I am a long-time physician in the high desert area living and practicing in Lone Pine, California. Lone Pine is at the foot of Mt. Whitney and at the threshold of Death Valley. I have treated cases of every imaginable medical circumstance including heat exhaustion and heat stroke (including disseminated intravascular coagulation).

Since 1990 I have been involved in the annual Hi-Tec Badwater/Whitney (formerly the Badwater 146) foot-race. In 1991, 1992 and 1993 I successfully completed the course. About a week before 14 of us started the 1991 race at Badwater, Death Valley, a trekker who had attempted to traverse Death Valley east to west 10 miles and then return was reported missing. During the race, I was approaching Lone Pine some 122 miles later and saw the coroner traveling in the direction of Death Valley. By the time I had made it to Whitney Portals at 135 miles, I got word that he wanted me to do an autopsy. I obliged and then re-entered the course to complete the event to the top of Whitney at 146 miles. I am the only racer who has ever performed an autopsy during a race. Besides that, I used a water-filled casket (body removal tank) for immersing myself to cool down during the race. I am also the only one I have heard of to successfully get in and out of a casket to finish a race.

"I am also the only one I have heard of to successfully get in and out of a casket to finish a race."

Very good scientific information about heat acclimatization can be found in "Marathon and Beyond" in the July/August 1997 issue: "Into the Valley of Death" by Richard Benyo and "Beating the Heat" by David E. Martin, Ph.D. Another valuable piece is in the "Encyclopedia of Sports Medicine and Science" on "Heat Acclimatization" by Lawrence E. Armstrong, Ph.D. My information below is more of a "seat of the pants" approach, not based on any scientific evidence, and should only be used as helpful hints for training.

In Lone Pine, it gets to above 100 degrees F in the summer and it is very dry with less than 10% humidity. It is usually 20 degrees hotter in Death Valley no matter what time of day it is or what day of the year it is. All I have to do to acclimate is go eastward and hang around in the heat (in dark clothes) and do some light exercise. Most readers don't have this luxury - your interest is to be able to perform successfully in the hot races such as RAAM, the Furnace Creek 508, the UMCA 24-hour Championships, and others.

I am not sure how to correlate running and biking; however, about one mile of running seems to equal the effort of four miles of biking. When I get on the bike, the environment seems to go by about four times as fast with biking as it does with running. One has to realize that I am not getting ready for RAAM or the Tour de France, etc., and I have already done Boston with a promise to the BAA that I won't bother them again. In low humidity, as in the desert, there is greater perspiration loss with worse dehydration and a greater need for fluid replacement. There may be more fluid loss with biking than with running as because of more wind to create more evaporation.

How long do you need to train in hot conditions to acclimate?
As long as possible but practically about three weeks. Try to spend as much time above 100 degrees F as possible and that means traveling to the low deserts of Southern California or the eastern desert areas such as Panamint Valley and Death Valley. Spend time outdoors in these areas just trying to relax while getting used to the heat. The training can be eased into. Of great importance is to have the potential crew members along also. The event being trained for can almost be more difficult and hazardous for them than for the performer. Most athletes cannot afford the time and cost of doing all of this, unfortunately.

When acclimating, how long and how hard should you exercise each day?
Long is more important than hard. I like Walt Stack's creed of "start slowly and then taper off!" Calculate the distance being covered and the time limit imposed and go from there according to your capabilities. For the Badwater/Whitney Race, 20-minute miles will cover the 135-mile course from Badwater to Whitney Portals in 45 hours. One can buckle in 48 hours. To be recognized as a finisher, 60 hours is the time limit. Estimate your pace for the different types of terrain during the race. (This is not possible for a continuous race lasting more than 48 hours.) Then train in the heat at the anticipated race pace. The intensity and duration of training can be adjusted upwards for each additional day of training, but allow a few rest-days or, at least, a few rest-hours for you compulsive people. Try to do a mild level of exercise for about 8 to 10 hours each day. The intensity can be adjusted upwards to a moderate level later. It is inadvisable to train at an intense level in these conditions. Try to gauge how many hours or days it will take to get through the anticipated event and heat and practice accordingly.

Is passive acclimatization possible?
It certainly is and this is mostly what I do. Wear dark clothes while in the heat. Don't use air-conditioning. You can even roll up the windows of the vehicle and turn on the heater. My exercise base has usually been 1-2 hours of exercise a day every day in my calculated fitness range. I have always been at the back-of-the pack, or, as I often announce, in the top 98%. With progressive heat adaptation, I have found that I don't seem to sweat as much and my skin doesn't seem to taste as salty, even if I am not exercising at the time. Fluid, electrolyte and calorie replacement are extremely important in these conditions for you and your crew. Passive conditioning can get you by better than vigorous exercise. Decide what it is that you are trying to accomplish and set some goals.

"Passive conditioning can get you by better than vigorous exercise."

Can one simulate hot conditions at home?
Yes, and this has been done using a sauna and maybe adding some minimal exercise. Get a medical checkup before starting all of the above activities. Another way is to wear extra (dark) clothing as mentioned above while exercising in desert-like conditions. Wear something which traps the heat for a while. Don't use the car air conditioning, roll up the windows and, if this doesn't do it, turn on the heater. All of these things are useful. but the most important is to get in the right frame of mind about what is going to be done. You do have to get your skin, stomach and bladder through all of this too. I have had the advantage of living where I do and traveling frequently to the desert. I have practiced as a physician here from 1963 to 1997 and have observed what can happen out here. Be careful!

Table 1
Effects of 14 days of passive and strenuous exercise protocols (in cool and hot environments) on selected physiological responses (Armstrong and Maresh, "The induction and decay of heat acclimatization in trained athletes" Sports Med. 12: 302-312, 1991)

0 = minimal effect; + = moderate effect; ++ = major effect

Physiological responses	No exercise	Exercise	Exercise
	hot conditions	cool conditions	hot conditions
1. Lower core temperature at the onset of sweating	++	+	++
2. Increased heat loss via radiation & convection (skin blood flow)	++	++	++
3. Increased plasma volume	+	+	++
4. Decreased heart rate	0	++	++
5. Decreased core temperature	++	+	++
6. Decreased skin temperature	+	+	+
7. Altered metabolic fuel utilization	0	++	++
8. Increased sympathetic nervous system outflow (efferent)	+	++	++
9. Increased oxygen consumption	0	++	++
10. Improved exercise economy	0	0	+
11. Adaptation to exercise in a cool environment	0	++	++
12. Adaptation to exercise in a hot environment	+	+	++

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Implications
Most ultra riders train at home in (relatively) cool conditions and achieve peak physical fitness a few weeks before the major event. This training in cool conditions produces half of the major adaptations listed in Table 1 (#2, 4, 7, 8, 9 & 11). Simply training hard at home lays a good base for competing in a hot event.

During the last few weeks before an event the rider should be tapering, not riding long miles. If, during the taper, the rider can live in hot conditions, the rider can reduce the core temperature at the onset of sweating (#1) and decrease the core temperature during exercise (#5). If it's not possible to travel to the desert, hot conditions may be simulated by wearing extra layers of clothing and/or running the heat at home (family permitting!). If the athlete can travel to the desert, then exercising in hot conditions will increase plasma volume (#3) and improve exercise economy (#10).

Happy Biking,
Badwater Mayor Ben and First Lady Denise Jones
Web page: http://www.badwaterbenjones.com