Guest_andrea_*
Apr 5 2006, 02:34 PM
Hi,
I am a newbie to Portland fit but trained for a half marathon a year ago. My problem is overheating - my body (especially my face!) gets so hot while I am running that it is usually the reason I have to stop or slow down...not muscle soreness or lungs, etc! No matter how slow I pace myself I find overheating a problem. Any suggestions?
JR-Yellow coach
Apr 5 2006, 04:54 PM
I Will be interested in reading the reponse that some of the Dr's might give on your question. Sounds as if you have tried to vary intensity, which is a big factor (if not one of the biggest factors) in heat build up during exercise.
Other area's to consider:
1. Individuals dissapate heat differently. Look at the sweating response of your fellow runners/walkers.
Some peple hardly blush, while other people look as though they have run through a shower.
2. The size of a person has alot to do with how much they sweat, and how effectively they carry heat
heat generated by their muscles, to the skin, for evaporation. The larger the person, and the more
fat they carry, the more difficult it is for the body to dissapate heat from the interior.
3. The hotter the (external) temperature, the greater the fluid loss, and greater the core temperature
will rise with high intensity of effort.
4. The longer the (duration) of the activity is, the higher your temperature can be, and greater fluid loss.
5. Clothing: Clothing traps heat. Dark clothing absorbs heat, whereas, light colored clothing reflects
heat. Remember, in the movies, the good guys wore white hats!
6. Clothing that breathes is really important for long runs,
7. Your age and diet also affects your "thermal regulartory system."
8. Each layer of clothes that you wear is the equivalent of 15 degrees temperature. Multiple layers of
clothing will trap heat, and raise temperature accordingly. (If you watch world class women runners,
they wear the very briefest of running uniforms).
I will be giving the hydration seminar on Saturday a.m., (along with Dr. Jason Barker). We might have
some suggestions that will help as well.
Also remember that continued training improves your thermal regulatory system, helps you acclimatizate
to heat. Be sure and drink while you exercise. It is something you need to practice to do.
JR
Guest_andrea_*
Apr 6 2006, 01:07 PM
Thank you!
QUOTE(JR-Yellow coach @ Apr 5 2006, 03:54 PM)

I Will be interested in reading the reponse that some of the Dr's might give on your question. Sounds as if you have tried to vary intensity, which is a big factor (if not one of the biggest factors) in heat build up during exercise.
Other area's to consider:
1. Individuals dissapate heat differently. Look at the sweating response of your fellow runners/walkers.
Some peple hardly blush, while other people look as though they have run through a shower.
2. The size of a person has alot to do with how much they sweat, and how effectively they carry heat
heat generated by their muscles, to the skin, for evaporation. The larger the person, and the more
fat they carry, the more difficult it is for the body to dissapate heat from the interior.
3. The hotter the (external) temperature, the greater the fluid loss, and greater the core temperature
will rise with high intensity of effort.
4. The longer the (duration) of the activity is, the higher your temperature can be, and greater fluid loss.
5. Clothing: Clothing traps heat. Dark clothing absorbs heat, whereas, light colored clothing reflects
heat. Remember, in the movies, the good guys wore white hats!
6. Clothing that breathes is really important for long runs,
7. Your age and diet also affects your "thermal regulartory system."
8. Each layer of clothes that you wear is the equivalent of 15 degrees temperature. Multiple layers of
clothing will trap heat, and raise temperature accordingly. (If you watch world class women runners,
they wear the very briefest of running uniforms).
I will be giving the hydration seminar on Saturday a.m., (along with Dr. Jason Barker). We might have
some suggestions that will help as well.
Also remember that continued training improves your thermal regulatory system, helps you acclimatizate
to heat. Be sure and drink while you exercise. It is something you need to practice to do.
JR
Dr. Bryan
Apr 6 2006, 05:51 PM
Dear Andrea,
Welcome to Portland Fit 2006! Coach JR brings up all the variables that cross my mind too. So, if you could reply with some more information maybe we can see how to cool you down a bit. Did you have the same reaction doing the half marathon last year? What is your height and weight? What is the pace you are running at and what kind of distance are you going? And lastly when you stop to cool down how long does it take to feel normalized? One more, do you have any problems with blood sugar regulation hyper or hypo-glycemic? I’ll look for your reply and get back to you ASAP.
Cheers,
Dr. Bryan
Guest_andrea_*
Apr 6 2006, 08:00 PM
QUOTE(Dr. Bryan @ Apr 6 2006, 04:51 PM)

