Training at High Altitude: The Benefits, Drawbacks, and How to Adjust your Running Pace
Training at High Altitude: The Benefits and How to Adjust Your Running Pace
For many endurance athletes, training at high altitudes has become a staple to their training regimen and is often alluded to as a big reason for their performances on race days.
But why exactly?
The thin air at high altitudes presents a unique challenge to the body, forcing it to adapt and become more efficient in delivering oxygen to the muscles. Many athletes also travel to places of higher altitudes to enjoy the softer surfaces, hillier terrain, and quiet atmospheres that lead to a greater emphasis on training.
In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of training at high altitudes, how to properly adjust your running pace at different elevations, and provide tips for acclimating to altitude.
The Benefits of Training at High Altitude
By training at high altitudes, athletes can stimulate adaptations that can enhance their oxygen utilization and increase their endurance capacity.
This is why we see the influx of athletes travel to places like Flagstaff, Boulder, and Park City every year!
However, altitude training is not without its challenges, and athletes must take a careful and deliberate approach to ensure they are training safely and effectively.
One of the key physiological changes that occur during altitude training is an increase in the body's production of red blood cells. This is because, at high altitudes, the body is exposed to lower levels of oxygen, which stimulates the production of erythropoietin (EPO), a hormone that stimulates the production of red blood cells. Red blood cells are responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to the muscles, and an increase in their production can enhance an athlete's ability to utilize oxygen during exercise.
Another adaptation that occurs during altitude training is an increase in the concentration of capillaries in the muscles. Capillaries are the smallest blood vessels in the body and are responsible for delivering oxygen and nutrients to the muscles. By increasing the concentration of capillaries, the body is better able to deliver oxygen to the muscles during exercise, which can improve an athlete's endurance capacity.
In addition to these adaptations, altitude training can also enhance an athlete's ability to tolerate high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2). During exercise, the muscles produce CO2 as a byproduct of energy production.
At high altitudes, where the air is thinner, there is a reduced pressure of oxygen (O2), and, as a consequence, the pressure of CO2 increases. This increase in CO2 pressure can lead to an increased demand for ventilation to clear the CO2 from the body. By training at high altitudes, athletes can improve their ability to tolerate high levels of CO2, which can improve their exercise tolerance and overall endurance capacity.
However, altitude training is not without its challenges. One of the primary challenges (and benefits) of altitude training is the reduced availability of oxygen. At high altitudes, the air is thinner, which means there is less oxygen available to the body. This can result in decreased exercise performance at altitude, which can be frustrating for athletes who are accustomed to performing at a certain level.
While training at altitude has the potential to help you run faster when you return to sea level, it's important to make the proper adjustments at altitude so that you are training appropriately, and don't get yourself sidelined with burnout or injury.
Research has shown that athletes can experience a reduction in their exercise capacity of up to 10% for every 1000 meters above sea level after about 3000 feet!
For some, that can take the wind out of your lungs and cause considerable changes to previously normal running paces.
We will get more into the specifics of how to adjust for altitude in a later section.
At higher altitudes, it's also important for athletes to get regular blood work done.
Because of lower oxygen levels, there is a higher demand for iron which can result in iron depletion or anemia in certain athletes. Therefore, regular blood work is essential for monitoring iron levels and ensuring that athletes maintain adequate iron stores to support their physical activity and overall health.
Performance Research
There are many studies that have examined the effects of altitude on running performance. Here are some key findings:
Altitude training can improve running performance: A meta-analysis published in Sports Medicine in 2021 found that altitude training can lead to improvements in running performance, especially in endurance events. The authors noted that the benefits of altitude training may be due to increased oxygen delivery to the muscles, improved efficiency of oxygen utilization, and changes in muscle fiber type.
Acute exposure to high altitude can impair running performance: A study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology in 2010 found that runners who performed a 10-kilometer time trial at 3,454 meters above sea level (m.a.s.l.) had significantly slower times than when they performed the same trial at sea level. The researchers suggested that the slower times may have been due to reduced oxygen delivery to the muscles and increased lactate accumulation.
Moderate altitude exposure can improve running performance: A study published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine in 2015 found that runners who performed high-intensity interval training at 2,400 m.a.s.l. for four weeks had significantly improved running performance compared to those who performed the same training at sea level. The authors suggested that altitude training may have led to improvements in oxygen utilization and anaerobic capacity.
Altitude training may improve running economy: A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology in 2014 found that runners who performed high-intensity interval training at 2,500 m.a.s.l. for three weeks had improved running economy compared to those who performed the same training at sea level. The authors suggested that the altitude training may have led to changes in muscle fiber type and improved mitochondrial function, which could improve running economy.
Altitude training may not benefit all runners: A study published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine in 2018 found that some runners may not experience improvements in running performance after altitude training. The authors suggested that individual differences in physiological responses to altitude exposure may play a role in determining the effectiveness of altitude training.
