PREP FOR HIGHER ALTITUDE

[mjbwarrior]

I'm posting theis in the general discussions because I'm not sure where it fits.

Training question... not SFAS related however will have some similarities.

I will be going to some higher altitudes, most likely nothing less than 3000ft. I am in the south east so no way to train higher. Sea level is it as far as training alt. I ruck, I run, I lift, I train. Does anyone have any advice on how to prepare for ruck and run events that will be at a higher altitude? High enough that it will affect my performance. Other than rucking harder/longer, running harder/longer?

Feel free to move this if you feel it should be in another section.

Thanks

[Pete]

You live near sea level. Hard to overcome that with natural means.

Train hard with cardio stuff and rucking.

To see how it all impacts you spend the next few 4 day weekends running up to the AT and do some of the ups and downs. Pick some of the larger elevation changes - and don't be surprised if a little slip of a girl trots right past you.

[Snaquebite]

google "elevation training mask"

[PedOncoDoc]

I'm posting theis in the general discussions because I'm not sure where it fits.

Training question... not SFAS related however will have some similarities.

I will be going to some higher altitudes, most likely nothing less than 3000ft. I am in the south east so no way to train higher. Sea level is it as far as training alt. I ruck, I run, I lift, I train. Does anyone have any advice on how to prepare for ruck and run events that will be at a higher altitude? High enough that it will affect my performance. Other than rucking harder/longer, running harder/longer?

Feel free to move this if you feel it should be in another section.

Thanks

Relocate 2 weeks prior to the event. It takes time for the body to increase 2,3 Bisphosphoglycerate (which increases the capability of red blood cells to hold on to oxygen at higher alititudes so it can be better delivered to tissue such as muscle) and hemoglobin which both help the body acclimate to altitude.

A good friend was training here in the Midwest for a run that was a continuous ascent in Colorado. Regardless of how much he trained, he could not catch his breath through the run and had to walk a large portion of it.

[MR2]

Is blood doping still viable? i.e. infusing a unit of packed cells.

[bubba]

3K is not all that big of a deal. If you are in decent shape (13ish 2 miler / 3 hour 12 miler) then you prolly won't even really notice after about 12-24 hours. Above 5k it really starts and above 10K can be deadly if you are not acclimatized. Anything other than being in decent fighing shape will not really do anything for you because of the physiological changes that need time (and only time will work really). PT at altitude seemed to help me whenever I went up, but I don't know if it was more psycological for me than physical....... Just the .02 of an old mountaineering instructor........

[Guymullins]

The biggest city in SA is Johannesburg, where I live. The altitude here is about 6000ft.Sporting teams from our coastal cities often compete here, so time of arrival is important. Here are some research findings on the subject.
http://www.sportsscientists.com/2010/06/altitude-arriving-and-adapting/

[T-Rock]

. Is blood doping still viable? i.e. infusing a unit of packed cells.





Unless you can afford to sleep in an altitude tent, or EPO, Its a viable option, the natural way... Seriously :D


Iron supplement, vit c, and protein:
http://www.hammernutrition.com/knowledge/diet-for-increasing-your-natural-epo.280.html?sect=endurance-library-section

Race day boost:
http://www.hammernutrition.com/knowledge/diet-for-increasing-your-natural-epo.280.html?sect=endurance-library-section

Carbo loading:
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/mobile/Article.html?articleId=1023

Caffeine:
http://www.cptips.com/caff.htm

[mjbwarrior]

Thanks for the info to all,

let me say this... I dont know yet exactly where it will take place so when I say 3000ft thats at a minimum for the area where I know it will take place. The max could go up to 6k or so. That said I hope its at the lower end of the range.

Elevation mask... heard about them and bought something similar last year, BAS RUTTEN'S O2 TRAINER... nothing but mixed reviews on these types of products and the validity of the claims on what they do. It does help the strength of the pull of my lungs, makes workouts harder but harder workouts when doing less may not really be a benefit because I am not pushing myself to my true point of exhaustion so I never push past that wall in a workout when using the device...

EPO as in Lance Armstrong illegal drugs... or is there some other legal EPO that I am unaware of? Blood doping etc... HAHA I dont think there is a legal means of either. If I said I didn't think about it I would not be telling the truth. That said I have heard that they can be dangerous.

[mjbwarrior]

T-ROCK good info on increasing EPO naturally, I stand corrected

[PedOncoDoc]

Thanks for the info to all,

let me say this... I dont know yet exactly where it will take place so when I say 3000ft thats at a minimum for the area where I know it will take place. The max could go up to 6k or so. That said I hope its at the lower end of the range.

Elevation mask... heard about them and bought something similar last year, BAS RUTTEN'S O2 TRAINER... nothing but mixed reviews on these types of products and the validity of the claims on what they do. It does help the strength of the pull of my lungs, makes workouts harder but harder workouts when doing less may not really be a benefit because I am not pushing myself to my true point of exhaustion so I never push past that wall in a workout when using the device...

EPO as in Lance Armstrong illegal drugs... or is there some other legal EPO that I am unaware of? Blood doping etc... HAHA I dont think there is a legal means of either. If I said I didn't think about it I would not be telling the truth. That said I have heard that they can be dangerous.

Erythropoietin (EPO) is synthetic form of a hormone the body naturally makes to increase red blood cell production. It is a perfectly legal drug we often give to patients receiving chemotherapy for cancer, or who don't naturally make this compound due to advanced kidney disease - using it to enhance athletic performance is illegal in many professional/competitive circles.

[mjbwarrior]

Erythropoietin (EPO) is synthetic form of a hormone the body naturally makes to increase red blood cell production. It is a perfectly legal drug we often give to patients receiving chemotherapy for cancer, or who don't naturally make this compound due to advanced kidney disease - using it to enhance athletic performance is illegal in many professional/competitive circles.

Exactly... I have researched it and what I mean to say is a guy like myself using it to get an advantage during selection or a similar type of course in the Army would be a no-go, not to mention obtaining it legally would be difficult.

[Golf1echo]

For the race I used to put on at elevations between 2600'-4500' I would recommend stair training and stretching to the folks coming from the coast. If this is in the South East you are likely to encounter elevation changes, some may be steep, in your event...

Are you drinking water right now ;)

[Sinister]

Try doing more stair work.

I often brought ODAs from Fort Lewis (close to sea level) to here in the Rockies (4500-10,000 feet) and the difference is immediately noticeable. You'll have to keep up with PT to get acclimated.

[mjbwarrior]

For the race I used to put on at elevations between 2600'-4500' I would recommend stair training and stretching to the folks coming from the coast. If this is in the South East you are likely to encounter elevation changes, some may be steep, in your event...

Are you drinking water right now ;)

copy. stretching, drinking water

[twistedsquid]

Dude. 3000 feet is nothing to really worry about. Physiologically speaking.

[Lan]

Here's some inspiration.

Don Bowie (http://movzap.com/xbrqv32o0zvz.html)