Running performance in hot weather depends on the runner's skill level and the wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT), justifying the use of mathematical models that predict a slowing of pace rather than a single fixed value.

noli's read

The community agrees on the practical utility of adjusting goals based on heat, signaling a strong consensus on the need to modulate expectations. Scientifically, the impact of heat on performance is well-documented: the work of Ely et al. (2007) and El Helou et al. (2012) confirms, through large-scale observational studies, that slower runners generally experience a more pronounced degradation in performance compared to elites. The use of the WBGT (Wet Bulb Globe Temperature) is a rigorous practice recognized for reflecting heat stress better than temperature alone, although prediction models remain estimates. The assertion that studies differ on the magnitude of the slowdown is accurate, illustrating the current limits of research: there is no perfect universal coefficient (observational evidence). The debate in the thread focuses less on the science itself than on the form, with the community rejecting the perceived use of AI-generated language in technical explanations.

the sources

1. 1Périard JD, Eijsvogels TMH, Daanen HAM 2021
2. 2Tyler CJ, Reeve T, Hodges GJ, Cheung SS 2016
3. 3Racinais S, Alonso JM, Coutts AJ, et al. 2015
4. 4r/AdvancedRunning