highest altitude track in the world?

Any track the Hampshire College track team is at will most defintely be "The Highest"

The track at Sierra Neveda - Southern Spain. Based at 2,500 metres, on the Pieco de Valeta (Sp?) Mountain range.

Built for those crazy Spanish distance runners in the early 80's. Rumour has it Cacho used to train there before the '92 Olympics.

I was in low 30 min shape for 10km when I was there. Don't think I could have run any quicker than a 6 min mile on the track. IMO it was far too high up to do any constructive sessions - either that or you needed to be up there for a very long period of time to acclimatise.

Absolutely stunning view from the side of the track though.

You are not supposed to do sessions when you are at that altitude. The concept is live/recover high and train/do hard sessions low. Get it, Got It, Good!

nc wrote:

In the boone, nc area there is a cinder track that's at 5,000+ altitude I believe...

Is your geography that bad? Where close to Boone is there a track at 5000 feet? Boone itself is only about 3500 feet.

Off the top of my head, I would say the highest in the US is the Air Force Academy and that is around 7000 feet.

Alamosa might be higher depending on where Adams State is.

Mexico City is a bit lower than the Air Force Academy--depending on where one is in Mexico City.

Ron O'Niell wrote:

theres a track in the Sierra Nevada region in Spain at about 2400m - over 7000 ft. Its the spanish altitude research centre or something.

Been there and ran on it. That is about right. Forgot all about it!

Is there a track in Quito, Ecuador?

Luv2Run,

"off the top of your head" you're wrong that the air force is the highest track in the U.S..

There are many high schools northwest of the Springs and west of Denver, straight up in the Rockies. Platte Canyon has a decent track, Conifer high school, Breckenridge and many others.

At one point the highest synthetic all weather track in the world was at Western State College, Colorado (7703ft). I'm 99% sure that it is still the highest track in the US. But as one previous poster said it is actually detrimental to train at that elevation. The optimal living altitude is between 5,500-7,500, but it is best to train as low to sea level as possible.

I'm telling you, there is an all weather rubber track at Cloudcroft, NM at 9600ft. It's right there in town, on the grounds of the elementary/Jr. high school.

Forget the highest altitude on Earth. I heard that Rexing trains on the moon. Then when he wants to do the live high train low, he will stay in his palacial estate on the moon ( in the Mons Agnes mountain range I believe) and train in Atlantis. Dude is the man, doesnt even wear oxygen as his VO2 max is godlike.

brotha man1 wrote:

Forget the highest altitude on Earth. I heard that Rexing trains on the moon. Then when he wants to do the live high train low, he will stay in his palacial estate on the moon ( in the Mons Agnes mountain range I believe) and train in Atlantis. Dude is the man, doesnt even wear oxygen as his VO2 max is godlike.

That's why China announced a plan to send a manned rocket to the moon last week. Get the inside scoop.

Actually the first guy is right. There is an old cinder track up near Grandfather Mountain. It\'s actually where they host the highland games and if you\'ve ever run \"The Bear\" then you\'ll remember running on the track since it runs through it about half way through the race. On a side note, if anyone is ever in Boone in the mid to late summer they should consider running this race. It\'s a 5 mile race that climbs to the top of Grandfather Mountain. The last 2 miles are hell, so its and awesome race.

How about Silvio Guerra?

... and Martha Tenorio was no slouch either.

LArunner wrote:

How about Silvio Guerra?

the cinder track on top of grandfather mountain is nestled in one of the most scenic areas of the appalachian mountains. definately worth checking out if you are in north carolina. also, this track is the finish line for the grandfather mountain marathon, probably one of the hardest US marathons out there.

like i said before, western state college and adams state college have the highest tracks in the US. well, maybe not the highest since some poster stated that there are several high schools that are above 9,000, but i doubt these are all weather rubberized tracks like at these two colleges.

does LSU have the lowest track in the US?

Actually, I believe that some of the New Orleans tracks are a little lower that LSU's. Most of New Orleans is around -5 feet, I believe.

Moody wrote:

Luv2Run,

"off the top of your head" you're wrong that the air force is the highest track in the U.S..

There are many high schools northwest of the Springs and west of Denver, straight up in the Rockies. Platte Canyon has a decent track, Conifer high school, Breckenridge and many others.

If we get into High schools, leadville has to be the highest in the state. They've got a track in one of the higher parts of the town and the town is at something like 10,520. I raced a duathlon up there, its frickin brutal. Second 10k of the race went out in like 20 flat and died to a 24 for the second 5k (Ive run 32 at sea level). Definetly one of the hardest places to run Ive ever been.

I ran on the track in Quito, Ecuador. It is a cinder track. Not too well maintained. A lot of folks walk around it in lanes 5 - 8.

I ran on a track in Silverton Colorado. About 9318 feet altitude. The track is essentially blacktop, not terrible. Legs started burning at 6:10 pace.

The one with the trees in the infield? =)

ultra wrote:

I ran on a track in Silverton Colorado. About 9318 feet altitude. The track is essentially blacktop, not terrible. Legs started burning at 6:10 pace.