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Runner's Forum: High Altitude Question

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    fb.ChrT.738

    Good Morning to Everyone on the Board -

     In a couple of weeks, I'll be spending a week in the mts at approxmiately 6500feet.  During normal life at sea level, I try to run ~20 miles a week, but in some vague, abstract sort of way, I'm not sure if I'll be able to maintain this at atltitude.  Any advice on how to deal with this? Is there some formula/algorithm/rule o' thumb that I can follow so I can adjust my training for higher elevations?  or is it more simply a matter of gut it out the best that I can, then go back to my normal training routine when I get home?

     Thankx,

     TBD

    • CommentAuthorFree Memberjsackmann
    • CommentTimeJul 28th 2009 edited
     
    jsackmann
    Last year, I looked for an algorithm and didn't find one, though that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

    What I did learn was:

    you'll generally be ok right away -- if you get off the plane and go for a run, you probably won't notice the difference.

    you'll take 2-3 wks to adjust. After that first day, it'll be tough, and it'll keep being tough for a while. I found this to be the case even going from sea level to ~3,000 ft. (Like you, I didn't spend that much time -- I just suffered for 10 days.)

    It'll be harder, but if you take the pace easier, you should be able to do your mileage or close. I was able to maintain my mileage when I went up 3,000 ft, though I had a really tough time doing any kind of interval work.

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    rpetreccajr
    Check out this site: http://www.cptips.com/altitud.htm. Basically it says that for every 100 meter gain in elevation above 4500ft your VO2ax drops by 1%. You'll be about 600m above 4500 feet. I would translate that as the pace you normally run would feel about 6% harder. An 8:00 min/mile pace would feel like about 7:31, 10:00 min/mile woiuld feel like 9:24. As far as it affecting how far you can go on a run or through the week, it shouldn't IF you slow down. Your body won't have as much oxygen to work with. If you try and work as hard at altitude as you do at sea level, you will feel this. If you slow down, you should be okay. Pay attention to what the site says about altitude sickness.
    • CommentAuthorFree MemberKDogg
    • CommentTimeJul 28th 2009
     
    KDogg
    lucky
  5.  
    fb.ChrT.738

    Hi Guys -

     Thanks for the advice!  ...and, yes, KDogg - I am lucky to have friends that own a cabin in the mts!

    TBD

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    nepaltrekkingguide1
    In my experiences: peoples who walk faster with out rest days for acclimatization, they suffer from head ache, feeling of tired, don't like to eat etc, these are the symtomes of altitude sickness. Most important don't walk faster within the short span of times/days. Take it easy,walk slowly, take rest days for acclimatization, climb higher elevation and sleep at low elevation, don't sleep in the day times, drink enough water/liquids for your body. Take the feeling how you feel when you gradual walk every day.Don't walk further if you have symptoms of altitude sickness, take descend down if you have the problem.
    • CommentAuthorChampionship MembershipEm.J
    • CommentTimeOct 12th 2009
     
    Em.J
    Does your body eventually acclimatize to the altitude and allow you to run times that you used to at sea level?  I have lived in Denver (5300 ft) for nearly a year now, and run at altitudes between 5000 and 8000 ft.  I expect to run a little slower up in the mountains, but I find my times in the city are, on average, about 30 seconds slower per mile than the pace they feel like (and I've been a competitive runner since age 11, so I know pace pretty well).  Am I just getting old and slow, or does altitude continue to affect performance no matter how long one lives at it?

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