How much does altitude affect one's performance on the erg?

[johnlvs2run]

I am curious what people think about the effects of altitude on performance on the erg. Let's say people are competing or doing time trials at 5000 feet altitude vs sea level. Will the altitude have an effect on the times? If so, then how much will this be?

Here are some additional questions to answer along with the poll.

1) What difference in times will there be at an altitude of 5000 feet for the 2k, the 10, and the marathon. My feeling is the 2k will be around .5s per minute, the 10k around 1s per minute, and the marathon around 2s per minute. What do you think?

2) What do you feel is the minimum altitude that begins to affect one's performance on the erg? 1000 feet? 3000 feet? 5000 feet? Something else? Why?

Also, do you regularly train or race at altitude.

Thank you for participating in this poll.

[gouldilocks]

Hi John

Thanks for bringing up a topic that hs interested me for a while.
I live in JHB in South Africa at about 5000ft altitude but also recently spent 7 years in the UK at sea-level or thereabouts.Used to do a lot of running - up to marathons and further and found my PB's over the distances you have mentioned to be remarkably similar for running and erging.
In the 80's in SA the difference in the SA record for the marathon between sea-level and altitude was about 6 minutes(2:08 vs 2:14)and I was about 6 minutes quicker over the FM at sea-level(just over 3 hours).
My 10k difference was about 90 secs and the 5k difference about 45 secs.
On the erg the commonly held view is that the 2k difference is 15 secs at 5000 feet of altitude.
The further the distance,and the greater the aerobic component, the greater the debilitating effect of altitude.
On the C2 rankings my 500m is close to the top 10% for my category but my 60 min does not make the top half of the rankings!

Living and training at altitude brings about physiological changes WRT oxygen carrying capacity and blood volume - just about all the top middle and long distance runners grew up at altitude.

Paul G

[Tyn]

Thanks for the Poll John!

But I haven't got a clue!!

Here in lovely Gouda we are about 5 or 6 meters below sea level!

Perhaps we should try 'erging' in death valley!


two hours after sunset that is!
Would make a great picture !

bit off topic, but Death valley is one of the most beautifull places I have ever been!

[Bob S.]

double post erased

[Bob S.]

Thanks for the Poll John!
Perhaps we should try 'erging' in death valley!

two hours after sunset that is!
Would make a great picture !

bit off topic, but Death valley is one of the most beautifull places I have ever been!

I have been tempted to do it. DV is only about 100 miles from here and I can carry my erg (in two parts) in the back of my pickup.

With regard to altitude, my 2k time is about 20 seconds slower at 4000 ft, where I live, than it is at sea level. My long distance times at altitude seem to be more competitive than my sprints, but I have no comparison with low altitude times for anything other than a 30 minute piece which was much faster at sea level. It probably doesn't have anything to do with altitude, but more with the fact that I am a long-winded old f**t.

Bob S., just returned from a muddy walk across the Massif Central, from LePuy to Condom.

[Yankeerunner]

Thanks for the Poll John!
Perhaps we should try 'erging' in death valley!

two hours after sunset that is!
Would make a great picture !

bit off topic, but Death valley is one of the most beautifull places I have ever been!

I have been tempted to do it. DV is only about 100 miles from here and I can carry my erg (in two parts) in the back of my pickup.

With regard to altitude, my 2k time is about 20 seconds slower at 4000 ft, where I live, than it is at sea level. My long distance times at altitude seem to be more competitive than my sprints, but I have no comparison with low altitude times for anything other than a 30 minute piece which was much faster at sea level. It probably doesn't have anything to do with altitude, but more with the fact that I am a long-winded old f**t.

Bob S., just returned from a muddy walk across the Massif Central, from LePuy to Condom.

Bob, that would be remarkable indeed. My 30 minute pieces always last a half-hour no matter where I do them.

Looking forward to a report on the trip, photos included.

Rick

[Bob S.]

30 minute piece which was much faster at sea level
Bob S., just returned from a muddy walk across the Massif Central, from LePuy to Condom.

Bob, that would be remarkable indeed. My 30 minute pieces always last a half-hour no matter where I do them.
Looking forward to a report on the trip, photos included.
Rick[/quote]

It hadn't occured to me that some one could find ambiguity in that phrase, but I guess you did.

Report? I suppose that I can get around to it, but after over a month away, I have a lot of catching up to.

Photos? Would you believe that with all that great scenery I took only 11 pictures total ( and not good ones at that)? This after going to some trouble to get a 2 GB chip for my camera before I left. Space for several hundred shots and I took less than a dozen. There would not have been a battery problem either. I made a point of getting a camera that uses AA cells, so I didn't have to worry about recharging.

My last shot, however, was a mind blower. It was a simple entry in the visitors log in a chambre d'hote in a small, remote village. It was entered just nine days before I got there, but it was signed by a couple from the town in which I live — Big Pine, CA, which has only about 1500 inhabitants. I had not met them; we have been here for only 4 years. But they included a P.O. Box number, so I made a print of the shot and mailed it to them a couple of days ago. I am curious to see what sort of reaction it gets.

Bob S.