If you could see me now, you’d know I’m stifling a grin. The idea of me doing any sort of serious cardiovascular fitness training is, well, ridiculous. But still, after a two-month hiatus, I’ve started running again.
And I’m here to tell you that running at 8,000 feet is a LOT different than running at sea level.
Within a mile of my first jog in our thin Ecuadorian air, my lungs had started to burn. My heart palpitated in protest; I could almost hear it pleading to me, its tiny voice echoing up through my chest cavity: “Forchrissakes, Newley. Oh dear God, no. What are you trying to do to me? Please stop. Please stop. Please stop. Pleeeeeaaaaase, Newley, I beg of you…”
Many people assume that training at altitude can help your sealevel performance–that less oxygen in the air means your lungs and heart have to work harder and, therefore, get stronger. But some argue that altitude running provides negligible benefits: that your cardiovascular system holds your body back, and so your legs and other muscles can never be pushed to their limits.
I’ll get back to you with my findings.