Forums >General Running>Advice for high altitude run
I am traveling on business this week in Santa Fe, NM - I live in Greenville, SC.
I am going to run a few times there but the altitude is 7500 feet and I am used to about 500-1000 feet. I know the lack of oxygen will be rough, but anyone else have any tips for running in high altitude?
Don't carry 10,000 songs in your hand...protect them...
The "stiff" one works best for me...
Honorary Old
You should be fine within a couple days of arriving, its once you've been there 3 or more days that it sucks your will to live. I live at about 1500' and recently visited my inlaws at 7200'. The day after I got there I ran 3 miles with slightly more effort than normal. 2 or 3 days later I tried the exact same course and I only made it .75 miles before turning around because I was sucking wind so bad. I went to the community gym for some ST and even that sucked.
2 Mile: 17: 11 5k PR: 27:45 5 Mile: 44:11 10K: 59:01 Half: 2:15:59 Marathon: 5:50:07
Take it easy. Your paces will be slower for the same effort. Stay hydrated. TUMS are good for nausea. Remember to breathe.
"Shut up Legs!" Jens Voigt
Thanks. I lived there about 15 years ago but that was pre-running days. I sure know about the hydration there and sucking wind. I'll just go out and do it and see what happens!
Come run pisgua mt 6400' Only about an hour from Greenville. I ran pisgua before I went out west. Even at 8-9000' it didn't bother me .
You will feel a little dizzy over 5000' but its good to get used to that feeling.
I live in Hendersonville NC. Come run with me.
Just a dude.
I am traveling on business this week in Santa Fe, NM - I live in Greenville, SC. I am going to run a few times there but the altitude is 7500 feet and I am used to about 500-1000 feet. I know the lack of oxygen will be rough, but anyone else have any tips for running in high altitude?
May not be an issue for you, but watch the sun. Use more sunscreen than you are used to.
I recommend starting your runs slower than you are used to and working from there. If you feel good and the altitude doesn't bug you, then run faster the second half. That's way better than going out normal, running out of oxygen, and just trying to survive the last half...
Also, do some strides/sprints for grins. You may love the thin air for that...
-Kelly
Getting back in shape... Just need it to be a skinnier shape...
Feeling the growl again
Run at a slower pace than you are used to, and it shouldn't really suck. What people often do is go out and try to run at their typical pace....and it works for awhile....until it doesn't. You don't feel the difference right away. So ease into it.
Quite a number of years ago I went to the inaugural Colfax Marathon in Denver to run the USATF marathon relay championships. My buddy who ran the first leg said that right at the mile you could tell who came from sea level and who was from altitude....everyone from sea level suddenly hit an unexpected wall and all those from high altitude kept going. But he said that right up until it sucked he had not felt the difference in effort.
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
just run
Come run pisgua mt 6400' Only about an hour from Greenville. I ran pisgua before I went out west. Even at 8-9000' it didn't bother me . You will feel a little dizzy over 5000' but its good to get used to that feeling. I live in Hendersonville NC. Come run with me.
How about I run north and you run south and we'll meet in the middle!!
Paris Mt. is not high enough. You have to get above 5000' before you feel it. Green River Cove Rd is a great run between us but its not high enough but you can tube & run.
I'll have to check these out, I have been such a sheltered runner running locally unless I travel!
400 miles of trails 20 miles from my house. Check out Laurel Mt, Art Lobe, pilot mt-slatey rock trails.
http://www.hikewnc.info/trailheads/pisgah-national-forest/
If I lived in Greenville I would love to train in the FIRST program. They test your HR & VO2 during training so you can see your improvement.
http://www2.furman.edu/sites/first/Pages/default.aspx
You know I saw that in RunnersWorld on the plane trip out here. Looks really cool.
BTW, ran 7 miles this morning here at 7500 feet. First 3 miles was a bit tough, but the last 4 was easier. I actually ran a bit faster than I normally do?
Trying to run in higher altitude than what you are used to can be quite difficult, making it harder for you to breathe. So you'll have to run by effort and make it as your guide. Begin to run slowly as your body may behave differently at higher altitudes. If you feel good after few hours of running, then you can increase your effort and slowly build your intensity.