title: Pacing Adjustments Associated With Familiarization: Heat Versus Temperate Environments.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the effect of the initial perceptual experience from heat familiarization on the pacing profile during a freepaced endurance time trial (TT) compared with temperate conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two groups of well-trained triathletes performed two 20-km TTs in either hot (35°C and 50% relative humidity [RH], n = 12) or temperate (21°C and 50% RH, n = 22) conditions, after standardization of training for each group before both trials. To ensure no physiological acclimation differences between conditions, the TTs for both groups were separated by 11 ± 4 d.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Performance improvement in the heat (11 ± 24 W) from the 1st to 2nd trial appeared comparable to that in temperate conditions (8 ± 14 W, P = .67). However, the specific alteration in pacing profile in the heat was markedly different than temperate conditions, with a change from "positive" to an "even" pacing strategy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Altered perceptions of heat during heat familiarization, rather than physiological acclimatization per se, may mediate initial changes in pacing and TT performance in the heat. These results highlight the need for athletes without time for sufficient heat acclimatization to familiarize themselves with hot conditions to reduce the uncertainty from behavior-based outcomes that may impede performance.
authors.forename: Cyril
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schmit
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Duffield
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hausswirth
authors.forename: Aaron J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Coutts
authors.forename: Yann
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Le Meur
mesh_terms: D000064:Acclimatization / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D001642:Bicycling / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D002980:Climate; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception; D064797:Physical Conditioning, Human / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology; D021641:Recognition, Psychology
keywords: cycling; hot environments; pacing strategy; time trial