Hello Reader,

I hope this email finds you well. Last week, we explored the impact of hot summer conditions on our performance and discussed the physiological changes that occur when we experience heat. Today, we want to emphasize the significance of understanding the factors that our brain processes, as they play a crucial role in our performance. It's important to note that all these factors were at play to varying degrees, contributing to the reduced performance we observed in the prior two emails.

If you're interested in a comprehensive overview, you can refer to my presentation at the ITU Congress in Paris. However, for the sake of brevity today, we have included one of the key figures that sets the stage for focusing on the most relevant aspects of performance.

Take a moment to observe the two sides of the equation in the mind. On one side, we have feedback to the brain, and on the other, we have feedforward — your drive to perform. In the middle, there is the internal struggle within us, represented by the little man or woman in our head dealing with emotions. Yes, fatigue can indeed be seen as an emotion. If you recall the picture I shared last week after the hot 70.3, you can see the emotion clearly reflected on my face.

Now, let's delve deeper into these terms and understand their significance:

Feedback:

1. Hydration - the extent of fluid loss and thirst. We will explore this further next week.
2. Rate of heat increase - how quickly does the body temperature rise?
3. Rate of RPE increase - how rapidly does our perceived effort, or rating of perceived exertion, escalate?

Feedforward:

1. Motivation - the level of motivation we have for the task at hand.
2. Belief - whether we believe we can perform in hot conditions or if our belief is lacking.
3. Prior experience - the number of experiences we have had in similar hot conditions and how familiar we are with them, as this impacts belief.
4. Cooling - how well we optimize cooling strategies for our bodies, considering the various available methods.

Next week, we will begin by tackling the first item on the list — the debatable topic of hydration. How important do you believe this variable is for performance? Do you follow a planned schedule, drink according to thirst, or have a different approach?

Stay tuned until next week for an insightful discussion on hydration.

Best regards,

Paul

Paul Laursen, PhD

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