Heat Index - When Do You Bail?

So here I am trying to decide whether to bail out on racing this weekend. Predicted heat index values in the upper 90's. My primary concern is not comfort, but medical/safety. I'm 61 years young, no medical issues, but not really in shape. I don't tolerate heat well and have had a couple incidents in my past that I'd like to not repeat. In a typical sprint race in 75* weather I'll come in soaking wet. I've got a cold-pack cool vest being shipped to me today and have a paddock canopy. I just don't know where the line is - how much heat is too much? Any wisdom out there?

Marty, I think that's a personal decision. But I always keep in mind that "if I'm not having fun, then I'm not having fun". It's a hobby, not a chore... - GA

Agree with Greg completely (which, in my case, also applies to racing in the rain, but that's another discussion). I'm only 52, and in relatively good condition, but doing anything outdoors when it's 90+ just saps all the energy out of me. As with so many other things now, I can do it, but I'll pay for it later. I decided a couple of years ago that July & August (I'm in VA) are non-racing months for me from now on, unless I decide to travel far to the north where temps are more reasonable.

I can't emphasize enough how much a cool suit changed this for me (and an air conditioned trailer). Lugging tires around in the heat still sucks, but 90+ degree sprint races with the cool suit and I'm still looking forward to another lap.

I feel your pain , in Houston the conditions are tough for 4-5 months.

Our last race @ TWS , we were group 6 and it was near 100 degrees. I decided I was going to sit in the shade , and not touch the car other than adding gas and checking tire pressures.

After making several mistakes late in the race , I decided to give the cool suit a second thought

After doing a little research , I decided that @ 54 , racing in Houston in the summer requires another piece of safety equipment ... A cool suit

I ran the TWS race with Trey above, and it was hot but I was still fine at the end of the race. BUT.. I'm 'only' 33 and spend quite a bit of time working in the heat so I'm much more tolerant of it than some of the other folk I was racing with. I asked my crew to have a bottle of cold water and gatorade ready at impound when I came off track, but I would have been OK without it had they not shown up.
The track also had a worker stationed at impound to hand out cold water to all coming off the track, so that was a big help as well.

My driver's school last year was also 4+hrs per day in car with 100+ heat. I was definitely worn out by the end of the day, but I didn't notice myself really making any more mistakes than earlier in the runs.

I do have to make a conscious effort every lap for a personal discussion.. "How are you, body? everything good? still alert? too hot? need to back down 5% and just cruise, or are you still OK to chase this guy down?"

But yeah.. it's different for every person. I don't run a cool suit and am fine in 100 deg heat. I see others that would pass out just walking outside in these temps.

If you are smart about it, it can be done and that includes some effort with conditioning if you are serious. Hydrating starts the day before and you need more than just water. Slow and steady with the fluids. A cool suit helps amazingly and being a tough guy is no good if you wreck or pass out!


For anyone who is serious about being in shape, strength, endurance and being conditioned for the heat, Bikram Yoga is a must!



Yea, we get it, you're a tough guy! :p

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Originally Posted by Matt93SE

I ran the TWS race with Trey above, and it was hot but I was still fine at the end of the race. BUT.. I'm 'only' 33 and spend quite a bit of time working in the heat so I'm much more tolerant of it than some of the other folk I was racing with. I asked my crew to have a bottle of cold water and gatorade ready at impound when I came off track, but I would have been OK without it had they not shown up.
The track also had a worker stationed at impound to hand out cold water to all coming off the track, so that was a big help as well.

My driver's school last year was also 4+hrs per day in car with 100+ heat. I was definitely worn out by the end of the day, but I didn't notice myself really making any more mistakes than earlier in the runs.

I do have to make a conscious effort every lap for a personal discussion.. "How are you, body? everything good? still alert? too hot? need to back down 5% and just cruise, or are you still OK to chase this guy down?"

But yeah.. it's different for every person. I don't run a cool suit and am fine in 100 deg heat. I see others that would pass out just walking outside in these temps.

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If you race a VW or are crew for a bunch of guys who do, a cool suit is a must, cars break more in the heat, so I have to fix them.... A cool suit & refuge with A/C has allot to do with the enjoyment to be had at a race..

