I like the idea of the altitude tent. If you can get cgerber to come by and fart in it, it helps even more.

Short periodic trips to altitude weeks and months before an event aren't going to help you acclimate.  They will be useful to gauging how your body tends to react to altitude, but the acclimatization doesn't last.

 

I lose a lot of acclimatization just visiting family in the midwest for a week or two.  And I live at 5500' and run up to 14,000' the other 50 weeks per year.

Yeah, the reason I suggested a couple weekends out in your world was just so he can get a feel for some real climbs at altitude. For a 1st timer it can be a rather rude awakening. If he has a good understanding of what to expect/what it feels like that's one less thing to worry about. Just knowing what to expect,embrace it, and run. Easy huh??

Almost 30 years ago I met my brother in law who lived in Fort Collins for some camping and running in Rocky Mtn. Nat'l park. THAT was a real wake-up call for me. 7-8 mile runs at that altitude with those climbs and that was enougth for this youngster. Didn't have hills like that in Wi. Pretty funny when I think back.

Let me add this, The leadville training camp, escaping to some remote location outside of Omaha to a higher elevation, or anything expensive or time consuming is out of the question, It is just something I cannot do. What I can and am forced to do is show up the day before the race and give it my 100 percent. I have from now until July 14th to prepare. I will do all the V02 training I possibly can, hell I will even try snorkel training if I can verify that it has helped others in my boat.

Have you done anything strenuous at altitude before? As someone who is quite sensitive to altitude, I would really suggest that you validate where you place on the altitude sensitivity scale. If you are as sensitive as I am, showing up at Leadville cold turkey could be very dangerous. This is not about force of will, giving it all, etc, etc. It is about water-filled lungs, and a brain that's trying to swell out of your skull.