The hottest easy run of the project took place at 33°C. The instruction was simple: forget pace and remain in the aerobic range.
That sounds obvious, but hot weather makes easy runs vulnerable to two bad decisions. I could try to preserve a normal pace and let the effort climb, or slow down and mistake the slower number for lost fitness.
This time I chose the second pace and the correct effort.
The data
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Distance | Approximately 8.0 km |
| Time | 55:22 |
| Average pace | 6:54/km |
| Average heart rate | 130 bpm |
| Maximum heart rate | 149 bpm |
| Average power | 226 W |
| Elevation gain | 88 m |
| Temperature | 33°C |
| Perceived effort | 2 to 3/10 |
| Route | Mostly or partly shaded |
The pace was the slowest of the recent easy runs, but the route included 88 metres of elevation and the temperature was extreme. Average heart rate remained within the intended range.
What the coach saw
ChatGPT considered the session exactly what an easy run should be. The low average power, controlled heart rate and low perceived effort all pointed in the same direction.
The maximum heart rate of 149 bpm did not change that assessment. Short hills and hotter exposed sections can produce brief rises without turning the entire run into a moderate workout.
Most importantly, I did not use the pace display to negotiate against the purpose of the day. Running at 6:54/km in these conditions was not a regression. It was the pace required to keep the effort easy.
Why this mattered for the weekend
Saturday included a sustained tempo block. Preserving energy on Thursday meant that the quality session could be judged on its own rather than on fatigue created by an unnecessarily quick recovery run.
The experiment was beginning to produce a simple hierarchy. On interval and tempo days, pace can help define the work. On easy days, heart rate and perceived effort have priority. In extreme heat, that distinction matters even more.
Leave a Reply