Also I have a 3 beer max at july & august races.. maybe 4-5 if there low cal light beers...:)

Their are inexpensive ways to keep cool, our coolers are from Orthopedic cold therapy units, I think there is a class action law suit due to a few peoples joint became to cold..So usually $20-$40 used.. We have found 6 of them just by asking around. The coolers I have seen run on either 12vdc or 7vdc, all have a hardwired 110vac transformer, cut off the transformer, connect it to your car..or leave it and use an inverter. The 7 volt ones I think you use a 300 ohm resistor, I used a rheostat.. Also they only work with "Cool Shirt" not Faast systems.. different connectors..

I am 38 going on 23.. The brain some times forgets your body has limits..

I bought a cool vest and while walking around in false grid, actually looked forward to getting in the car. Regardless, the head gets soaked while on grid and that part of my body is not comfortable. A few weeks ago at Summit Point, I got out of the car. Damn it was hot out. While I took my driving suit off, I did not take the vest off for a while.

Marty, stay home if in doubt. It's not worth it. There's the fun aspect and the safety aspect. There are more races this year you can attend.

Dave - whose staying home because doing everything that still needs to be done to attend the event is too stressful and a burden versus fun. Instead there's another Glen event not so long from now that I'll attend.

I just built a cool system for right around $200. $130 of which was for the shirt. So if money is keeping you from buying a $600 system then think about making your own. I'm actually ok in the heat, but the cool system does work and it will keep you cooler. I needed the weight more than anything. :)

David

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Originally Posted by Matt93SE

But yeah.. it's different for every person. I don't run a cool suit and am fine in 100 deg heat. I see others that would pass out just walking outside in these temps.

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I agree, it really is different for every person. I'm 67 with no cool suit and had no real issues at Topeka this past weekend with temp in the high 90's and heat index well over 100. But at least two guys in our race, one of them less than 1/3 my age, needed attention in impound for dizziness, etc.

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Originally Posted by DavidM

I needed the weight more than anything. :)

David

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About that, Is it ok to mount it in the trunk? Or passenger side floor only with the ballast? I put mine in the trunk, easier to dump & Fill (better weight distribution also)

The May race at TWS is mild compared to the August race at MSR Houston. I don't have to make the choice for the Houston race this year because the car is still not put back together from the November "incident".

I have a small window AC unit I mount in the passenger window of the tow truck so I have some place cool to get as soon as I get out of the car. It helps. One of the upgrades to the car during the rebuild is to mount the cool suit box.

Remember what Dirty Harry said, "a man's got to know his limitations". In the end only you know if you should.

If you do drink plenty. If you aren't going pee at least every hour you are not drinking enough.

[soapbox on]

One issue I see ALL the time with SCCA is guys who are, frankly, risks. As in out of shape, overweight, and the race ...all 20 minutes of it, kills them.

We all hear how outsiders bash our sport because 'It's not athletic" and we get all ornery, and insist we ARE athletes. But the numbers of us who work out...and actually act the least bit athletic.... are few and far between..

So, start acclimating to the heat. Go out in it. Mow the lawn. Push yourself ....a bit at a time. Work out. Do cardio. Run, walk, do stadiums, swim, lift. Even yoga, lol.
We all get lazy.....don't.
You'll act like you're 50 when you're 70 if you are active. Or you can act like you're 70 when you're 60....or 50....
[/soapbox OFF]

Greg made a good point. Don't go if you're not having fun.
But I make a good point too. Be in condition so you're not ruled by a little heat.

There's also a difference from people doing this as a side hobby compared to drivers who are in the car often and do it "for a living". Kinda like the analogy of pro baseball players to week night beer drinking softball players.

Yes, getting in shape and acclimating to heat is a great thing. Some people however react to heat differently than others.

Marty I'm about the same age as you, a little younger, ;~) but I have a fishing vest where I put cold packs in if' it's unbearably hot and a towel around my neck with ice in it. These are only sprint races so maybe 30 to 45 mins? I would do a cool suit if I was going over an hour in high heat and humidity. I also would recommend keeping hydrated and stay out of the sun as much as possible, and last but not least as GA said, if you're not have fun don't do it. What did drivers do before there were cool suits? :~)

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Originally Posted by dj10

What did drivers do before there were cool suits? :~)

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Turned on the A/C (my SSA car still had it installed and working...after all, I was driving it to and from the track!)

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Originally Posted by Greg Amy

Turned on the A/C (my SSA car still had it installed and working...after all, I was driving it to and from the track!)

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Or we raced and got hot!:)

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What did drivers do before there were cool suits?

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Ice in a zip lock bag attached to shirt right where the heart is. Several years ago I was still seeing some NASCAR drivers do this.

one nice thing about the heat is that an ice cold beer tastes "beerier" after the race....