Dear Andrea,
Welcome to Portland Fit 2006! Coach JR brings up all the variables that cross my mind too. So, if you could reply with some more information maybe we can see how to cool you down a bit. Did you have the same reaction doing the half marathon last year? What is your height and weight? What is the pace you are running at and what kind of distance are you going? And lastly when you stop to cool down how long does it take to feel normalized? One more, do you have any problems with blood sugar regulation hyper or hypo-glycemic? I’ll look for your reply and get back to you ASAP.
Cheers,
Dr. Bryan
Hi Dr. Bryan,
Let's see - I'm 25 yrs. old, 5'6' and 140 lbs. I run in the red group, about a 10:30-11:00 minute mile. Right now I am on track with the training, but getting up to six miles or so I know from experience will be when the heat issue starts to kick in. As a kid, I would get so red playing numerous competitive sports that the parents would always ask if something was wrong. I also don't sweat a whole lot, although I have been really trying to stay hydrated during the week and during my runs. When I ran the half marathon I struggled with the heat issue - my cardio and muscle strength were fine and I was definitely hydrated. I used a lot of water breaks during the half, but wished I could dive into a pool at the end!

It's my main concern in working up to a longer distance for a marathon.
Lastly, it takes me a long time to cool down, especially my face/head....like, my face is still red three hours after a long run. I'll get chills after a run if I don't keep the rest of my body (not face/head) warm enough. No major blood sugar problems other than I need to eat regularly throughout the day in order to not get headaches. I'll also get headaches later on when my face/head has been too hot for a long time (as in, all my long runs in training for the half.) Thank you!
Andrea
Dr. Bryan
Apr 7 2006, 09:00 AM
Andrea,
Thank you for the additional information, as usual I’d like more! What was the age of onset and has it been consistant over time? Do you have an allergy to asprin or any other drugs? Did you ever have a severe physical injury or drug reaction before this started? And lastly, what is the region/pattern on your body that lacks sweating when you exercise? I’ll look for you reply.
Cheers,
Dr. Bryan
Guest_andrea_*
Apr 7 2006, 08:47 PM
QUOTE(Dr. Bryan @ Apr 7 2006, 08:00 AM)

Andrea,
Thank you for the additional information, as usual I’d like more! What was the age of onset and has it been consistant over time? Do you have an allergy to asprin or any other drugs? Did you ever have a severe physical injury or drug reaction before this started? And lastly, what is the region/pattern on your body that lacks sweating when you exercise? I’ll look for you reply.
Cheers,
Dr. Bryan
Age of onset = as long as I can remember, and yes, consistent. No allergies to drugs, I usually take Ibuprofren to try and get rid of headaches. No physical injury or drug reaction. I don't sweat much on my face/head, and just little all over. I feel like the heat is just all bundled up inside!
Guest_andrea_*
Apr 7 2006, 08:51 PM
QUOTE(Guest_andrea_* @ Apr 7 2006, 07:47 PM)

