Moving to La Paz for altitude training

If you want to know if there are a lot of runners in a certain area, try this: https://labs.strava.com/heatmap/#4.28/-67.49819/-9.25640/blue/run

Booked my flight to Santiago for Friday. I want to visit San Pedro de Atacama to see if i like it. If i don't after Christmas i'll go and see Toluca. I'm just thrilled

Curiouslyseriously wrote:

Booked my flight to Santiago for Friday. I want to visit San Pedro de Atacama to see if i like it. If i don't after Christmas i'll go and see Toluca. I'm just thrilled

Great news. Keep us posted.

Mike Rozzi wrote:

If you want to know if there are a lot of runners in a certain area, try this:

https://labs.strava.com/heatmap/#4.28/-67.49819/-9.25640/blue/run

Cool map. How ironic to see East Africa, runnings source, so dark.

I guess they don't use Strava too much and are focused on running over there . Just ran today 23 miles ar 5:54 pace, first long run in a while.

I am honestly intrigued by how you do and how much you improve. Keep this thread up to date with your training, or maybe start a blog detailing your training and experience!

Thanks. I never thought i would get a lot of support, it motivates me even more. This month i'll definitely be really busy from friday onwards. However, i will keep this thread up to date and if you want i can give you an insight of my training. I hope it all goes well, i'll invest a hell lot of money. In the end i want to be at peace and not having to think of ' what if's '. I want to be an inspiration. If i can succeed than any decent talented guy willing to totally commit can do it.

Im also very interested in how this all plays out for you and I wish you all the best! Like others have said, it would be really cool if you could update this thread on your progress and maybe your thoughts on each place you visit as potential training bases. I think a blog, or if you were ambitious and have the time, energy and some basic equipment (even a camera on a phone would do at first) a vlog would be very well supported/read/watched by those of us that have day dreamed of doing something as audacious as this. I think it would be more compelling than a typical runner's blog/vlog because it would give insights into areas that not many North American or European athletes have experienced and would have and element of real adventure. It could also be something that could help you find a sponsorship if you do end up progressing close to the level you have stated as being your goal. Also, would you be comfortable disclosing your name? That way we could track your results if you didnt feel like doing any of that stuff. Thanks, and good luck!

Thank you. Of course i would like to share my experience with others. I will write a diary and keep this thread posted. After this hectic period ends, in January i might do this, i am not into vlogging or so but i think a youtube channel would do. This whole idea is yet experimental and i don't want to put too much pressure on me. I don't want to be a media star, i am humble and i want my legs and heart to do the talking. I want to run a fast marathon at the end of spring and break 2:15-16 at first. At that point i would know i'm on the right path and it works, so i can make my project public. When i posted this thread i was only looking for advice and i didn't expect this interest, but i enjoy it very much. For now, it's time for me to sleep after a night shift (last one). I need rest before today's later run and the 10 hour flight on Friday.

Also any advice for a fast spring marathon(april-may) that still allows new entries would be welcome.

Curiouslyseriously wrote:

Thank you guys for your honest opinions. I can say that Real De Catorce looks appealing to me but i have some questions. Doesn't it get too hot during summer? Also, are there more flat trails without rocks? In the video i saw a lot of trails filled with rocks and +10% incline.

I spent only 2 days in Real de Catorce so I don't know pretty well the area but I know there is at least one trail which can allow you a bit of speed /tempo workout, it's not entirely flat there is some loops and short climbs (Iten like) but that's it. It's the trail you see at 2:00 in the video. The trail is almost 4miles long.

Regarding the climate, it can be pretty cold during the morning night, when I was there it was a bit hot after 11am but not that much, I doubt the temperature reach the 85 F considering the altitude.

Thanks for your insight, much appreciated. I did another 23-miler at 6:33 pace this time as tomorrow is a rest day as i go to Santiago. Time to finish packing and nap a bit.

Less than an hour until i leave, 12 hour flight + 1200km with a bus afterwards. Wish me luck, my back will surely need it.

Not to be mean to Bolivians, Peruvians, or Ecuadorians, but if you're going to be spending years somewhere, you should go to a place with attractive women. Some people already mentioned what I was thinking when they talked about Mexico and Colombia.

Mexico: I went there to climb the volcano Izta in May. I didn't make it. But there were a high level Mexican runner couple there who were training for a couple of weeks. It seemed like a really nice place, if you look it up. I wonder if you could go there to the hut and stay and run two weeks or a month at a time. I didn't go to Toluca, but I heard of it.

Colombia: Bogota is pretty busy with cars. Not ideal, but you've got the altitude. And it's always cool weather. Like Mexico, they close certain parts down on Sunday morning so people can run and bike. They've got a big park in the middle of the city. The countryside seems very green and runnable, if you have a car.

And there's Medellin, which people say is really nice. Not sure about the running. This is one of the first things that came up for running Medellin.

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=6165707

Update : Just got on a bus to Antofagasta and i'm tired as hell. So far so good, people are quite kind and a lot of them have pretty good english. Santiago seemed like a pretty nice and big capital. And now we're on the panam highway. Overall Chile seems better than expected.

Marius Bakken went to La Paz to train. He ended up severely overtrained.

I'm some 350 km away from Antofagasta. I'll probably arrive at midnight or so. Few guys on the bus were really polite and willing to help, i'll stay at a small hotel overnight and sleep like a king for at least 10 hours. Tomorrow i'll rent a car and finally get to San Pedro de Atacama. Cheers and have a good day guys.

I'm a retired guy in my 70's, thinking of moving to Mexico and am watching this thread. If it's okay to ask, let me know your opinions about retiring in either Guadalaja or someplace around Lake Chapala. From what I've seen from afar, small towns around LC are more quiet, but might not have suitable roads, sidewalks or trails for walking or running. Let me know your input if possible. Thanks

Guadalajara is a big and pretty hectic city. However you have acces to many things there and in some parts of the city is definitely more peaceful. Laguna de Chapala is a beautiful area, also, at more than 6000 feet, it's no joke. Towns like Chapala or San Juan de Cosala which are at the base of the Sierra San Juan de Cosala which climbs at 8000+ are more running friendly.