolution in walking and running shoes. No longer are our feet encased in heavy white leather. The new breed of running shoe (also great for walking) have mesh uppers that literally let the breeze in (I wonder if they'll feel too cool in November?). As a result your feet stay cool, sweat less, and even get less blisters! But the real key to keeping your feet comfortable is to wear specially-made running socks. There are several brands out there (Smartwool, Wrightsocks, Thorlos, Balega, and Feetures. I've tried several of these and they are all much better than the plain cotton socks I used to wear. There is some variety to choose from here. I like a sock that has a medium amount of cushioning on the bottom but is just a thin, breathable layer on top. To each their own!

When it's hot, you will probably want to wear as little as possible. There are lots of great clothes designed for runners that work for walkers as well. For me, I feel more comfortable being a little more dressed, but I still keep it light. Shorts or capris, and a sports bra/tank top combo is my typical walking attire. But clothes can become the enemy if they chaffe. For this, my aresenol includes powdering up with Gold Bond before the walk, and applying Body Glide or A&D ointment (yes the diaper rash stuff, the petroleum based one). The A&D goes on my feet... excellent blister prevention! I also use it on a little spot where my hydration pack shoulder strap rubs on the distance walks, it really seems to help.

Wear sunscreen when you walk

I always forget this, but it's so important to put on sunscreen, especially when you're wearing as little clothing as possible. A sunburn is miserable and will accelerate your problems with the heat and dehydration. A hat is your other weapon against the sun, or at least a viser to keep the sun off your face. A hat will also protect the top of your head (and help prevent the sun from fading your hair color!). Consider a hat that has a piece of fabric in the back to keep the sun off your neck as well. Headsweats makes a variety of moisture-wicking hats that help keep the sweat out of your eyes. Or get the ultimate "beat the heat" hat - one that includes a "Bandoo" or other type of cooling headband.

Just be smart about training in the heat

Ultimately, when you're training in hot weather, you sometimes have to make a judgment call. If it's 85 or above in the shade, high humidity and no breeze, maybe this is a day to do cross training in someplace air conditioned rather than walking. And be smart about the time of day you're walking. If you have to get up before the sun to get out there when conditions are tolerable, so be it. Or wait until the sun goes down in the evening before you do your marathon training. Don't keep such a rigid training schedule that you force yourself to walk when it's dangerously hot. Keeping these things in mind, you will be able to survive training for a marathon during the summer and look forward to cooler days come fall. Then we'll be talking about how to avoid frostbite and falling on the ice. Just hold that thought as you're out there sweating this summer!