Age of onset = as long as I can remember, and yes, consistent. No allergies to drugs, I usually take Ibuprofren to try and get rid of headaches. No physical injury or drug reaction. I don't sweat much on my face/head, and just little all over. I feel like the heat is just all bundled up inside! Maybe I'll just get a "trunk monkey" to run along beside me and splash me with cool water!
Dr. Bryan
Apr 10 2006, 12:16 PM
Andrea,
Wait on the trunk monkey, I think it’s already on your back or maybe neck! Two parts; please stop by this Saturday in you are there and I’ll give you a diagram that details the second part of a neurologic explanation. The explanation: the sweat glands that are not excreting much fluid referred to as hypohidrosis or anhidrosis if not at all are controlled by the sympathetic portion of the autonomic nervous system in your upper back. The nerve fibers start in the region of 2nd to 4th thoracic vertebrae, at the top of your shoulder blades and go upward to the neck and face. This and what follows is detailed information but I hope it will be helpful for you to follow up on with a neurologist after doing a little more research on your own.
These preganglionic sympathetic nerve fibers run through 2 ganglions the stellate and superior cervical. The fibers become post ganglionic after the superior cervical ganglion and control fluid glands in the nasal passage, mouth and eyes. After the carotid plexus there is a split of pathway control, the sweat glands in region of neck and head on one path and to the eyes on another path.
If you are still awake this is where it really gets good. There are 3 displays that happen at this point first is anhidrosis or very little sweating in the neck and head. Second, Horner’s syndrome with anhidrosis, this would include constricted pupil and eyelid that droops and sometimes ringing in the same side ear. The third option is Horner’s syndrome without anhidrosis, which is obviously not happening since these individuals sweat normally when they become warm.
If you had the same display over your entire body of over heating it would point more toward a problem with the hypothalamus and systemic heat regulation, I’ll stop there on that tangent, it really gets complicated and I don’t think it is what is happening for you.
I hope you do stop on Saturday for the diagram and I can answer any questions you have or just post more here. In the mean time, try to recall is you had any things happen physically that may have injured the upper back without much lasting effect like jumping out of a swing and crashing, landing upside down on a trampoline or some kind of small fall that hurt for a while and went away. In the absence of any physical injury my guess would the cause as a mild formation alteration in the upper back sympathetic nerve tissue. Your parents noticing you overheat and not sweat as an infant would confirm this.
Have a great week training.
Cheers,
Dr. Bryan
Guest
Apr 10 2006, 05:15 PM
QUOTE(Dr. Bryan @ Apr 10 2006, 11:16 AM)

Andrea,
Wait on the trunk monkey, I think it’s already on your back or maybe neck! Two parts; please stop by this Saturday in you are there and I’ll give you a diagram that details the second part of a neurologic explanation. The explanation: the sweat glands that are not excreting much fluid referred to as hypohidrosis or anhidrosis if not at all are controlled by the sympathetic portion of the autonomic nervous system in your upper back. The nerve fibers start in the region of 2nd to 4th thoracic vertebrae, at the top of your shoulder blades and go upward to the neck and face. This and what follows is detailed information but I hope it will be helpful for you to follow up on with a neurologist after doing a little more research on your own.
These preganglionic sympathetic nerve fibers run through 2 ganglions the stellate and superior cervical. The fibers become post ganglionic after the superior cervical ganglion and control fluid glands in the nasal passage, mouth and eyes. After the carotid plexus there is a split of pathway control, the sweat glands in region of neck and head on one path and to the eyes on another path.
If you are still awake this is where it really gets good. There are 3 displays that happen at this point first is anhidrosis or very little sweating in the neck and head. Second, Horner’s syndrome with anhidrosis, this would include constricted pupil and eyelid that droops and sometimes ringing in the same side ear. The third option is Horner’s syndrome without anhidrosis, which is obviously not happening since these individuals sweat normally when they become warm.
If you had the same display over your entire body of over heating it would point more toward a problem with the hypothalamus and systemic heat regulation, I’ll stop there on that tangent, it really gets complicated and I don’t think it is what is happening for you.
I hope you do stop on Saturday for the diagram and I can answer any questions you have or just post more here. In the mean time, try to recall is you had any things happen physically that may have injured the upper back without much lasting effect like jumping out of a swing and crashing, landing upside down on a trampoline or some kind of small fall that hurt for a while and went away. In the absence of any physical injury my guess would the cause as a mild formation alteration in the upper back sympathetic nerve tissue. Your parents noticing you overheat and not sweat as an infant would confirm this.
Have a great week training.
Cheers,
Dr. Bryan
Dr. Bryan,
Thanks so much! I wasn't able to make it on Saturday, but I've already scheduled an appointment with my doctor to follow up on this. Your notes are very helpful!
Katie H
Apr 10 2006, 06:29 PM
Andrea,
I am a fellow red-faced, red group runner. It was interesting to read all this information, because I have been dealing with similar bodily responces while exercising all my life, as well as every summer...ever a red face!
I never thought much about it, except when other people would ask me if I was feeling okay. My dad told me it is inherited...I'm Scandinavian, we all have pink cheeks!
Please post any interesting developments. I would love to read up!
Katie
sml
Apr 10 2006, 07:17 PM
I am so with you guys. I hate it. I thought I may burst into flames even this Saturday while everyone is still bundled up, I'm removing layer after layer until there were no more layers to remove without getting arrested! I hope that you guys get some answers as I'll be very interested to hear and I'm going to ask my doctor as well. Red face, purple lips, big time sweating though....but no relief in sight.
Good luck!
Shelley
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