Overall, while altitude exposure can pose challenges for runners, there is evidence to suggest that altitude training can lead to performance improvements. However, the optimal altitude and training protocol may vary depending on individual factors such as fitness level and genetic makeup.
How Altitude Affects Running Pace
While training at high altitudes can provide significant benefits, it is important to adjust your running pace to account for the effects of altitude. The decreased oxygen availability at high altitudes means that the body is forced to work harder to maintain the same pace as at lower elevations. As a result, running pace typically slows down as altitude increases.
Remember that frustration we mentioned earlier?
Dr. Jack Daniels, a renowned exercise physiologist, and running coach, has conducted extensive research on the effects of altitude on running performance. One study by running coach Dr. Jack Daniels found that runners slowed down by about 4 seconds per mile for every 1,000 feet of elevation gained over 3000 feet.
4000 feet = 4-5 sec/mile,
5000 feet = 8-10 sec/mile,
6000 feet = 12-15 sec/mile,
7000 feet = 16-20 sec/mile, 8000 alt = 20-25 sec/mile
It is important to note that these adjustments are not one-size-fits-all and may vary based on an individual's fitness level and altitude acclimation.
Some runners will be able to run closer to sea level times after a steady diet of altitude accumulation while other runners may find that their adjustments are considerably more.
The adjustments are also based on the type of running that you are doing. For longer, steadier runs like threshold or tempo runs, you may find your adjustment to be much greater than your shorter, faster runs like vo2 intervals or mile pace reps.
Tips for Acclimating to Altitude
Acclimating to altitude is an important aspect of training at high altitude. The body needs time to adjust to the lower oxygen levels and increased stress placed on the body.
Some expert coaches and athletes believe that it takes about 3 weeks to get the initial acclimatization to altitude. This 3-week mark is also considered a minimum for reaping the benefits of altitude.
However, while it takes 3 weeks for your body to acclimate, some runners believe they may not catch their stride or "get over the hump" until about 3 months post-exposure.
Being mindful of these adaptation periods will help ease your mind if you feel like your running is harder or not quite clicking like you want it to.
In addition to adjusting and adapting to the altitude, it is also important for endurance athletes to pay close attention to their nutrition and hydration while training at high elevations. The lower air pressure at high altitudes can lead to increased water loss through respiration and perspiration, making it easier for athletes to become dehydrated. It is recommended that athletes consume plenty of fluids, including water and sports drinks, to stay hydrated.
Furthermore, athletes training at altitude may also need to adjust their caloric intake to account for the increased energy expenditure associated with training at high elevations.
A study published in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance found that athletes training at altitude had a higher energy expenditure during exercise compared to those training at sea level, likely due to the increased work of breathing at higher elevations. It is therefore important for athletes to ensure they are consuming enough calories to meet their energy needs.
Another important consideration for athletes training at altitude is the potential for increased UV radiation exposure. At higher elevations, there is less atmospheric filtering of UV radiation, which can increase the risk of skin damage and sunburn. Athletes should be sure to apply sunscreen and wear protective clothing to reduce their risk of UV radiation exposure.
Conclusion
Training at high altitudes can offer numerous benefits to athletes, including enhanced oxygen utilization, improved endurance capacity, and increased tolerance for high levels of carbon dioxide.
However, one of the primary challenges of altitude training is the reduced availability of oxygen, which can lead to decreased exercise performance. To account for this, runners should adjust their pace accordingly.
According to Dr. Jack Daniels, a well-known exercise physiologist and running coach, runners should expect to slow down by approximately 4 seconds per mile for every 1,000 feet of elevation gained over 3,000 feet.
Moreover, altitude training can also have a positive impact on athletes' mental toughness and resilience, which can prove advantageous in competition.
Overall, athletes who train at high altitudes can stimulate adaptations that can enhance their performance and increase their endurance capacity.
Sources:
1. Wilber, R. L., & Holm, P. L. (2012). Effect of altitude on performance in endurance athletes: a review for the travel medicine practitioner. Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, 10(5-6), 259-269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmaid.2012.09.002
2. Stray-Gundersen, J., & Levine, B. D. (2008). Live high, train low at natural altitude. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 18(s1), 21-28. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2008.00831.x
3. Gore, C. J., Sharpe, K., Garvican-Lewis, L. A., Saunders, P. U., & Hahn, A. G. (2013). Altitude training and haemoglobin mass from the optimised carbon monoxide rebreathing method determined by a meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 47(suppl 1), i31-i39. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2013-092786
4. Hauser, A., Troesch, S., Saugy, J. J., & Schmitt, L. (2018). Influence of altitude training modality on performance and total haemoglobin mass in elite endurance athletes: a randomized controlled trial. Frontiers in Physiology, 9, 1537. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2018.01537
5. Stray-Gundersen, J., Chapman, R. F., & Levine, B. D. (2001). “Living high-training low” altitude training improves sea level performance in male and female elite runners. Journal of Applied Physiology, 91(3), 1113-1120. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.2001.91.3.1113