In warm weather, especially when it’s combined with high humidity (like we have regularly here in Gainesville), your body does two things that lead to problems:

1. Your core temperature goes up, because your body can’t remove heat as efficiently,
2. You sweat more, especially when it’s humid.

Therefore, the two most obvious things you can do when going for a ride in hot weather would be (1) to wear clothes that don’t hold in the heat, and (2) drink more.  Other than that, you should also:

1. Supplement your nutrition with more salt.  You need to replace the salt lost through your sweat in order to perform optimally.  If you only drink water on long rides, you may end up cramping due to a lack of salt.
2. Consider wearing clothes specifically designed for super-heat conditions.  Some athletes find that LONG-sleeved jerseys, designed specifically to wick sweat and shield your skin from the sun, are cooler and more comfortable than light summer short-sleeved jerseys.  Try it for yourself, though.
3. Put on plenty of sunscreen.  The sun is very strong here in Gainesville at this time of year.  It’s easy to get burned and ruin your week.
4. Stop more frequently, to allow your body’s core temperature to have a chance to drop for a few minutes.  On group rides where you can’t always stop when you want to, use your time at the back of the bunch to soft-pedal and reduce your temperature, if possible.
5. Be careful about the nutrition you intake.  Sometimes, food that works in cooler weather gives you an upset stomach in warmer weather.  Do some experimentation to figure this one out.

Stay cool!

Here in Gainesville, we usually don’t have to think too much about what we’re going to wear on our workouts–9 months out of the year it’s room temperature or higher for the vast majority of our workouts–but we don’t always race and train in the warm climate of Central Florida.  So, it’s important to have a list of what clothes are comfortable in what temperatures, for both cycling and running.

Here’s my cycling list.  If the temperature (in degrees Farenheit) at the start of the ride is:

• 95 or higher: cool-max l/s white jersey, wicking baselayer, bibs or tri shorts, half-finger gloves, thin socks
• 65-95: s/s jersey, bibs or tri shorts, half-finger gloves, thin socks
• 60-65: arm-warmers, s/s jersey, bibs or tri shorts, half-finger gloves, thin socks
• 55-60: arm-warmers, insulating wicking baselayer, s/s jersey, bibs or tri shorts, knee warmers, half-finger gloves, thin socks
• 50-55: arm-warmers, thicker baselayer, s/s jersey, bibs or tri shorts, knee warmers, half-finger gloves, thick socks, toe covers
• 45-50: l/s baselayer, l/s jersey, bibs or tri shorts, knee warmers, half-finger gloves with liner, thick socks, insulating shoe covers
• 40-45: ear covers, thermal l/s baselayer, l/s jersey, bibs or tri shorts, leg warmers, full-finger gloves, thick socks, insulating shoe covers
• 35-40: balaclava, thermal l/s baselayer, thermal l/s jersey, bibs or tri shorts, thermal tights, full-finger gloves, thick socks, insulating shoe covers
• 30-35: balaclava, two thermal l/s baselayers, thermal l/s jersey, bibs or tri shorts, leg warmers + thermal tights, full-finger gloves, thick socks, insulating shoe covers
• 30 or lower: Too cold for training rides (for me).  If I had to, I’d wear all of the above, plus an additional core layer and leg layer.

Additionally, most rides where the starting temperature is 60 or lower, I start with a thin “racing cape” (aka wind/rain jacket) which I peel off once I get warmed up on my ride.  The jacket also comes in handy during extended stops when my core temperature plummets.

Here’s my running list.  If the temperature (in degrees Farenheit) at the start of the run is:

• 90 or higher: cool-max l/s white cycling jersey, hat, shorts, socks
• 60-90: no top, visor, shorts, socks (aka “look at my pecs” outfit)
• 50-60: thin, wicking s/s shirt, visor,shorts, socks
• 40-50: l/s thin baselayer, visor,shorts, socks
• 32-40: l/s baselayer,  earmuffs, thin gloves, hat, shorts, socks
• 25-32: l/s baselayer, light jacket, warm hat, earmuffs, thin gloves, tights, socks
• 15-25: l/s baselayer, heavy jacket, warm hat, earmuffs, thicker gloves, tights, thicker socks
• 15 or lower: Depends.  I’ll usually add a balaclava, another base layer, perhaps another layer of tights and maybe even ski goggles.  I don’t recall the last time I ran in temperatures below 0 Farenheit.