As if the hot walk to the Field House wasn’t enough, Long Nguyen continues to sweat even before he touches the exercise machines.
Without air conditioning, the temperatures in the Field House can reach the high 80s despite the fact that all the doors are left open and there are fans above every window and weight machine.
“It’s way too hot (in here),” said Nguyen, a senior in economics. “Later in the evening, it gets even hotter and more uncomfortable. There is no way you can wear sweats.”
Cheri Jenkins, the associate director of Campus Services, said the organization is trying everything it can to keep the Field House cool.
“We open all the doors at six in the morning to try and get the cool air in,” she said. “The difficult thing, though, is not getting the air in-it is trying to get all the hot air out.”
To escape from the heat, Josh Smith, a senior in exercise and sports science, runs on a treadmill positioned in front of a fan and constantly visits the drinking fountain for water.
“When I come up here, I definitely think about how hot it is going to be,” Smith said.
B.J. Christenson, a personal trainer at 24-Hour Fitness, said the no. 1 problem with the heat is dehydration.
“Dehydration can result in a 2 percent loss of body weight. When you’re working out, you need to make sure you replace the water and electrolytes that you are using,” Christenson said.
When it is hot, the body heats up more quickly and sweats more to cool itself down. The sweat causes a loss of water, electrolytes and salts. As this happens, the body fatigues faster, and when it begins to run out of liquids, dehydration begins to take its toll.
While the heat is punishing for some, not all are affected by it.
Mali Kotter, a senior in exercise and sports science, doesn’t think the heat is too insufferable.
“(The temperature) is alright. It just depends on how hot it is outside. It is a little stuffy, but the fans really help out,” she said.
Despite the heat, students continue to use the Field House.
“Regardless of the heat, it’s free,” Smith said. “I don’t have to pay a gym fee, so I will be back up here.”
During the past school year, the student government and administration attempted to obtain funding from the Utah State Government to build a new recreation center to replace the Field House, but the request was denied. The legislation will be presented again in January.
U masters student Matt Reimherr finishes his exercise routine by running miles on a treadmill at the Einar Nielsen Field House on Wednesday. Reimherr is one among many students who agree that the Field House is not adequately cooled during the summer months.