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Have any of you noticed any differences after spending a week or two training at altitudes from 5500 ft and up? I'm going to be in Albuquerque for a week and a half and while there will be running quite a bit. I've been there once before and while there, I ran up on the Sandia peak (10 or 11,000 ft). It was a tiring, but great run. I'll be racing in a sprint the day after I get back (close to sea level). This wasn't planned or anything, just the way the schedule worked out. It got me wondering though if there will be any benefits to spending time running at these altitudes. Anybody have any comments?
(btw, the race is the Mach Tenn tri in Tullahoma TN)
Have fun in Albuquerque. I live at 4500 ft. and often run and bike at 6000-7000 ft. (I have a cabin at 6600 feet), but I've never raced at sea level. When I travel to sea level (which I do a couple times a year), I always run, but I never know exactly the distance, so I don't know whether I run better or not.
So without much personal experience but having done some reading on the matter, I would say this: There will definitely be some slight benefit, but it's probably not enough for you to detect any difference physiologically, but it might be enough to detect a difference psychologically. You can say, "Hey, I've trained at altitude, I'm a better athlete!" Big psychological boost.
Best wishes, and good luck in your sprint.
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Do not take counsel of your fears.--Andrew Jackson
I'd have to agree with the last post - if anything it'll hurt you. I live at 8000 feet and do all my training up here. There may be some benefit of long term training at altitude (debatable) but the current american record holder in the marathon lives here - plus both the 15 K cross-country national champs live and train here (one is the marathon record holder). But I don't see any benefit to short term training at altitude.
You'll only be at altitude for a few weeks - not enough time to get the epo-like effects. Plus you'll be up at altitude long enough that you'll have renal compensation to the hyperventilation and you'll dump bicarb in your urine - so when you return to sea level - you'll have less bicarb in your blood and won't be able to buffer lactic acid as well (bad in a sprint race). Plus altitude is a stress on the system - not good right before a race. You won't be able to train as well at altitude since you won't be used to it - so you won't be able to do quality speed work in preparation for your sprint.
All that being said - if you have a good base and you take your training real easy at altiitude I doubt it will affect you too much. If you're going - just take it real easy - drink tons of fluid and don't stress. You'll race well once you're back.
Just my thoughts.....