Check out the tips after the break to stay cool while warming up:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"Staying](\"https:\/\/tailwind-coaching.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/stayingcoolintheheat-300x300.jpg\")
<\/a>1: Start cool and hydrated before warming up<\/h3>\nBefore you begin warming up, you'll want to get your core temperature down as much as possible. The increase in core temperature during exercise can quickly lead to decreased performance<\/a>, so staying cool is important. \u00a0That begins before you even start warming up. \u00a0Keeping your core cool before you warm up will keep your overall core temperature down when you start riding. \u00a0Essentially if you start cool, you stay cooler for longer. \u00a0Before you start warming up, hang out in a cool environment such as an air-conditioned car or shady tent. \u00a0Drink from a bottle of ice cold liquid while you sit in the cool air or the shade. \u00a0You can even invest in an ice vest<\/a> if you frequently find yourself unable to find a cool place to relax before your warm up begins.<\/p>\nYou'll also want to ensure you're properly hydrated before you start warming up. Electrolytes are critically important here so an electrolyte mix such as Scratch Labs hyper hydration mix<\/a>\u00a0is appropriate. The increase in plasma electrolytes will help to increase plasma volume. \u00a0This sets your body up to perform better, handle heat stress better and cool your body with sweat. \u00a0Shoot for a solid 18 ounces of electrolyte mix around an hour to an hour and a half prior to warming up.<\/p>\n2: Shorten your warm up in the heat<\/h3>\n
In my post on the pre-race warm-up<\/a>, I discussed a couple of different scenarios and specific warm-ups for each one. The important thing to consider when the temperature rises is to moderate the duration of your warm-up. The hotter the weather and\/or the longer the event, the shorter the warm-up should be. \u00a0Even if you have a really short event on tap, if the temperature is scorching, you should shorten your warm up significantly.<\/p>\nAs I noted earlier, core temperature is an important consideration when competing in the heat. The longer you warm up, the higher your core temperature will rise to. After all, it is called a “warm” up. \u00a0The warm-up I provided in my pre-race warm-up post runs about 20 minutes long. \u00a0If you're racing in high heat (or humidity), I'd recommend cutting your warm up to about half that duration. \u00a0You can do this by cutting the easy spinning in half and start the ramp to VO2 max at a higher intensity.<\/p>\n
You don't want to burn up the engine before you're done warming up,\u00a0right?<\/p>\n
3: Get cool post warm-up<\/h3>\n
Once you've warmed up and your body has kicked into high gear, get back to a cool or shady place and start to chill down. A bottle of ice cold water poured over your jersey helps to start cooling you through evaporation, while drinking an iced liquid cools you from the inside as well. This two-pronged approach to cooling helps to rapidly decrease your core temperature. \u00a0And as you recall, increased core temperature can hurt your performance.<\/p>\n
By decreasing your core temperature, you're able to delay the onset of heat induced performance loss by a significant amount of time. This can be a tricky proposition, though. If you cool down too much or too long, you'll perform poorly because your body's physiology returns to resting state. If you don't cool down enough, you'll remain hot and performance will suffer as you heat up during your event.<\/p>\n
So get cooled down for a few minutes between your warm-up and the start of your event.<\/p>\n
![\"Keep](\"https:\/\/tailwind-coaching.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/icesock-300x200.jpg\")
<\/a>Bonus tips for staying cool during your rides<\/h2>\nThe first thing you need to think about is how to manage heat stress while you're out on your bike riding, training, and racing. You'll need to ensure you don't overheat while riding. \u00a0If you do, your performance will suffer at best, and you'll suffer from heat-related illness at worst. \u00a0Either of those would put a serious cramp in your plans.<\/p>\n
You'll also want to ensure you're properly hydrated before you start warming up. Electrolytes are critically important here so an electrolyte mix such as Scratch Labs hyper hydration mix<\/a>\u00a0is appropriate. The increase in plasma electrolytes will help to increase plasma volume. \u00a0This sets your body up to perform better, handle heat stress better and cool your body with sweat. \u00a0Shoot for a solid 18 ounces of electrolyte mix around an hour to an hour and a half prior to warming up.<\/p>\n In my post on the pre-race warm-up<\/a>, I discussed a couple of different scenarios and specific warm-ups for each one. The important thing to consider when the temperature rises is to moderate the duration of your warm-up. The hotter the weather and\/or the longer the event, the shorter the warm-up should be. \u00a0Even if you have a really short event on tap, if the temperature is scorching, you should shorten your warm up significantly.<\/p>\n As I noted earlier, core temperature is an important consideration when competing in the heat. The longer you warm up, the higher your core temperature will rise to. After all, it is called a “warm” up. \u00a0The warm-up I provided in my pre-race warm-up post runs about 20 minutes long. \u00a0If you're racing in high heat (or humidity), I'd recommend cutting your warm up to about half that duration. \u00a0You can do this by cutting the easy spinning in half and start the ramp to VO2 max at a higher intensity.<\/p>\n You don't want to burn up the engine before you're done warming up,\u00a0right?<\/p>\n Once you've warmed up and your body has kicked into high gear, get back to a cool or shady place and start to chill down. A bottle of ice cold water poured over your jersey helps to start cooling you through evaporation, while drinking an iced liquid cools you from the inside as well. This two-pronged approach to cooling helps to rapidly decrease your core temperature. \u00a0And as you recall, increased core temperature can hurt your performance.<\/p>\n By decreasing your core temperature, you're able to delay the onset of heat induced performance loss by a significant amount of time. This can be a tricky proposition, though. If you cool down too much or too long, you'll perform poorly because your body's physiology returns to resting state. If you don't cool down enough, you'll remain hot and performance will suffer as you heat up during your event.<\/p>\n So get cooled down for a few minutes between your warm-up and the start of your event.<\/p>\n The first thing you need to think about is how to manage heat stress while you're out on your bike riding, training, and racing. You'll need to ensure you don't overheat while riding. \u00a0If you do, your performance will suffer at best, and you'll suffer from heat-related illness at worst. \u00a0Either of those would put a serious cramp in your plans.<\/p>\n2: Shorten your warm up in the heat<\/h3>\n
3: Get cool post warm-up<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Bonus tips for staying cool during your rides<\/h2>\n