Hot Weather Training

I spent a good portion of yesterday afternoon in the neighborhood pool, refereeing games of Marco Polo and Capture the Flag. Regrettably, three hours in the sun has turned me into a salmon-like pink version of my former self, radiating heat and a soft glow wherever I go. I felt like I had been keelhauled and then rolled in fresh sod when I woke up this morning; I’ve inevitably started to scratch and this really hurts. So I’m caught in a Catch-22: scratch the itch and cause more pain, yet satiate the itch; or ignore the itch thereby saving myself from more pain but facing an excruciating itch, which I could relieve myself of if only I were to itch and subject myself to more pain. Currently, Life is a Bitch.

As my dilemma progressed through the morning, I began to wonder how this could affect my training, as I had read somewhere that sunburn affects our ability to sweat and cool. I Googled it and found an amazing article on Hot Weather Training. It definitely deserves a link, and will give you a heads up when it comes to preparation for Ironman Arizona, Timex Triathlon, Soma Half or other such desert adventures in triathlon, marathon, hiking, biking… or Marco Polo. I’m not looking forward to the master’s workout tonight; this might become another day of rest.