Coach Joe: Welcome home Major! I’d like to compare notes on how we runners train during the heat of summer versus how your Marines maintain their high level of fitness while stationed in that hot desert climate.
Major Failure: Thanks Coach . . . It’s great to be back! I’ll be happy to share how we Marines train in the heat. You can certainly learn a lot from the fittest fighting force on the planet . . . the United States Marine Corp!

Coach Joe: I have no doubt that I’ll learn some things, Major! One strategy we use is to avoid working out in the midday heat and do our runs in the cooler temperatures of early morning or evening.
Major Failure: We Marines never avoid a challenge, we take it head on! There is a price to pay for doing hard workouts in the worst of the heat, but I think it makes us tougher. Hey, we ARE Marines after all!

Coach Joe: Runners, especially the smart ones, are trying to be successful in reaching their goals rather than trying to become as tough as possible. Another strategy we use when dealing with summer’s heat is try to take advantage of shade and running near bodies of water, both of which tend to be a bit cooler.
Major Failure: Taking advantage of cover is standard procedure for covert ops, but during physical training we Marines get out there in the open and butt heads with old man Sol. That tough old guy may drop lesser men in short order, but he just makes us stronger!

Coach Joe: Strength is definitely important Major, but there are times, especially during long stretches of heat and humidity, when runners log some treadmill time or do cross-training activities in an air conditioned environment. This helps to avoid becoming worn down by the constant battle with the heat.
Major Failure: Coach, have you ever heard of the phrase “battle hardened”? You can only get there by going into battle at every opportunity that presents itself. That is the Marine Corp way!

Coach Joe: That way sound pretty rough, Major, I sure don’t envy your Marines. To deal with those intense workouts I’ll bet you need to be particularly aware of your hydration. Knowledgeable runners know that hey have to drink regularly throughout the day, not just before, during and after their workouts. They also plan their running routes with access to water or other rehydrating beverages in mind, or place containers along their route, or carry them when access isn’t possible.
Major Failure: We Marines often find ourselves in places where water is nothing but a distant memory! So we train without it and whoever can’t deal with dehydration gets dropped in no time. Survival of the fittest is what makes the Corp what it is!

Coach Joe: I think that Darwin would be proud Major. Is there something you do in your approach to nutrition to keep your Marines healthy in the face of those tough workouts? Do you make sure they consume enough sodium, potassium, magnesium, and other electrolytes and minerals, which are depleted through sweating? Salt for sodium, bananas for potassium and other minerals, and sports drinks are things that immediately come to mind.
Major Failure: We do keep our mess tent well supplied and encourage the men to chow down. But we don’t mandate what they eat or drink because Marines know how to take care of themselves. Coffee and beer seem to be the most popular beverages, so those must provide whatever a Marine really needs.

Coach Joe: Actually, Major, alcohol and caffeine are known to be dehydrating and would not be the best choices in a hot climate. On another topic, runners try to wear the right clothing for the weather conditions they are working out in. Light colored, light weight, synthetic fabrics that wick away sweat will keep a runner cooler and more comfortable in the heat. Many also will use a lubricant in appropriate places to avoid chafing caused by the repetitive motions of running.
Major Failure: A Marine’s only concern about clothing in battle is that it provides camouflage! For our physical training, we stick to wearing good old cotton. When soaked with sweat, it weighs a ton and adds to the challenge of the training. As far as chafing goes, it toughens the skin where it needs to be tougher. Besides, lubrication is for humvees, not Marines!

Coach Joe: If you say so Major. How do you alter your Marines’ training when they arrive from a cooler climate? It takes 10 days to two weeks according to this source to acclimate to the heat and adaptation will disappear fairly rapidly unless there is on-going exposure. When runners face a sudden shift to high heat, they use some of the previously mentioned strategies and also reduce the intensity of their workouts until they have gotten used to the heat.
Major Failure: Coach, a Marine goes all out, all of the time, no matter what the circumstances! Anyone who ever has to reduce the intensity of their workouts should join the Army instead, the wimps!

Coach Joe: Well Major not everyone can be a Marine!
Major Failure: Coach, that is the only sensible thing you’ve said in this entire conversation! I hope you’ve learned something about real training, that is, the Marine Corp way to train! Time for me to head to Washington and find out what idiot bureaucrat reassigned me from head of physical training to some ridiculous desk job in the Pentagon. Things would certainly be different if a Marine was in charge instead of a bunch of pansy bureaucrats!

Things would be certainly be different if THAT Marine was in charge! Don’t become a Major Failure! Stubbornly sticking to a workout plan in the face of difficult or even dangerous heat will drain your body’s resources and take you farther from accomplishing your goals, not closer. Respect whatever your personal limits are and make appropriate adjustments when the summer heat is on. Best of luck and happy training!