I am looking for info about how I can rapidly aclimatise myself for long duration running in cold weather after training in a hot climate. I will be training locally in temperatures around the high 20's and into the 30's centigrade this summer, but am required to travel overseas where it will be winter in order to train, but the drop in temperature always leaves me desperately short of breath.
Is there a way to aclimatise for the cold faster, or is it just a case of getting over there and putting up with it?
Thanks.
Mr. Black, you're in Melbourne? Being your first post here, drop me an email at sonnon@RMAX.tv.
MrBlackisback,
The level of Tempering you suggest requires a significant amount of training dedication. That degree of adaptation demands a specifically imposed demand (SAID Principle - Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands).
In general, think of Incremental Progress. It will be challenging to impose low temp demands in a hot, arid environment.
You could begin by cold water dousing. I would suggest this early in the morning, before dawn.
I'd need to know more about your training, travel, and background to be more specific.
Fraternal,
Scott Sonnon
Just to add more details to fill in the blanks, I am traveling from Sydney to the UK this January, meaning I'm going from a Sydney summer to a British winter, which is usually a temperature difference of about 20-25 degrees.
I have done this before when training, and felt as though I was about to die! The only description I could provide is it was as if I was breathing, but no onygen was getting in. My stamina was sapped completely.
The training I have been doing has been MMA 6-8x a week, as well as weights training (PTP), running and pack work. I usually run 3x a week for about 10km over a combination of flats and some steep hills, which I can cover in about 35 minutes. I also cart around a 45kg pack over 12-13 km which I can cover in about 2h35min.
All in all, I'm happy with my endurance and long range work, but have experienced a slight anomaly when training. My short distance running leaves a bit to be desired. I always feel very short of breath for the first 15-20 minutes. Over the course of a 16km run, I usually experience that the last 4km is usually about 20% faster than the first four. Another problem I have come across is short duration high intensity aerobic training, anything that comes close to anaerobic training. Once I have been training for a while it is not much of a problem, but I always seem to take a disproportionately long time to warm up.
I was thinking of adding interval training to the list to see if this helps, but I still have drawn a blank about how to manage the drop in temperature and its impact.
Any help would be greatly appreciated, as I have been drawing a blank over how to overcome the aclimatisation problem.
Thanks!
MBB,
Ice water dousing every early morning - bare-skin, outside, a large bucket full of iced water over your head.
"All in all, I'm happy with my endurance and long range work, but have experienced a slight anomaly when training. My short distance running leaves a bit to be desired. I always feel very short of breath for the first 15-20 minutes."
Not unusually. Preliminary aerobic debt. Happens often. It would be best for you to cut your runs for a period of 2 - 3 months to 10 sets of 15 - 20 minute supramaximal "sprints." Follow a Fartlek or Tabata protocol to ensure FULL speed.
"Over the course of a 16km run, I usually experience that the last 4km is usually about 20% faster than the first four."
Typical. It's purely mental - knowing it's the final 4. Happens to everyone.
"Another problem I have come across is short duration high intensity aerobic training, anything that comes close to anaerobic training. Once I have been training for a while it is not much of a problem, but I always seem to take a disproportionately long time to warm up."
Follow the above sprint protocol.
"I was thinking of adding interval training to the list to see if this helps, but I still have drawn a blank about how to manage the drop in temperature and its impact."
The HIIT protocol will help plus the iced water dousing daily. Read the following article from the Journal of Applied Physiology:
http://jap.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/87/2/699
Fraternal,
Scott
Much thanks!
A side benefit to cold water dousing is stress management and resistance to disease! I've been doing it for about 6 months now. In that time, I HAVE NOT been sick! I am not simply stating absence of disease. I breath better, feel better, more alive and awake. I am a uni. student, and like all face exams. During exams, most people develop flu-like symptoms (stress, sleep deprivation and coffe have bad effects on the human organism over long periods of time). At the same time as exams this year, my family was moving (try to study while everyone is packing) and my grandmother was hospitalized (total of a 4 week period in which all these events were going on- little sleep, lots of coffee/cola and strees coming out of every corner of my life). I experienced NO physical problems during this time and everyone else I had close contact with did (flu like symptoms among fellow students and family members due to stress/sleep deprivation) and I believe it is mainly due to cold water conditioning and how it trained my body to remain calm under stressful conditions. This is the long term benefit! You become resistant to the physical signs of disease and stress. Note, I said resistant, not immune- I will get sick sooner or later- but it will be shorter and fewer symptoms. I began by simply lowering the temp. in the shower. I can now shower fully on the coldest setting and find it more comfotable than warm showers! Good luck!
MS