Heat Acclimatisation

Physical fitness and heat acclimatisation are the two key strategies to maximise performance in very warm/hot conditions. By now you’ve taken care of most of the fitness training, so let’s focus on heat acclimatisation. Put simply, heat acclimatisation is the process of physiological and perceptual adaptation that improves tolerance and performance in the heat. With ~4 weeks until the race, now is a perfect time to tailor some of your training to dealing with the warm/hot conditions expected during the tour.

 

Chronic endurance training produces adaptations that mimic those of heat acclimatisation. So the fitter you are, the less specific heat acclimatisation you require. But please note – all riders will benefit from some sessions that elevate core temperature and induce high sweat rates. Also note that these recommendations are not altered by your age or gender as heat acclimatisation is equally as effective for men and women of any age.

 

How to become heat acclimatised

The key is to elevate your core temperature and to sweat profusely during these sessions. This is easily achieved if training in tropical regions, simply training hard will achieve this. For those living in colder climates, heat acclimatisation requires training in the warmest parts of the day and/or wearing additional layers of clothing to limit heat loss.

 

A minimum of 6 sessions that result in you feeling very warm/hot and produce in high sweat rates over the next 4 weeks will improve your performance in the heat. Take extra fluids on these rides and remember that there’s no need to overdo it, cooking yourself will not help.

 

Hydration

Minimising dehydration to less than 2% of your body mass will limit any impact dehydration has on your performance and health. So for a 80kg rider, weight loss during each stage should be less than ~1.6kg or ~1.6 litres of sweat. This is generally achieved by drinking enough to prevent the sensation of thirst. It seems straight forward, but riders consistently forget to drink during competitive racing. Don’t ignore thirst!

 

Start practising now – weigh yourself nude before and after training sessions to get an understanding of what your individual fluid requirements are. Your primary options for fluid consumption are bidons/bottles and hydration reservoirs (Camelbaks etc). Whatever you choose, practice with them during your training sessions. The same can be said for your food requirements. Whatever you choose to eat during the stages should be well rehearsed in the home environment.

 

Pre-stage hydration can be assisted by ingesting a large bolus with breakfast. It’s likely that you’ll be dehydrated from the previous days racing and lack of fluid consumption while sleeping. Drinking a bolus of 8-10mls of fluid per kg of body mass can assist to correct this deficit. 80kg rider = 640-800mls of fluid.

Pacing

Stage 1 of the tour has something for everyone. Starting in the warmth of Dili, the first 50km of the course is relatively flat and fast, followed by the climb to Laculbar where milder conditions are expected. It’s important to pace your effort based upon your training history, how you are feeling on the day and your heat acclimatisation status.

 

Those inexperienced in multiday stage racing in warm/hot conditions should race accordingly as overestimating your ability on the first stage could see you being picked up by the dreaded sag wagon, or worse, requiring treatment in the medical tent.