This episode came out of a question I kept seeing in the community: "I am going to Mallorca in six weeks and it is going to be 35 degrees — how do I prepare?" The reality is that most of us do nothing and then wonder why our legs feel like concrete by the second climb. Heat is the silent power thief.
What happens physiologically is pretty clear. When your core temperature rises, your body diverts blood away from working muscles and towards the skin for cooling. Your heart rate climbs to compensate, your perceived effort goes through the roof, and your power drops. In serious heat you can lose 5-8% of your FTP — that is 15-25 watts for most of us — which is enough to turn a comfortable group ride into survival mode.
The good news is that your body adapts to heat faster than it adapts to almost anything else in training. A 10-14 day acclimatisation block — nothing extreme, just 60-90 minutes of moderate riding in warm conditions each day — triggers a cascade of changes. Your plasma volume expands, you start sweating earlier and more efficiently, and your resting core temperature drops. The result is that the same effort in the heat costs you far less.
I walk through the practical options: training outdoors in warm kit, using the indoor trainer with limited cooling, or the post-ride hot bath protocol that several studies have validated. I also cover the hydration side, because drinking plain water without adequate sodium is one of the most common mistakes riders make in hot conditions.
If you are heading somewhere warm this year and want to arrive ready rather than cooked, have a listen and then bring your questions to the community.
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