By contrast, 1968’s Mexico City Olympic
marathon was held at an altitude of 2,200
metres. Ethiopia’s Mamo Wolde won in an
impressive time of 2:20 (and beating second
place by three minutes) yet was far behind the
then-2:09 world record.
As far as race PBs go, altitude kills. But for
the same reason some might travel to such
locations for the guaranteed challenge. For
reference, anything above 1,500 m is consid-
ered “ high altitude,” while above 4 ,500 m
leads to impaired mental function. Most
bodily adaptations peak around 3,000 m.
Elites go to great lengths to train at mid-
range altitudes. Locations such as the Rift
Valley, Kenya (1,800 m), Flagstaff, Ariz.
(2,100 m), or Boulder, Colo. (1,600 m) are
some popular training destinations.
The reason for these excursions is to
encourage the body’s adaptations to low
oxygen environments; hemoglobin is
produced in larger quantities after weeks
of exposure. It’s debatable how great of an
advantage runners obtain when returning
back to sea level, but the adaptations while
up there are real. Were someone transported
from sea level to extreme altitude without
a proper transition they would immedi-
ately pass out. This is why ascents of Mount
Kilimanjaro (5 ,895 m) take up to eight days.
If you are seeking a challenging place to
train or race, there are several interesting
spots to visit. For example, Bolivia has
quite a few high-altitude cities including
El Alto, where over a million people live
above 4 ,100 m. Meanwhile Juliaca, Peru, is
3,800 m in the air, while Lhasa, China is a
comparable at 3,500 m. Quito, Ecuador, at
2,850 m, is the highest capital city in the
world. Among races to choose, the Inca
Trail Marathon, with an average elevation
of 3,100 m, is a tough challenge. For the
ultimate altitude race experience consider
the Mount Everest marathon, which starts
at a staggering 5 ,200 m. Or try the Jungfrau
Marathon, Switzerland, which starts at
600 m but climbs dramatically to a moun-
tain peak finish of 2,061 m. Some races are
f latter, but start high, such as Yellowstone’s
Ha lf, at 2 ,000 m. A lit t le closer to home, t he
Canmore Half-Marathon begins at a modest
1,300 m, while Calgary’s marathon is quite
f lat but still at 1,050 m altitude.
One last reason to consider visiting
high-altitude locations is their lower mean
temperatures and humidity, which are
both excellent for an enjoyable run. And
not to mention in choosing any of these
places you are more or less guaranteed a
fantastic view.Graydon Snider is an atmospheric physicist living
and running in Montreal.Running
High Up
Why and where elites
train at high altitude,
and why you should
give it a try, too.T
here are plenty of things that make going for a run
challenging: wind, rain, extreme cold, or uneven
terrain to name a few. Most are hard to quantify, but one
notable challenge is an exception: high altitude running.
No matter how nice a day, higher elevations yield less
atmospheric oxygen, and lower oxygen saturation levels
in the blood. Typically close to 99 per cent at sea level,
oxygen saturation goes down as you go up.
A 1991 research paper by Francois Peronnet cond-
ucted a theoretical analysis on running performance at
altitude, and estimated that a 2,000 m elevation would
decrease your speed by 6 per cent, while 4 ,000 m leads
to a whopping 20 per cent handicap. The rarified air
near the tip of Mount Everest’s 8,800 m contains only
one third of the oxygen found at sea level. Here, blood
oxygen saturation, even in adapted individuals, is only
about 60 per cent. Few people at this height would
contemplate running at all.
Distance records are never set at elevation. Berlin, Paris,
By Graydon Snider New York and Chicago marathons are all close to sea level.Everest MarathonEl Alto, BoliviaIMPARED MENTAL FUNCTION BEGINSHigh-Altitude Places and Races
Juliaca, PeruLa Paz, BoliviaInca Trail Marathon, PeruMammoth Lakes, Calif.Park City, UtahSafaricom Lewa Marathon, Kenya
Albuquerque, N.M.OXYGEN BLOOD SATURATION (%) IN ACCLIMATIZED INDIVIDUALS751,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,0004,5005,0005,50080 85 90 95 100ALTITUDE (m)Mexico CityLeadville 100, Colo.Flagstaff, Ariz.Mount Laguna, CalifBoulder, Colo.
Bozeman, Mont.Calgary Marathon20 Canadian Running November & December 2016, Volume 9, Issue 7Warren Wheelerrunning the numbers