I'm running a half in Feb. I can run a 1:35-1:37 here at 7k feet.. I keep hearing it's REALLY noticable by people around here who have raced at lower elevations.. Should i be able to do like , 1:25?
I'm running a half in Feb. I can run a 1:35-1:37 here at 7k feet.. I keep hearing it's REALLY noticable by people around here who have raced at lower elevations.. Should i be able to do like , 1:25?
I ran a big half pr after four months at 5200 ft and it felt ridiculously easy. In fact, I could have gone out quite a bit faster. I did not realize that I really could have kept up a much faster tempo. Race pace was maybe 5:45 and at altitude I had recently managed 6:11 pace for 11 miles.
I lived and trained at 10,000 feet all through high school. We would race at other places, varying from about 8500 feet to 5000 feet. I used to say the 5000 feet was worth about 20 seconds a mile-but that was for 1 and 2 mile races. As an adult, I've lived at 5000 feet-and raced half and full marathons at both higher and lower altitudes. I think the impact of altitude on longer races-where you're well off VO2 max levels of pace is less than shorter races-In a marathon, I'd say 10 or 15 seconds a mile for a 5000 foot drop for a 3 and change hour scrub like me. No way is it 50 or 60 seconds a mile, which is what you're postulating.I have a good buddy who ran 2:24 on a flat course in Colorado Springs (which is 7000 ish feet) for a full marathon-in the same era he could run 2:17 at sea level. Seven minutes over 26 miles is remarkably close to 15 seconds a mile.Your 1:35 up high is 1:32 at sea level, maybe 1:31.
damy wrote:
I'm running a half in Feb. I can run a 1:35-1:37 here at 7k feet.. I keep hearing it's REALLY noticable by people around here who have raced at lower elevations.. Should i be able to do like , 1:25?