Heat Tolerance

[Dianyla]

In my experience, I am very intolerant of the heat when I have to be dressed up with clothes, make-up, hair done. But put me out on the bank of the Buffalo River in hottest August, shorts and a t-shirt, hair in a pony, I don't even notice it, and don't mind the sweat running down my face.

Well, isn't it a scientific fact that nylons and make-up add at least 15 degrees to the heat index?

It's true that certain inalterable things happen during childhood development. I hadn't heard that about the sweat glands forming only in the first month of life - in which case you would really have to consider what month a baby is born. January in Boston is quite different from July...

However, acclimatization is another important process. It can take a few weeks for minor acclimatization, and a few years for long term changes. And adapting to certain extremes may always be impossible for certain people, whether due to genetics or the your childhood development environment. After spending two weeks with altitude sickness in the Andes while watching the natives casually jog up a slope at 18K feet elevation, I know I'll never have the aerobic capacity to deal with that.

[mimitabby]

I didn't say the first MONTH of life, i said the first year. it doesn't matter what month you were born in.

[7rider]

I didn't say the first MONTH of life, i said the first year. it doesn't matter what month you were born in.

Of course.
The point I was trying to make - perhaps badly - is that both my DH's and my "formative" year equated generally to the same period of the year - late summer/early fall - at a similar latitude, where the first half of our first year was spent in cold (well, when we weren't inside in our crib or wherever we were! ). Yet, we both have vastly different heat tolerance levels. That's why I think body fat may have a roll in it. While I'm not by any means obese, I do have a higher BF% than he. Sigh.
Just my personal experience. As I see from the replies here, there are just as many as there are folks on this list!

[Dianyla]

I didn't say the first MONTH of life, i said the first year. it doesn't matter what month you were born in.

Whoops, I totally misread that.

[li10up]

I belive we all have tolerances but I think we can stretch those in either direction by acclimating. I don't think the sweat thing hold much water (pun intended). I was born and reared in PA and I sweat like a pig when I'm active. I live in PA for about 20 years. The cold was not an issue. As soon as it hit the upper 40s/lower 50s in the spring we were out in short sleeves.

Then I moved to TX and have been here for about 20 years. At first I loved the heat. Then I got to where I couldn't bare it. I pretty much hibernated in the summer...wouldn't leave the air conditioning. Now if it's 50 degrees out I'm freezing. After I started bike riding my tolerance for the heat just sky-rocketed. Last year I rode 3 or 4 days a week even when we had like 60 days above 100 degrees. It is a lot easier to tolerate extremes when you are having fun...whether it be skiing in the cold or cycling in the heat (or cold ).