Training To Race At Altitude By The Running Project

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Racing at altitude brings up some interesting questions as to how you might be able to perform your body might actually be compromised. When I recently ran a marathon in Mt Charleston in Las Vegas, although at the time, I didn't think much of it, there was a definite extra effort that I needed to make to continue at my race pace. The race started at 2300m and continued downhill. It wasn't until I reached the halfway point in the race that I felt comfortable and was able to run at a pace that felt easy.

What Happens To Your Body At Altitude

High altitude is considered to be anything over 1500m, but some suggest that athletic performance can be compromised by as little as 600m. The specific effects to your body include:

• An increase in heart rate and respiratory rate - At initial exposure to altitude, your body will try to get more oxygen in to the body and expel more carbon dioxide.
• An increase in red blood cells - After four or five days, you body will have about 30 to 40 percent more red blood cells than when you did at sea level.
• Dehydration - High altitude is usually combined with dry air. Combine this with the higher breath rate, this leads to dehydration.
• The body redistributes blood through the body to vital organs - Due to a decrease in the amount of oxygen, the body will distribute blood away from digestive organs and more to vital organise like the brain, heart and lungs.

So How Can You Prepare For High Altitude Without Acclimatization

The best preparation for a race at high altitude would mean spending some time at altitude to make sure you are acclimatized and ready to perform at this altitude, but this isn't always something you can do. So what are somethings you can do to prepare yourself before you race.

WARNING - Some of the items below may be a little controversial, especially the Sauna and High Carb/Low Carb discussion

Hydration and Calories

Make sure your hydrated before you get to high altitude as it's going to be harder for your to stay hydrated while you are at altitude. Increase your calorie intake if you are planning on staying at altitude for a while as your base metabolic rate will increase at altitude. It may be work taking an iron supplement in the lead up to your race at altitude as it may be a good way to support your body. Also taking an echinacea supplement may also help improve your bodies ability to transport oxygen.

High Carb or Low Carb

This is one of the controversial topics as a lot of people don't want to change from what they are already eating. One thing you need to remember when fueling is that using fat as fuel requires more oxygen than using carbs. The following article provides interesting research on the subject. It suggests that carbohydrates can supply 15% more energy for the same amount of oxygen compared to fats.

HIIT Training

We know the benefits of HIIT training, but it can also help the body get ready to deal with the stress of limited oxygen levels at higher altitude.

Spending Time In A Sauna

Another controversial discussion, but some people suggest spending time in a sauna to help with the acclimatization of high altitude. I have had trouble finding specific research comparing heat training to altitude training, but spending 20 to 30 minutes in a sauna after training will help the body produce its own EPO, increase plasma volumes, and improve endurance. The following article goes into an in depth discussion on how to implement a heat training plan.

Now over two years ago, a pic of me running Ironman New Zealand

About the Author
Hey I'm Vince, an Aussie living in New Zealand, trying my best to make the most of the time I have. I work as a Software Engineer but love to run and all aspects of it, including geeking out on the latest science to help get the most out of my body.

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