Your Competitors Are Suffering in the Heat—You Won’t Be
Heat is one of the most underestimated forces in endurance racing. But it’s not just a challenge—it’s a performance opportunity. The difference? Whether or not you trained for it.
At Mach1 Performance, we help athletes turn heat into an edge. Here’s how.
☀️ Why Heat Wrecks Performance (Unless You’re Ready)
Heat tolerance is not about mental toughness—it’s physiological. If you’re not heat-acclimated, your body must work harder to stay cool:
Heart rate spikes
Perceived exertion skyrockets
Power output plummets
Add sweat loss and poor cooling strategy, and it’s game over before the finish line.
But with targeted heat training, you can:
Reduce heart rate drift
Improve sweat response
Increase plasma volume
Perform stronger in high temps
“Athletes vary widely in sweat rate, sodium loss, and thermoregulation—one-size-fits-all advice doesn’t work.”
🔥 What Heat Training Actually Does for You
✅ Expands Plasma Volume
✅ Lowers Core Temp Threshold for Sweating
Earlier sweating = more efficient cooling and performance stability.
✅ Improves Thermal Comfort
Less mental strain in the heat = better pacing and resilience.
✅ Preserves Power Output
How to Heat Train Without a Sauna
1. Indoor trainer with minimal airflow
Crank the intensity—keep the airflow low for max adaptation.
2. Overdress on Zone 2 rides
Long sleeves on mild days = passive heat stimulus.
3. Hot baths post-ride
30 minutes in a hot bath within 30 minutes of finishing your ride.
4. Stack back-to-back hot rides
The stress accumulates for bigger gains.
🧊 Race Day Cooling Tips from the Pros
Pre-Cool: Ice vests, cold drinks, and shade before the start
Hydrate Smart: Combine sodium loading with cold, carb-rich fluids
On-Course Cooling: Ice socks, cold water dousing, insulated bottles
Kit Matters: Light-colored, breathable fabrics (👋 Giordana FR-C Pro)
Pace Early: Heat hits harder later—don’t surge too soon
🚨 Know the Warning Signs: Heat Exhaustion vs. Heat Stroke
⚠️ Heat Exhaustion
Dizziness, cramps, nausea
Fatigue with heavy sweating
Cool, clammy skin
What to do:
Stop. Shade. Hydrate with sodium. Cool key areas (neck, armpits, groin).
🚨 Heat Stroke (Medical Emergency)
Confusion, dry skin, seizures
No longer sweating
Core temp > 104°F
What to do:
Call EMS. Aggressive cooling ASAP. Do not give fluids if unconscious.
How the Pros Do It
Even athletes like Remco Evenepoel use heat training—even when racing in cooler temps—because the cardiovascular and thermal benefits extend beyond hot conditions.
Check out GCN’s breakdown of Remco’s protocol and how you can use the same principles.
🎥 Watch it here
The Takeaway: Train for the Heat—Dominate the Field
Most riders will survive a hot race. But you? You’ll thrive.
With smart acclimation, strategic hydration, and race-day cooling tools, you’ll ride stronger, suffer less, and outlast the competition—no matter how high the mercury climbs.
At Mach1 Performance, we personalize every aspect of your prep—from heat training to hydration strategies. If you’ve got a hot event on the horizon, let’s dial it in together.
👉 Book a strategy session or sign up for heat-specific performance coaching now.