Acclimatization training: Are there any environmental chambers in Ireland?

FatFastard

I'm training for the Jungle Marathon being held in Oct 10 and I was wondering if anyone has come across any environmental chambers in Ireland that have a treadmill?

I'm hoping to find one in which I can implement a structured acclimatization strategy and improve my heat tolerance and hopefully mitigate the probable heat illness due to the humidity.

Alternatively has anyone else used other acclimatization programmes to prepare for multi day races to help cope with heat/humdity?

Thanks

James

TFBubendorfer

I have no idea about those chambers, but have a look at this article. It describes William Sichel's acclimatisation training for the Badwater Ultra in Death Valley a few years ago. Maybe it contains a few bits of useful information,

FatFastard

Thanks for the article. I'll be using the sauna in my gym which will hopefully provide some prep like this guy but ideally I want to be running on a treadmill.

I typically struggle badly in mid day heat in previous multi-day desert races and this time I suspect the humidity could be a show stopper without some prep.

meathcountysec

Not sure where you're based. Have you thought of trying to get access to the tropical glasshouses at the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin. They always felt very hot and humid any time I visited them.

shels4ever

+!
Remember watching Yvonne Murry training for some CC back in the 90's . Running in a green house with full gear on, Cant remember if it was for worlds or Olympics but think she got spanked in the end.

Enduro

FatFastard wrote: »

I'm training for the Jungle Marathon being held in Oct 10 and I was wondering if anyone has come across any environmental chambers in Ireland that have a treadmill?

I'm hoping to find one in which I can implement a structured acclimatization strategy and improve my heat tolerance and hopefully mitigate the probable heat illness due to the humidity.

Alternatively has anyone else used other acclimatization programmes to prepare for multi day races to help cope with heat/humdity?

Thanks

James

Hi James,

I've done 4 big multiday multisport races in desert environments. All the research that I did for it indicated that the best thing to do is to try to acclimatise to the heat by simply being in a heated environment, like a sauna, for as long as possible. Trying to exercise in this environment is actually counterproductive, as it reduces the amount of time you can spend there (which is the important part of the acclimitisation process), so I think you're on the wrong track at the moment.

So what I did was to simply sit in a sauna, with plenty of water to drink, for as long as I possibly could. Sounds easy, but its hard to do. Another trick is to close all the doors and windows in your car and turn the heating up to full blast all the time when your driving around. I can remember 4 of us stinking out Bazman's car after one of those episodes.... it's surprisingly effective.

The other thing I did was to wear more layers than normal on my normal training runs. Rainjacket type shells are particularly effective since they tend to trap moisture a bit more, which gives you your own micro humid environment to run in!

I tend to deal with extreme heat very well (better than a lot of people who live in similar environments). I don't know if those ideas contributed to that or not, but the theory suggests they did.

FatFastard

Enduro

Thanks for the tips. I thought I used to deal well running in the heat until I experienced 45 deg heat and then I went to [EMAIL="cr@p"]cr@p[/EMAIL] and all the Oz lads legged it by me. On the other hand always amused when they had chattering teeth at night time when it was a freezing 18 degs... :rolleyes:

I guess the sauna in my local gym is the best place to start sweating and also the idea of running in terrible non-goretex waterproofs is a great idea (not looking forward to it though...)