The effect of cold wet towels on core temperature after long distance running in the heat

This trial forms part of a larger existing study, but with independent research questions. -Once enrolled into the study, participants will complete one familiarisation session and three experimental trials in an environmental chamber. Every session will involve only an individual participant completing the trials. -Each experimental session will take approximately 2 to 4 hours and are undertaken 3-7 days apart. -The familiarisation session will occur 3-7 days prior to the first experimental session and take approximately 3 hours and requires participants to complete an incremental test to exhaustion and a 5 km time trial on the treadmill. The incremental test to exhaustion will be conducted in temperate conditions (22°C and 50% relative humidity) on a calibrated motorised treadmill at 1% incline with a metabolic cart to measure gas exchange. The test will consist of initial four minute submaximal steady state exercise intensities, followed by the speed of the treadmill increasing by 1 km/h every minute until volitional exhaustion. - The three experimental sessions require the participant to complete a running self-paced time trial on a treadmill across three distances (one per session) in warm and humid conditions (28.5°C and 76 % relative humidity); - 5 km - 10 km - Half marathon -Intervention trial: Participants will remain in the chamber for 30 min following each time-trial. Following the 10 km time-trial, participants will be seated and have 6 cold-wet towels placed around their neck, torso, arms, and legs. The towels will be made cold and wet by being placed in a bucket of water at an temperature of ~14 degrees celsius prior to application. They will drink 200mL of ~38 degrees celsius water at baseline, 10 min, and 20 min mark of the recovery period. Used towels will be rotated with new towels every 10 min by the research team. A fan will be placed in front of the participant to mimic outdoor conditions, whilst the ambient air temperature and relative humidity will remain the same as the preceding time-trials. -Control trial: Following the 5 km and half-marathon time-trials, participants will remain seated in the chamber but without the addition of the cold-towels. They will drink 200mL of ~38 degrees celsius water at baseline, 10 min, and 20 min mark of the recovery period The minimum period of days that the intervention can be completed over is 18 days. A study calendar will be used to manage adherence to the study sessions. Who will deliver: A sport science graduate will lead data collection, and the remainder of the team are experienced researchers with 10-30 years of academic experience. Mode: In-person testing of individual participants Location: Environmental chamber at the Mile End campus of Adelaide University.