Altitude Training Tips And Tricks

Video Transcript:

Ever wonder how altitude affects your body; especially during aerobic exercise and what you can do to counteract some of the effects if you’re preparing for a race at altitude?

That’s the topic of our simply good brain bomb for today

First, let's break down what we mean by 'altitude'.

Altitude is classified into four zones. 5,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level is low altitude. 8,000 to 12,000 feet is high altitude. 12,000 to 18,000 feet is very high altitude. and18,000 feet and above is extremely high altitude.

Now there is a common misconception that there is less oxygen in the air at higher altitudes. This is simply not true.

Whether you're at the bottom of Death Valley or the top of Mount Everest, the percentage of oxygen in the air remains the same, approximately 21%. What changes is the partial pressure of oxygen.

As you ascend, the partial pressure of oxygen decreases, oxygen molecules become spread further apart, which in turn lowers the oxygen content of each breath one takes. This is where the term thin air comes from.

So, what happens to your body at altitude? You’ll notice a few things pretty quickly.Your breathing becomes faster as your lungs try to keep up.Your heart starts beating faster to increase the quantity of oxygenated blood in your body.Your blood becomes thicker due to the increase in red blood cells that will carry more oxygen. And last but not least you’ll pee more often and you may find yourself sleeping less.

However after anywhere from 3 weeks to three months at altitude your body starts to do some pretty amazing things to help you adapt to altitude. Your red blood cell count increases to carry more oxygen. Mitochondrial density, which helps produce energy, goes up. Capillary density increases, improving oxygen delivery to muscles. Your body also produces more EPO (erythropoietin), which stimulates red blood cell production. All these changes help your body adapt to the lower oxygen levels, enhancing your performance over time.

So, how can you counteract the effects of altitude if you have a race scheduled at altitude and you’re coming from sea level? Research suggests two strategies.

Option one is to arrive a day or two before the race to lessen the negative impact.Option two is to arrive about four weeks early to acclimate. During this time, your body undergoes the physiological changes we just mentioned before.

So, that’s it for today on how altitude affects your running performance. For more tips on training, nutrition, and supplementation visit www.simplygoodsupps.com.