Phew, what a scorcher!

It’s hot! Call it climate change, global warming or just a freak summer. But after a couple of weeks of 35 degree heat, I am wilting.

I don’t find it difficult to train in the heat…let’s be honest, it’s a lot easier than when there is snow on the ground.

But how to protect yourself?

I’m not blessed with a great head of hair. So a hat is compulsory.

If you’re worried about skin cancer, and let’s be clear, ocean rowers have plenty to be, then your hat should cover your ears. I know an ocean rower who lost the tips of his ears to skin cancer.

I’m doing a combination of gym work, rowing machine, and some kayaking.

Gym work is best done when you’re warmed up and unlikely to injure yourself from lifting when cold.

But what about the rest of the day?

Well, only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun, as the saying goes.

I will go and do some rowing machine indoors, but I limit the number of on-water sessions I do and try not to go out on the lake or sea between 12-2pm. It’s not that I can’t take the heat, just that this is when sunburn is most likely.

keep hydrated

If like me you’ve been clicking on all those sports drink adverts on Instagram and elsewhere, your algorithm will be picking up ads for powders, lotions and potions, and what-have-you.

Do you need them? Well, maybe on an ocean row it’s a good idea to keep the vitamins topped up (but don’t start using them for the first time when you cast off from La Gomera!) but a balanced diet should be enough.

I drink 3-4 litres of water a day. Mainly still but some sparkling. And I do mix in a bit of orange squash, just to keep it interesting, from time to time.

My favourite squash flavour is actually fruits of the forest, a kind of mix of various berry types. I find plain water is ok for a rowing machine session but if I’m going out on the water for more than a couple of hours, it’s not a bad idea to have something with a little bit of sugar.

My days of drinking sodas, ie fizzy soft drinks like Colas, are over. On my dentist’s orders! A little bit of what you fancy is ok, but when dentists tell you they can see you’re a regular Cola drinker thanks to the enamel decline and the staining, it’s probably your body telling you it’s time to stop.

If you can keep hydrated with water or a not-too-strong squash mixture, it will really help the performance from tailing off mid-session.

If you’ve got any great tips for training in the heat, do let me know!