High Altitude Racing Revisited

By Chris Harnish MS

  Of all the articles I have written over the past year, none garnered more inquiries than The Altitude Applecart. Due to the large number of contacts I received regarding this article, I felt it useful to revisit the subject and address some the questions I have received. If you have not read that first article, I strongly suggest you read it first before continuing with this article.

Question: What is the Applecart you describe?

Answer: A lot of people asked me this and what it came down to is too many graphics in the article. My original concept was to show a cart full of different apples representing the issues one faces regarding altitude. I eliminated that graphic, but the title stuck because it was catchy.

Question: How much of a disadvantage does competing/staying at 3000-7000 feet (~1000-2110 m) cause?

Answer: This is tough to answer, because each person is different as is their response. One way to find out is to travel to an area that has a climb that goes above 5000 feet. Many areas of the country are near some high altitude climbs. The idea here is to be mentally prepared for how you’ll respond, possibly driving to the top to spend some time and then heading down and climbing back up at and above lactate threshold. This will also give you an idea of how much you’ll be “hurt”. That said, expect to lose 10-20%.

Question: How can I prepare for a stage race held at altitude if I can’t acclimate?

Answer: Again, I think the previous answer is your best strategy if you cannot acclimate. You will also need to be more cognizant of your fluid intake because water losses are higher at altitude. Also keep in mind that the unacclimatized athlete produces more lactate at any given power output while at altitude which is indicative of greater glycogen (stored carbohydrate) use. This means that even relatively easy rides use more glycogen requiring an increase in carbohydrate consumption.

Question:How long will I need to spend at altitude to gain any real blood acclimatization and performance enhancement? What is the best strategy for acclimatization?

Answer: The latest research* indicates that it takes at least 12 hours a day for 3 weeks at an altitude (actual or simulated) of nearly 7000 feet. It also appears that living High and training Low (or with supplemental Oxygen) is the best protocol for enhancing performance. However, it is still unclear whether training at altitude or intermittent, short term severe hypoxia is of any benefit to performance. That said, the more time you have, the better. Moreover, it is better to stay at the altitude you plan to compete at, rather than a lower altitude – it goes without saying *Rusko H.K., H.O. Tikkanen, J.E. Peltonen. Altitude and endurance training. J Sports Sci. 22(10):928-45

These are just a few answers to many questions regarding altitude. If you have a specific question please feel free to contact me.

Chris Harnish, M.S. is an Exercise Physiologist and Coach living and working on Cape Cod. In addition to his coaching work with The Peaks Coaching Group, Harnish runs Tradewind Sports, which offers a variety of services including performance testing, training products and international racing opportunities. In 2004, Harnish ran New England’s top Junior Team, which included the top ranked New England Junior and qualified a rider for Junior Worlds. He is a Category 1 road cyclist with Colavita Racing and will be competing in the FBD Insurance Rás this May.