Most people in my neck of the woods do all they can to avoid the heat of summer. Unless it’s today, of course (enjoy the hot dogs and burgers, folks). Air conditioning rules the home and those without it endlessly complain about not having it.

You get the idea.

So, the idea of subjecting your own body to discomfort due to the heat of the day and running several miles in that state when you have other options is nothing short of “WTF?” to a lot of people. But plenty of people over the past few years, including a few of my fave running YouTubers, have learned about “heat training” as a way to make sure the body can tolerate heat conditions.

However, it’s not simply about ensuring someone can run a long distance on a hot day and not pass out. It’s more about training your body to not overheat for long in the first place, no matter the temperature outside.

From what I understand, it is the first minutes of a long run where the worst of the effects of the heat will be felt. The purpose of heat training is to eventually get to the point where as you run, you will run with a lower core temperature. Sweat is the body’s air conditioning system; you are essentially a moving “swamp cooler.” Heat training conditions your body to begin lowering it’s core temperature sooner and regulating itself. Sweat will occur early on, of course, but the sweating will be more efficient and as long as you hydrate, your body will not be cooking so hard on the inside.

Much of our body’s cardiovascular system is about transporting oxygen AND regulating our body’s temperature. I’ve noticed by sheer accident a couple of weeks ago when I was doing make-up afternoon runs that once I got in the zone of running, it wasn’t the sweating and the heat that were getting to me, just my own lack of endurance in my legs.

I wasn’t trying to go full out (they recommend you avoid that because then you WILL exhaust yourself too fast… so watch that heart rate), but just get some runs done even if they were going to be the slower than recommended pace. I could almost feel my body cool itself somewhat when all I had was a fan across the room, a small fan on my elliptical machine pointed at my face, and windows open to let the barely-there breeze inside. It was easily over 100 degrees F in that little building the last time I worked out, but I wasn’t dizzy or hurting or anything like that.

In some ways, my daily life would make this work for me better than I imagined. My car’s air conditioning system quit working a couple months ago and I habitually roll down the windows to get some circulation when I have to drive. I also wear looser clothing so that I’m not a bag of sweat when I go to work. I mainly keep the a/c in my house set high so that it saves money and just knocks the humidity out. As long as I have fans or some sort of air circulation, I’m generally okay.

Without meaning it, I’ve done some minor “heat training” on myself already. Perhaps that’s why I’ve started to feel as if I may not be in danger of tiring out like I used to in previous years… and not just because I lost a bit of weight.

I DO have to improve my hydration, though, and I made a start when I went online and got a hydration backpack. I’m going to start wearing it over the next few months to get used to the weight on my back, figure out how much I’ll end up drinking during a run and save the data, etc. And when I incorporate road runs into my routine (once I find some safer spots for it), I won’t want to carry a bunch of bottles around in my hands while I’m trying to focus and keep the mojo going.

Though my marathon run is in January (so the heat isn’t gonna be a crazy big factor, unless it’s an unusually warm morning for winter–always possible–and I’ve overdressed), the heat training will help either way. I need to build stamina in my heart, my lungs, AND my legs. There’s not quite enough info yet as to how much heat training can help for cold temperature runs (at least this article suggests as much), but as I have to do most of my beginner-marathon training IN the hot months, I have to build up either way.

I am just glad I have another tool in my toolbox to improve my health (as long as I approach it safely) and it’s a good excuse-breaker at the same time! “Too hot to work out though…nope. Heat training today, just pick an easier run from the list and put on that sunscreen!”