altitude training

[memphiscyclist]

I took a trip to Colorado this weekend and drove about 15,000 ft up into the mountains. At the summit I decided to get out of the car and take a picture. After walking for about 30 seconds I was immediately out of breath. It was really weird, especially since I am used to living at about 250 ft above sea level. Thing is, I saw guys climbing this mountain on their bikes all the way up at about 10,000 feet, or maybe even more. I really want to move to Colorado for various other reasons, but am curious how altitude affects riding performance. I have heard that the lack of wind resistance compensates for the lack of oxygen, at least as far as time trials are concerned, or for riding on relatively flat surfaces, but at what altitude does this no longer apply? There is zero wind resistance in the vacuum of space, but obviously you would not last more than 5 seconds on a bike! Also, I have heard that athletes will intentionally train at high altitudes many times so that when they come back down they are stronger. How does the body adapt specifically? I'm just wondering if I will not be able to push myself as hard at 5,200 feet (denver).

 

[VeloFlash]

The current belief with altitude training, subject to some dispute, is that you live high (2100m-3000m) but train at sea level.

Hence altitude tents and altitude houses.

So maybe living in the Rockies won't provide the altitude training benefits you expect unless you do a lot of travelling to sea level to train.

 

[Trekker2017]

It's easier to acclimate to the altitude if you start at the bottom of the mountain and cycle up. It's kind of like mountain climbers. The ones that hike to base came are always better off than those who are flown up. The ones who are flown up have to spend a couple of days acclimating to the altitude.

On my cross country trip when I crossed the rockies riding east to west, I hit the continental divide a mile higher than Denver. When I stopped to take a picture of my bike next to the Divide sign, a tour bus pulled up and everyone got out. A lot of the people on the bus quickly became lightheaded and nausious and had to get back on. A couple of them asked me how I could be cycling at that altitude. What they really asked was how I could breathe because I was also smoking a cigargette at the time. I decided to have some fun with them and in my best ***** Nelson voice told them I was just a tough old man.

 

[sheppard]

Training at high altitudes causes a specific thing to happen. The atmosphere has a lower percentage of oxygen, a fact that your body quickly discovers. The adjustment is made when your body realizes that blood oxygen levels are low; this is when erythropoietin is produced. It's a chemical that stimulates red blood cell production, and red blood cells basically carry the oxygen from your lungs to the muscles that need them. So training at high altitudes increases your red blood cell count. After 2-3 weeks, you'll notice an increased ability to tolerate work at the new elevation. Some athletes do this and then return to their prior elevation for the increased aerobic ability. As to the lack of wind resistance, that sounds a little fishy.... best of luck!