The rise of heat training for marathons: Can hot baths help you at London?

The marathon can often feel like a never-ending puzzle with amateur runners experimenting throughout their lives in the hope of discovering the perfect formula to combat 26. 2 miles. The shoes matter, of course, but we are deep into the super-shoe era, meaning most runners have adequate technology to combat the gruelling distance.

Moreover, fuelling has come a long way, too, with runners able to consume greater quantities of carbohydrates in the form of gels and drinks, while Precision Fuel and Hydration even offer amateurs a chance at a sweat test to further dial in the science to race day performance. The next trend in recent months has been heat training, and while you can find the elite runners in training camps in Iten, Kenya, or Flagstaff, Arizona, which famously offer the benefits of altitude, too, most runners can’t afford such trips in terms of time or money, leading to a much more convenient method. Dr.

Lindsey Hunt, the Senior Sports Scientist at leading sports nutrition company Precision Fuel & Hydration, advocates the use of heat training, ideally inside a heat chamber, which this runner experienced at its Dorset HQ. But the benefits can be gained without a world-class facility, too, both in the shape of multiple layers during training, or even a hot bath in the comfort of your own home. “Most people forget, marathons at 20c or 18c, it might not feel that warm, but if you’re racing as hard as you can, your body temperature is getting hot, so if you do some heat training, you’ll feel better at racing at 39.

5c, that particular body temperature that you sit at during the race,” explains Dr. Hunt, having spent eight years researching thermal physiology at the University of Sydney, where he completed his MSc and PhD in Environmental Physiologytells. Duhaeng Lee of Korea pours water over his head the London 2012 Olympic Games (Getty Images) “Even if the environment isn’t that hot, you, yourself, get hot during the race, that’s where the benefits sit for the general runner.