Is there any scientific or systematic way to convert the amount of miles one does at altitude, say 5000 feet or 7000 feet, to sea level?
Is there any scientific or systematic way to convert the amount of miles one does at altitude, say 5000 feet or 7000 feet, to sea level?
The formula is as follows:
1 mile @ 7000 ft = 1 mile @ sea level
There are time conversions used to grade races @ altitude, but distance is distance.
Of course the distance stays that same. I don't think I worded it properly. Running 85 miles a week at altitude is not the same as running 85 miles at sea level. What I am wondering is if running 100 miles at sea level is the same as running 85 miles at altitude?
Running 100 miles at altitude is the same as 100 at sea level.
A better way to ask this is:
Is there a way to tell how much more effort it takes to run the same mile time at a given altitude vs running it at sea level?
Now after reading this someone is going to say you can tell by going out and actually doing this.
Why is it important? YOU DON'T GET ANY MORE OUT OF RUNNING 100 MILES AT ALTITUDE THAN RUNNING 100 MILES AT SEA LEVEL. Just because it is more difficult to run at altitude, doesn't mean there are greater benefits. It is more difficult to run 100 miles in army boots but that doesn't make it better for you. Just tougher.
One thing you can do is look at what the NCAA does with altitude conversions. Granted their data points are at national qualifying race pace, but it should give you a decent sense of the "extra effort" required to run certain distances.
For example, at Air Force (Colorado Springs) which is at 7048 feet, they say that an 18:00 5k is about equal to 17:10 5k at sea level.
In Salt Lake City (4659 ft.), they equate a 17:35 5k to a 17:10 5k at sea level.
It's probably not exactly linear, but you can get a rough idea of the extra effort required at 5k or 10k pace. The slower your pace, the bigger the spread. I'd link you to the NCAA conversions but their web site looks messed up right now.....
I think you should just go by time and effort. So take 60 minutes easy at altitude = 60 minutes at sea level. Make whatever the difference in miles between the two your conversion. 10 miles at altitude isn't the same as 10 miles at sea level because at altitude you'd be running slower so it would talk longer.
RIP: D3 All-American Frank Csorba - who ran 13:56 in March - dead
RENATO can you talk about the preparation of Emile Cairess 2:06
Running for Bowerman Track Club used to be cool now its embarrassing
Hats off to my dad. He just ran a 1:42 Half Marathon and turns 75 in 2 months!
Great interview with Steve Cram - says Jakob has no chance of WRs this year