My first experience running at altitude was during a trip to Snowbird, Utah which was rough, also followed by a rough run at 8,000 feet in Park City…but then I miraculously busted out a 20 mile run in Boulder one trip!Īhh the key there is a good 2500 feet difference! It can seem like what’s the big deal, once you’re up high, well it’s high. Side note: altitude vs elevation – while they are scientifically slightly different, both can be used to describe the distance of an object from the ground, which is why we tend to use them interchangeably. Once you see all the benefits listed below you’ll understand how the higher training reaps some big rewards. This allows them to go harder in speed workouts and get all the benefits of living at altitude. You might also hear about them sleeping in a hypoxic chamber at lower elevation to simulate lower oxygen levels from 10,000 feet. In this case the runner might sleep at 10,000 feet, but come down to 6,000 feet for their speed workouts. Research studies like The Journal of Applied Physiology showed this improved sea level performance even more than only training up high. In fact, some have taken it up a notch with live high-train low. The reason they go up higher is to maximize their sea level performance. Even running downhill and I could tell that my breathing was different due to available oxygen! In fact, during Colorado Ragnar I started running at the highest point of the race, 10,000 feet. Like Mammoth Lakes where Deena Kastor trains.What’s interesting is the longer we’ve lived here, the more often we’ll find new trails within just 45 minutes of us that start at 7,000 feet and I can immediately tell a difference in my breathing. Many Elite athletes are now training and living over 8000 feet. This is the same EPO effect many cyclists were seeking when they began doping with it. One of the principle benefits of high-altitude acclimatization or training for a long period at altitude, is that the body begins to produce more red blood cells and thus enhance oxygen capacity. Why elite runners train at altitude?īefore moving to Denver, I’d heard many times of the amazing runners like Emma Sisson who chose to live and train in nearby Boulder to achieve the benefits of altitude training. Very high altitude is what you hear about mountain climbers or sky racers like Kilian Jornet doing, which is 12,000 to 18,000 feet. High altitude training is 8,000 to 12,000 feet. Sea level is 0 feet or in essence land in line with or barely above the water.Īltitude training is generally considered anything over 5,000 feet. How high above sea level is Denver? The average is around 5,200 feet. What is the difference between altitude running and high altitude training? In this article, I’m going to help you understand how altitude running impacts athletic performance, physiological changes that occur and some tips to help you avoid common pitfalls like acute mountain sickness. There was definitely the possibility of an uncomfortable transition period! While heat training, can sometimes simulate altitude. In Florida, I battled the humidity and regularly ran in hot weather, so was very interested to see what it would be like to truly live and train at altitude, rather than simply swinging through on a random weekend. I love having lived in so many places across the US not just for the friends, but for all the ways it’s allowed me to experience different styles of training! Meanwhile my Florida friends start with “ are you freezing?!” and my Mid-West friends “ where are you running next?” The first question most runners in Denver ask is “ How are you adjusting to the altitude?” If they’re lucky my non-totally adjusted lungs leave me enough air to say…it’s altitude running is hard.
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