[pct-l] Re: training at elevation

[msarahm at cox.net (Sarah M)]

Funny, the rule I've heard for years is "climb high, sleep low".  It has a similar ring to it, but a very different meaning.  Perhaps what Wayne means by training doesn't apply to general acclimatization.

"Climb high, sleep low" is a mountaineering rule for acclimating.  Your respiration rate is lowest when you sleep, so at an elevation with reduced oxygen levels you'll have your lowest oxygen intake when you sleep.  I've heard many times that to acclimate it's beneficial to ascend a couple hundred meters higher than your sleeping elevation and spend as many waking hours as possible.  Then descend to sleep.  It's a bad idea to ascend if you have any symptoms of altitude sickness.  

The Himalayan Rescue Association used to have pretty good information online.  A couple summers ago I was at Rae Lakes when a man had to evacuated from somewhere near the Woods Creek Crossing with cerebral edema.  A friend who has done a number of big mountains described cerebral edema to me as having your brain squeezed out your sinuses.  Never ascend if you get one of those splitting headaches, and if it doesn't resolve with a liter of water, a pain reliever, and a short break, descend.

There's a Nova (public broadcasting system program) program on DVD on the effects of elevation on the human body that's very interesting and includes some wonderful footage and descriptions of Everest.  I was able to get it from my local library.  It's called "Everest; The Death Zone" or something similar.  The featured mountaineers broke more than a few rules for healthy acclimitization, but it includes some fascinating stuff.  I recommend it if your library has it.

Message: 18
Date: Sat, 4 Mar 2006 22:47:02 -0800
From: Wayne Kraft <wayneskraft@comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [pct-l] altitude sickness

The rule is:  live high, train low. Training at elevation is not  
necessary and may actually detract from your training because it  
decreases the intensity of a workout. What you really want to do is  
to train at sea level, but sleep on a mountain top.  You do that with  
one of these:
http://www.hypoxico.com/?gclid=CKrqvZ6ax4MCFQ85GAodGDFm6g