Why I won't be running far, or fast, in the summer heat

When each and every mile takes a minute longer than usual on a training run, that's a sure sign something is very much amiss. But not seeing such a dramatic freefall in performance at this time of year would actually be more concerning. Now that may appear like backwards logic, but stay with me.

Running becomes next to impossible in Bermuda during the height of summer. It is little wonder all competitive racing stops in July and August, and there is a considerable tapering of events in the months either side of the mid-summer hiatus.

With July temperatures hovering around the 29C to 30C range (around 87F) daily, and humidity upwards of 70 percent most days, simply staying hydrated can be a challenge without throwing outdoor exercise, particularly running, into the equation.

No racing is one thing, but that leaves the problem of how to maintain fitness and 'tick over' in the oppressive conditions until the cooler months return.

The key indicator each day, over and above the temperature and humidity, is the 'real feel'. This is what the outdoor conditions actually feel like when the air temperature, humidity, sunshine and breeze are all taken into consideration. So far this month that telltale indicator has landed daily round the 34C mark - and that is cause for caution and commonsense.

As the summer heat arrived I had happily trained without paying much notice of the 'real feel' figure creeping up. Then, in the final days of last month, it hit me. I'd already scaled back long runs to a more manageable 10 miles, given the rising heat. But even that proved to be a goal too far, as I discovered halfway into one Sunday long run. All seemed fine until I began slowing noticeably having run only five-and-a-half miles. That shouldn't have been happening. But I recognised the warning signs and quickly figured out the most direct, least hilly, route back home. Even so, it was a case of alternate running and walking on those few miles of retreat.

When the same thing happened four days later I knew it was time to limit all long run expeditions to no more than an hour, or thereabouts. My other sessions were limited to 45 minutes or less, and even these workouts up and down the dusty trailway, overlooking the tranquil waters of the north shore, became a battle of mind over matter simply to keep going at a pace that was a minute-a-mile slower than seven or eight weeks previously.

Mind over matter only goes so far. The body has built-in failsafes aimed at ensuring it doesn't overheat. When the 'real feel' conditions are 34C or 35C there is barely wriggle room for any exercise before the body's core temperature of 37C is placed in jeopardy. Raising the core temperature above its normal range by more than a few degrees for any extended period can lead to the body literally getting cooked from the inside out. Hence the body's natural reaction to cause you to slow your pace to a level where the transfer of heat, through blood being pumped to the skin's sweat glands - allowing heat to be dissipated through sweat, is kept at a manageable equilibrium. However, this cooling process is not nearly so effective when high humidity prevents sweat from evaporating.

Which brings me back to the days of 70 percent plus humidity and 'real feel' figures of 34C (and above on some days) that are the norm for the summer.

It may not appear rewarding writing down paltry mileage and somewhat laughable times in the training diary, but the steamroller heat of summer demands no heroics, just commonsense.

However, there are rewards, and none more delicious than an ice cold drink from the refrigerator at the end of run.