| Doug E. |
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Any ideas on how to prepare for a X-Country race @ altitude, when you are training at sea-level? I know that a lot has been written about the opposite way, but I'm curious about this way. |
| sjc |
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you and me are in the same boat. i'm racing the winter xc nats in boulder and i live at sea level. i'm not sure there is much you can in the way of training. i have read that if you have to race at altitude when training at sea level it is best to race the first day or two at altitude. in other words, don't spend a week at altitude before the race because it can make you feel tired and worn out. get to the race either 1 day before or on race day if you can. |
| Guppy |
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Does anyone think it's a little unfair to have nationals in Boulder? I mean, I live at altitude and now stand a much better chance in the junior mens, but I don't feel right beating guys who are faster than me just because of where the race is held. |
| sjc |
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there's another thread on this i think but yes it is a bit unfair to have a national/international meet at altitude. it puts the sea level runners at a considerable disadvantage unless he/she has an altitude tent. even then you still are not training at altitude just "living." the only other option is to pick up and move to altitude which is extremely unfeasible for a large majority of runners. if you live at altitude i guess you should do your best to take advantage of the situation. |
| hardset nipples |
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I think this has been hashed out previously here, but it's an illogical choice, apparently money/patronage spoke louder than logic. It does give an unfair advantage to those who can train at altitude over those who can't. This doesn't seem to be in the best long-term interests of runners throughout the country. USATF is supposed to serve all of the sport's athletes, both elite and developing, not just those who have enough income or time to be able to get an altitude tent or spend time at altitude for training. What could possibly be enticing for a runner based exclusively at low altitude about going to race up at a mile high in February against runners who are acclimated to the thin air? Hansons are right, USATF is dysfunctional. |
| Doug E. |
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Let's try another angle on this question... What training would best help me prepare for this course? |
| Syd Sarcastic |
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Talk to your coach (Rubio). He is a sea level guy. |
| AH |
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I can't give advice on training for it....nothing you do is really going to prepare you for it. You can't make altitude-induced blood changes at sea level without a tent. I did race the Marathon Relay Championships in Denver last spring, so I will say to be extremely conservative when you go out. The altitude will not hit you in the first mile or maybe two, but then it'll bit you mid-race if you didn't go out very conservatively. Your HR gets a lot higher without the perceived effort (the lack of altitude conditioning more than makes up for the lack of perceived effort). |
| jtupper |
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Sea-level residents do not have a chance in the altitude race unless you are about 10 or 15 seconds per mile better than any altitude-trained runners you may compete against. It is interesting that the year the Worlds are to be held in Kenya, the US Trials will be at altitude, apparently to prepare for the upcoming sea-level race in the heat and humidity of a Kenyan sea port. Best way to prepare, if you are a sea-level resident would be to spend 3 or 4 weeks at AL in December, go down for a week, back to AL for a couple weeks, back to SL for a week and back to Boulder the day before the race. But even then you must have had a few race efforts at AL during your time up there or you are at a competitive disadvantage. A practical solution may be to encourage the race organizers to add a 4k to the program (not to make a team, because that distance doesn't exist anymore at Worlds), just to allow others to experience altitude racing -- altitude trained or not. |
| RiftRunner |
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Jack, could you explain the rationale behind your AL/SL/AL/SL/AL strategy please ? In particular why the two one week stays at sea level - what would the training focus be during those periods ? Thanks |
| jtupper |
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email jack.daniels@nau.edu |
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