High Altitude Training in Endurance Athletes

For years, many endurance athletes have believed that exercising in thin mountain air is the best way to improve performance at sea level. Physicians at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas discovered that living a more sedentary life in the mountain air while training at a lower level gives athletes the greatest gains.

Dr. Benjamin D. Levine, a co-author of the study said, ''It gives a 1 or 2 percent improvement. That may not seem like much, but that's the difference between winning the gold medal and not getting to the finals.''

Dr. David Martin, has served as marathon chair of USA Track & Field's (USATF) Men's Development Committee, the national governing body for track, is encouraging elite distance runners to adopt the program. And athletes all over the world are finding innovative ways of putting the research into practice.

Benefits of High Altitude Training

Many athletes train at high altitudes to increase their red blood cell count, thereby improving oxygen delivery to muscles. At high altitude there is less oxygen in the air and so the amount of oxygen in the blood is reduced. In these conditions your kidneys secrete more of a hormone called erythropoietin (EPO), which causes the body to create more red blood cells. Now, the average life span of a red blood cell is 90 to 120 days, so many runners can train harder and perform better for several weeks after they return from a month-long stay at altitude.

The best altitude to create this condition is 8,000 feet, but while living at this elevation gives a boost to your red blood cells, it also makes it harder to do your best training. Easy, long runs are doable, but the thinner air makes it difficult to do intense speed work. Thus, the expression “Live high, train low.” Elevations of at least 8,000 feet are believed to be required for high-altitude living and below 4,000 feet for low-altitude training.

Studies of High Altitude Training

Studies with the men's cross-county team at Indiana University found that when runners who were living at altitude traveled down to about 4,000 feet or lower two or three times a week, they could better perform the faster, harder workouts that primed them for peak performance.

But the benefits of high-altitude training, which gives an even greater boost to red blood cells, are offset by the negatives, said Dr. Levine, who also is the director of the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas. Humans cannot fully compensate for the limited oxygen and therefore cannot train at their maximum ability, he said. As a result, the athletes lose muscle and their performances may suffer.

Risks of High Altitude Training

There are some other risks training in high elevations. For every 1,000 feet above 5,000 feet, your ability to perform work (like running, cycling) is diminished by 3%. Elevations of 8,000 feet will produce resting heart rate increases. At very high elevations (14,000+ ft) pulmonary and cerebral edema can set in.

Some runners at high elevations have experienced Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). Symptoms of AMS include severe headache, weakness, loss of appetite, insomnia, shortness of breath and vomiting, swelling of fingers and toes, and a hacking cough.

Tips for High Altitude Race Preparation

It is important to know what if you are planning a high elevation race or Ultra it is important to allow your body to acclimate to the high elevation slowly. Most climbers have learned to rest in the higher elevation 1 day for every 1,000 feet in elevation change above 5,000 fe before attempting a stressful workout.

If you can’t hang out a week or so before your race, train in elevation at least one day a week if possible. Here are some tips for you if you do not have the luxury of hanging out.

1. If you are racing, try to arrive at least a day early to minimize some of the negative effects of the thin air, sleeping disturbances and dehydration. Hydrate yourself well from the time you arrive. If you get in earlier start slow and stick with low to moderate intensity running for the first five days.

2. Be more conservative in your running because you will reach your anaerobic zone much faster at altitude, you need to start your race slower and build to race intensity over the first third. Once you get to your normal perceived effort, your times will still be six to 10 seconds slower per mile.

3. Dehydration naturally occurs at altitude, because the air is thinner and dryer. To compensate, try make sure and drink at least three liters (12 or 13 cups) of fluids per day.

4. Many people find it difficult to sleep at higher altitudes because their increased breathing rate makes it hard to get comfortable. So take short naps if you're tired and avoid caffeine and alcohol as they can interfere with sleep.

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