Altitude Training

So while we've all been getting on with our own things these past couple of days, Andy and Lotte have been running for Team POWERbreathe UK starting on 31st August from Ruhpolding (GER) to St. Johann in Tirol (AUT)  - 49,6 km, 1.663 Hm climb, 1667 Hm descent - and Stage 1 of the Gore-Tex Transalpine-Run. Showing impressive times for such a challenge, Andy and Lotte's running time results were 6.34.43,0, finishing 21st mixed team out of 76!

Since then Andy and Lotte have taken on Stage 2, running from St. Johann in Tirol (AUT) to Kitzbühel (AUT) 34,8 km, 1849 Hm climb, 1742 Hm descent in 6.09.29,3 and 6.09.28,9...

Spare a thought and offer your support for two of your POWERbreathe community athletes – Andy and Lotte, racing as POWERbreathe UK– as they take on the Gore-Tex Transalpine-Run.

A real sporting challenge, this transalpine run has 8 stages, numerous summits that are reached off the beaten track along rocky paths and 3000 metre-high passes.

 

Here’s a bit about the race…which makes you really feel for Andy and Lotte and all participants:

 Start in teams of 2 4 categories 8 days 8 stages over the Alps 9 stage towns 3 countries Approximately 320KM horizontal distance Approximately 15,000 meters climb

And as if that...

In his blog about endurance racing and sport psychology, Andy continues writing about his experience of using POWERbreathe in his training, in the run-up to Challenge Roth; a triathlon race in and around Roth, Germany.

In his latest blog Andy shares his feeling about how POWERbreathe inspiratory muscle training (IMT) may have helped with his swim training.

Here’s an extract from his blog:

“I would certainly suggest that there has been an improvement in my swimming that coincided with a focused regimen of inspiratory muscle training (IMT). After about 3 weeks of training I began to notice how:

Sets with fins were noticeably...

Just a quick recap, Andy and Lotte are both endurance runners and are currently training for the Gore-tex Transalpine Run which takes place from the 1st – 8th September.

We provided Lotte with a POWERbreathe (Andy was already using his own) in order to help her improve her breathing strength and stamina in preparation for the demand that altitude will place upon her breathing muscles.

Andy and Lotte are keeping us updated with their training experience in the run-up to this event, and here’s a little background information…

Andy and Lotte spend the majority of their free time with...

Vicky riding in Sedona, US, where she's been based for altitude training

The latest edition of 220 Triathlon (July 2012) included an interesting article from Vicky Holland, GB elite team member, about her experience of altitude training. Here it is…

"Your heart rate is higher, your lungs burn more easily, and your arms and legs fatigue quicker. Sounds fun, hey?"

Altitude training is something that until I joined my current coach a few years ago, I can honestly say I knew nothing about. Three years on and I would by no means call myself an expert, but...

At high altitude the air is 'thinner', containing less oxygen than at sea level. The higher we go, the thinner it gets. Climbing or skiing at high altitude places enormous demands upon the breathing muscles. In order to compensate for the thinner air, the lungs must work much harder, and exercise, which at sea level brings on nothing more than a slight increase in breathing, can push your breathing to its limits at high altitude. At 3km (3000m) the amount of oxygen in the air decreases by 30%, and at 5km its half that at sea-level. This means that at around 1km you begin to experience breathlessness during moderate exercise, and at 4km you feel...