Marathons are an even bigger challenge. 3 or 4 miles goes by pretty quickly and then there's the remaining 22 plus miles. The basic rules for running in hot weather are much like the rules for finishing marathons.
- Start out slow - a minute or two under target pace. When weather is hot, stay slow. It's better to finish strong then not finish.
- Drink water often - drink at each water stop. Boston has water stops every two miles. Drinking too much is risky too - sip if not thirsty.
- Eat something early and often - fuel is important even when it's hot. Your digestion will shut-down mid way through the race so snack early and often.
- Walk if you feel hot - overheating is difficult to distinguish from fatigue, when in doubt - walk.
Bottom line for running in hot weather, heat kills. If you know your target pace, add a minute or two for each 10 degrees over 65F. If you don't know your target pace and the temperature will be 20 degrees greater than your recent training runs, you may want to sit this race out.
