Training & Nutrition - Working out in humid weather?

If its a humid day, do you put your workout on hold or do you just wing it as best as you can?

I live in FL, it's always humid. Today it was 110 %. If I didn't work out on humid days, I'd never work out! Just get out there and sweat! Don't be a wuss!

L8R

Same here. Summer lasts for six months around here normally (last summer lasted seven). If I didn't ride in heat or humidity I'd have to quit riding for at least half of the year - not something I fancy. Just keep pumping the fluids in.

Drink plenty of fluids, and see if you can change your workout times to earlier in the day- if you can avoid being out there between 11am and 3pm, then you can avoid the worst part of the day.

It's pretty humid in Chicago too, but it's nothing like my past jaunts into Asia, where it made Chicago look like a cool spring day- and I just drank water like a fish and was ok. Are you hydrating enough?

Koffee

I'd say you just have to slowly get used to it as well as keep hydrated, but does NY have enough of those yucky sticky days for you to 'practice' in them??

It's almost always humid here. I usually check the weather channel to get the temp and humidity before I leave the house (around noon most days).
Yesterday it was only 84 degrees when I left for my ride but the humidity was 96%.
If it's hot and/or humid I take my Camelback and wear a bandana under my helmet.

I try not to be a wuss ;) .

right now im back in NYC. while it is humid, there will be heavy downpoars later tonight so its best that i avoid the outside right now.

Not only do I work out in the humidity I work in humidity. My school is not air conditioned, today the humidity was somewhere around 80% and I was there working. Last year the temps were near 100 and we still had school. Try getting little kids to pay attention when its hot, sticky and the only air moving is from fans!

You may not make a personel best and riding in humidity will probably slow you down but stay hydrated, acclimate to it and you'll do fine.

Kathi

I am used to the humidity because I used to live back east where it is humid. Can't stand it. Right now, due to an injury I can only ride on the trainer. Under the A/C it is not humid. Appreciate the excuse, since humidity- I can't hack. Usually not humid here, this year more so than normal. Usually two months are hot, so just go ride on the coast. There it is not hot.
If I were able to ride off the trainer, right now, heading to the coast is where I would be. Afraid, if I could not get to the coast qucikly, I would probably be riding less.

Okay I am going to tell yah, you have got to acclimate, I know. I live in Mobile, and the humidity level is high year around. This time of the year, you either train early, when the humidity is at its highest level, but temps not at 90 & above till around noon. Or train early evening, temps higher, humidity a little lower. We generally stay in the 90-100% range most of the year.

We have it bad, but NOLA has it even worse, and I would guess being below sea level may be a factor, not sure. Although it isn't a hell of a lot of difference.
So if you find it hard to breathe, which some folks do, go at easier than normal, and also, drink plenty of fluids, and not just water, have juices, sports drinks and etc. You lose a lot of potassium, and sodium in hot/humid conditions. If you have a heart monitor, that will also let you know a lot of information as well.

Hey Koffee, I love your humidity in Chicago. Back in 2001, it was in Oct for the Lasalle Marathon, and I believe the temp was around 38 with sunny skies. The humidity level was so low, that I couldn't believe it. Here in Mobile, when it is 38 degrees, the humidity level is still high, so you have that damp coolness, which with the wind goes right through you.

I have a friend from Montreal, who has been living here for the last 20 years, and he said this is a more unpleasant cold, than home from him, it is because of the high humidity level.

For us, humidity is a way of life.

I live in Orlando, FL. Here in the summer, the humidity is really high in the mornings, just a tad below 100%. So sweating does no good. Excess heat has to be vented by the breeze. Later in the day, as the temperature rises, the humidity falls but it is still pretty bad.

I go out and ride anyway. Generally, I avoid really hard rides in June, July and August. Or at least long hard rides. But I still go out and ride.

Here in central Tx. you just deal with it. Yo ustay away from caffienated drinks and alchohol during exersion. Drink plenty of water and or sports drinks, and go on. Of course last week it was different. It was almost too hot and humid for much of anything.

This is probably not logical, but you could always move to a western state! I used to live in Indiana, and I moved west over four years ago just for a change of pace. Everytime I return home to visit family in the summer, I can't believe I used to put up with that humidity. I'm a western girl from now on; give me dry air and blue skies anyday!