Managing The Heat: Training & Race-Day Strategies with Liza Howard

In this episode, Scott talks with ultrarunner and coach, Liza Howard about how endurance athletes can train, race, and stay safe in hot conditions.

Liza shares practical strategies for heat acclimation, managing effort when temperatures rise, fueling when your body doesn't want to cooperate, and recognizing the warning signs of heat exhaustion. She also talks about aging as an endurance athlete, navigating perimenopause, and adjusting training in a way that supports long-term performance instead of fighting against the body.

Whether you're training through summer, preparing for a hot race, or learning how to adapt as your body changes, this conversation is packed with useful, real-world advice.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How heat impacts running performance and recovery
• Why fitness matters, but effort still has to change in hot conditions
• Heat acclimation strategies runners can use in training
• How to practice cooling strategies before race day
• Fueling and hydration challenges during hot races
• What heat exhaustion can feel like and how to respond
• Clothing, gear, and race-day planning for extreme heat
• How aging, hormones, and recovery needs can change training
• Building confidence when your body doesn't respond the way it used to
• Liza's work with Band of Runners and upcoming camp opportunities

Key takeaways:

• The fitter you are, the better prepared you may be for heat, but you still need to slow down and manage effort.
• Heat strategies should be practiced during training, not saved for race day.
• Cooling, hydration, pacing, and fueling all work together. There is no single magic fix.
• Training through hot weather requires patience, flexibility, and respect for what your body is handling.
• Aging does not mean you are done improving, but it may require smarter recovery and more intentional training choices.

Notable quotes: "The fitter you are, the better you'll handle the heat."

"Run slower, keep effort down in the heat."

"Practice heat strategies during training, not just race day."

Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and weather talk 01:02 Liza's running journey and health challenges 03:47 Aging and running: overcoming age-related doubts 06:39 Navigating perimenopause as an athlete 09:21 Training adjustments and recovery strategies 12:05 Managing heat during training and racing 19:22 Fueling strategies in hot conditions 21:45 Fueling strategies for hot races 23:29 Understanding heat exhaustion 26:23 Navigating challenges during races 29:58 Recap of heat management techniques 31:12 Band of Runners initiative 33:43 Exploring new locations for training 36:35 Closing thoughts and future plans

Resources mentioned: Band of Runners: https://www.bandofrunners.org/ners.org

Connect with Liza: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizahoward1/