Christopher Kalev on summer training - this time in Minneapolis
Hi everyone, I’m Christopher Kalev, a fresh member of Team Birkie. I’m originally from Tallinn, Estonia, and I skied for University of Alaska Fairbanks for last five seasons, so this is my first summer in the Midwest. As we’re nearing August and the temperatures seem to be yet again rising, I thought I’d share my thoughts and tips of how to best handle the heat in training without constantly feeling like a wrung sponge.
Growing up in the northeastern Europe, where winters used to be rather cold and summers were more often rainy than hot, spending countless weeks chasing snow even farther north in Finland, and finally moving to Fairbanks, Alaska, to enjoy 7 months of winter a year, probably indicates that I’m not exactly accustomed to heat too well. I’ve often struggled competing in places where the temperatures rise over 5° C (41° F) during the race. On some days, even easy workouts can feel unbearable, leaving me drained and unable to complete my sessions. The heat just takes a lot out of me, and I’m sure I’m not the only one.
Over the past few summers, I’ve experimented with different strategies to cope with the heat while maintaining my training volume. One approach has been to schedule longer single workouts in the cooler morning hours before noon. Another has been to split workouts into two sessions: an early morning session around 5 am, and an evening session around 8 pm to avoid the peak heat (honestly feels quite nice to have 12 hours between the sessions). While this method can be effective, it’s tricky on intensity days, especially when you’re up and ready to go at 5 am and realize that it’s already 84° out and you still got to warm-up first…
This summer, I’ve found a game-changer: Performance Running Gym (PRG) in St. Louis Park, just a short 13-minute bike ride or 27-minute jog from my housing. PRG offers a climate-controlled environment with extra fans to keep airflow optimal during treadmill workouts. It’s open nearly all the time and has plenty of treadmills and stationary bikes, plus strength training and recovery options. This setup allows me to have quality intensity sessions in a controlled environment, not sweat abnormal amounts that I can never replenish, and I can run uphill!! Of course, I still have to pre-hydrate and drink another 2 – 3 liters of electrolyte boosted water during and post session, but I can go out again in the afternoon and feel like I’m still alive.
My key tips for handling training in the heat are:
Pre-hydrate: I start drinking water as I wake up and like to add GU Energy strawberry hibiscus flavored hydration drink tabs to my water to also get some electrolytes and caffeine . Staying ahead of your hydration can make a big difference.
Seek Cool Environments: Utilize facilities like PRG that offer air conditioning and controlled conditions. My go to interval session on treadmill is 5 by 10 minutes with 2-minute break at 10% incline and 7 mph pace.
Listen to Your Body: If you’re feeling overly drained, it’s okay to adjust your training plan. There are plenty of sunny days left to work on your tan without risking heat exhaustion.
Thanks for reading and see you on the trails (or treadmills)!
Interval session at PRG to escape the heat.
Indoor training in Fairbanks, AK.. this time to escape the cold.
