Will I eventually acclimate to this heat???

[Geonz]

I agree with the AC comment, though I had to use mine yesterday 'cause my dehumidifier died and things get moldy pretty fast. I am not cut out for heat ... but if I suck it up and endure, I'm not too functional for a couple of days (but I have to shower before bed so I can fall asleep before I finish evaporating) and things get better.
Alas, work is very AC... so I'm not sure how well I'll do this summer. MOstly... I avoid the heat of the day and slow down.

[kfergos]

Try being up here in MA, where we had a few days of 60-70 degree weather and then got hit with mid-90s and humid!!!

Too true! Going from long pants and sleeves to as little clothing as possible is crazy -- I can't get over the amount of SWEATING that goes on in 95-degree humid weather. Does everybody else get caked with grit, dirt, bugs, pollen, etc. on arms & legs in the really hot sweaty, sunblock-y weather?

And some people like riding in the heat!

[Aggie_Ama]

Here's a few things I find helpful to survive summer riding:

• water over your head
• ice in the sports bra
• electrolytes
• being just a little crazy.

[GLC1968]

Here's a few things I find helpful to survive summer riding:

• water over your head
• ice in the sports bra
• electrolytes
• being just a little crazy.

Ditto this!

Add:

• having these temps 24/7 - so there is no choice. I found I had to adapt, or just not ride (which was not an option).
• drenching a buff with water and wearing that on your head under your helmet keeps you cooler longer than just wet hair.

[sundial]

I went out on a 22 mile (very hilly) ride yesterday around 10am. Damn it was hot. Mid 90s in Atlanta. I went through about 4 water bottles (stole 2 from my husband). I can only carry 2 unless I stick one in my jersey. Is this just me needing to acclimate? I tried drinking beforehand as I have a tendency to dehydrate. Yikes!

Don't ya just love humidity? It will zap all your energy and make you curse Mother Nature.

I ride with a Camelbak (with Elite added to my water) when the temps start rising. I also carry 2 "shower bottles" in my cages so I can douse my jersey when I need to cool off a little. We ride in open areas with no trees for shade and we are pretty cautious about staying hydrated. Is there a chance you can set your clock to be out by 5:30 a.m. to ride? There's enough light by then and little traffic. You also wont encounter the heat coming up from the asphalt that adds to your misery.

[Tuckervill]

All this talk about acclimating....I'm curious about what biological process or factors we might be talking about here?

Maybe it's just a matter of changing our minds?

I abhor humidity, but I don't mind riding my bike in it, because there's always a breeze on my face when I ride. Running, walking, on the other hand--not enough breeze to get any evaporation. In the car in the summer time I have to have the AC vents pointed right on my face or I wilt (until the car cools off--and not so bad now that I don't wear make-up--but if "I got my hair did" it better be COLD in the car before I get in).

With AC in the house only on my bottom floor, I've learned to sleep in a almost hot room. So if it's mind over matter, and I'm wondering what we're talking about when we wonder about acclimating?

Karen

[sundial]

With AC in the house only on my bottom floor, I've learned to sleep in a almost hot room.

Oh my, I would melt!

[Jolt]

Ugh...riding to the Y this afternoon (I was filling in as a lifeguard) was *#@!# miserable!!! It was about 95 degrees and humid--yuck! Biking is definitely better than running in this heat, but still pretty rough. About the only thing that seems to help is to get totally soaking wet before getting on the bike.

[mimitabby]

All this talk about acclimating....I'm curious about what biological process or factors we might be talking about here?


Karen

no, i think it's real. Raleighdon did a bunch of travelling a few years ago, from here (cool Seattle) to both New Orleans and Florida.
He went on some gungho rides on both ends and had trouble. Your blood "thins" apparently in hot weather. it takes a couple weeks to get used to the opposite extreme. At least in his case.

[OakLeaf]

All this talk about acclimating....I'm curious about what biological process or factors we might be talking about here?

I can't be more specific, but what we learned in aerobics instructor training is that your body learns to sweat more profusely while conserving electrolytes. When heat stroke isn't threatening, the biological priority is to conserve water, so you sweat less, and when a body isn't adapted to the heat, you're not sweating enough to cool you adequately. Next, you start sweating more but also sweating out a lot of electrolytes. When you're fully adapted, you're sweating a higher proportion of water.

[salsabike]

Not everyone adapts equally well. My sister has always done well in humid heat. I grew up in the same humid heat and never could function well in it. There are some individual, physiological tolerance ranges--we're not all built exactly the same.

[crazybikinchic]

the cycling coach that I train with in the winter and for the HHH sets the air at 80 degrees year round. He does this so that we are acclimated to the warmer weather in the spring and for the 100 degree weather for the HHH.

[Blueberry]

I'm not acclimating this year - at least not well. It's still 100+ degrees for the heat index (and in the 90's actual temperature) and it's after 8:30.

CA

[littlegrasshopp]

CA in NC, I'm right here with you. We just got our upstairs A/C fixed. It was over 100 IN OUR HOUSE yesterday. I couldn't get my hair to dry! They say it will rain and bring up to the low 90's by wednesday. Who knew we'd be excited about low 90's!

[Blueberry]

Ouch! I can't even imagine being without AC in this. UGH! Ours went out last July and was about 3 days getting a new unit installed. And our house is really old, and most of the windows don't work. Sending cool thoughts
CA