You already know my position regarding the mileage. You question on altitude can be very interesting for white runners. I spoke about the argument in 3 different seminars, the first one was in Quito (Ecuador) in 1998 and was very important for me too, as I had the opportunity to think about something that normally we don't look for.
a) ARE ALL THE ALTITUDES THE SAME ?
There is a big difference between an altitude at Equator latitude, or at 45 degrees of latitude like, for example, in Italy in Sestriere.
You must think that the earth has a ROTATION around its axis that produces the CENTRIFUGAL FORCE. Due to this fact, the TROPOSHERE at the Poles is about 6.000m, because there there is not Centrifugal Force, while at the Equator is about 17.000m. This one is the first big PHYSICAL difference between the two types of altitude.
Secondly, you well know that trees are able to capture CO2 releasing O2. This means that if you are (at the same altitude) in a place with vegetation, the quantity of O2 is higher than in a place without vegetations. So, because in Europe vegetation finishes about 2000m, and in Kenya and Ecuador, for example, we can find it till 4.000m, it's easy to understand that the quantity of O2 in the air is very different. For instead, when some my Kenyan athlete (John Korir, Paul Kosgei, Robert Kipchumba) in 2001 came to run in Sestriere, they asked me : "How high is here ?" and when I answered that it was 2050m, they didn't think so, because their sensation was the same of 3000m in Kenya.
Another difference is the temperature. This is normally higher in Equator, so the level of humidity is a little bit higher than in Europe.
Another difference is, at the end, the type of courses.
In Kenya we have highlands where for a lot of km it's possible to run at the same level. In europe, only St. Moritz can have this type of situation, as all the other sites for altitude are on the Mountains, and it's very difficult to find some km. flat. In Sestriere, for example, athletes has to run continuously up and down. This can be good VERY FAR FROM THE COMPETITION, because you can have an improvement in your strength endurance at basic level, but YOU NEED LONG TIME for transforming this quality in something useful for top specific speed.
b) WHICH DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TRAINING IN ALTITUDE AND SEA-LEVEL ?
When you go for training in altitude, you have to be careful of the approach with your workouts : for the first week you have to use low mileage (may be twice a day) and low speed, increasing both every day (for ex., 40:00 + 40:00 at easy pace, then 45:00 + 45:00, then 50:00 + 50:00, then 1 hr + 40:00 moderate, and at the end of the week you must be able running, if you are a long runner, 1 hr + 1 hr at 90% of the speed that you use normally at sea level when you go for AEROBIC RESISTANCE). During the second week you can already do some more specific workout.
In any case, this is the normal rule :
a) SHORT DISTANCES (till 200m) : You can run faster than at sea level due to the reduces resistance of the air. When you use distances that don't produce very much lactate, you can also go for short recovery (4 sets of 4 x 60 or 80m sprint, for example). But, when you go for distances where the producing of lactate is evident, you must use longer recovery. An example of equivalence :
10 x 200m in 30.0 rec. 1:00 at Sea-level becomes 10 x 200m in 29 rec. 1:30 in altitude.
b) MEDIUM DISTANCES (till 600m) : For your training, you can use different solutions depending of the goal of your session.
1) If you want to work for LACTIC POWER : you can run a little bit faster (from 1 to 2 seconds) than at sea level, using two times the recovery time of SL (for ex, 600 + 500 + 400 rec. 12:00 at SL in 1:18 / 1:03 / 49 for a top class 800m runner, become 1:16 / 1:02 / 48 with 20:00 recovery)
2) If you want to work for LACTIC ENDURANCE : you use the same speed, using a recovery from 1 and half to 2 times longer (ex : 10 x 500 in 1:15 rec. 1:30 become 10 x 500 in 1:15 rec. 2:30).
c) LONG INTERVALS (till 3000m) : You have to reduce the speed, the first time that you go to altitude of about 3-5% for 1000m, 5-7% for 2000, 7-9% for 3000m (example :
3:00 becomes 3:06/3:08, 6:00 = 6:15 / 6:20, 9:00 = 9:25 / 9:35). After some time that you are in altitude, and after many times that you go, you can reduce this difference. The best Africans have a difference, in 3000m, of 2%, and on 10000m of 3%. A white runner can become able to run with differences very close these one.
d) LONG RUN : The difference depends on the intensity. When you run at a level of 2 mmol (that is the conventional Aerobic Threshold) the speed is almost the same (of course after the first period of adaptation). Faster you run, bigger must be the difference between the two speed SL and A for having the same result.
At the end, some advice :
1) A wrong use of Altitude Training can provoke problems lasting long time. Rememebre that the main effect is to increase the AEROBIC POWER. You don't do any mistake when you use a development in volume, maintaining a medium intensity, without using SHORT RECOVERY at good intensity speeds.
2) You can use more training of full speed and strength, because in altitude it's possible to have faster single motions improving the neuro-muscular system.
What about the competitions at SL ?
Normally, you have a very bad period when you go down, from the 3rd to the 7th day. This is what is in the literature. And in 50% of the cases, it's what really happens.
So, in order not to risk too much, I suggest these two solutions, with a very hiogh percentage of good result :
a) COMPETE during the first 48 hours after going down, if the weather is similar (for example, this solution is not so good if you go to compete in a very hot and humid site)
b) COMPETE after 15-20 days.
And remember : when you are able to run faster after 3 weeks, don't fear to lose the shape because you are no more in altitude, but USE YOUR BETTER LEVEL FOR TRAINING MORE both like volume and like intensity. That's the reason because we use many times Altitude Training in Winter periods, very far from the main Competitions.