article by Caitlin De Castro, PA-S
Several students from Summit High School’s Track & Field team attended the Colorado State Track and Field Championships in Lakewood in May, where they competed with top runners across the state. The boys team placed 20th out of 39 teams, and the girls team tied for 9th place out of 40 teams in Class 4A rankings. Throughout the season, many students set new personal records and broke previous school records.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Summit High School hurdles coach, Jay Peltier, about training young athletes in high altitude. Jay has coached Track & Field for 15 years and has even helped lead some high schools to win state titles. He has trained student athletes in cities close to sea level as well as ones in higher elevation, like Colorado Springs. This is his second season coaching in Summit County.
Exercising at high altitude can be a challenge due to the decreased oxygen concentration at higher elevations. Because of this, there is reduced oxygen availability to muscles, causing fatigue to occur sooner at lower working rates. Given his experiences coaching at different altitudes, I asked Jay how he has adjusted his training to being at 9,000 ft. He notes that with elevation as high as this, it’s difficult to train hard for long periods. His workouts at high altitude include longer rest times between reps and less volume per workout. For example, one of Jay’s staple workouts for sprinters when he was training at lower elevation included running twelve 200 meter sprints, totaling up to a volume of 2,400 meters. At high altitude, he would decrease the volume to about 1,800 meters.
I also asked Jay about how competing at track meets at a lower elevation affects athletes that have been living and training at high altitude. Generally, athletes that run events greater than 400 meters should be faster running at lower elevations because there is increased oxygen availability. This is because distance running is a form of aerobic exercise in which the body uses oxygen as the primary source for energy. Sprinters, on the other hand, may not see the same benefit competing at lower elevation because sprinting is a form of anaerobic exercise, where the body relies on burning carbohydrates for energy. Despite this, Jay recognizes that there are many other variables that can affect these high altitude athletes competing at lower elevations, including weather. Jay notes that competing in lower areas, like Denver or Grand Junction, can also be 20 degrees warmer compared to Summit County. Increased temperatures can lead to exhaustion faster, especially for distance runners.
Jay and his fellow coaches try to tell their athletes after every practice to “Eat right. Sleep right. Drink right.” in order to maximize their workout. This includes getting a good balance of carbs, protein, fruits, and vegetables in their diet to properly fuel their body. He recommends his athletes get at least 9 hours of sleep at night. He notes that sleep deprivation can significantly impact how one trains, especially at altitude. Lastly, he emphasizes to his athletes the importance of staying hydrated. While this is essential for all athletes, the risk of dehydration is higher at altitude. He recommends they drink half their bodyweight in ounces, plus an extra 10 ounces for being at elevation.
Resources
Jones, Cody. “State Champion Again: Summit’s Ella Hagen Wins 1,600-Meter State Title at Final Day of the Colorado State Track and Field Meet.” SummitDaily.Com, 24 May 2023, www.summitdaily.com/news/state-champion-again-summits-ella-hagen-wins-1600-meter-state-title-at-final-day-of-the-colorado-state-track-and-field-meet/.
Mancera-Soto, Erica M., et al. “Effect of Hypobaric Hypoxia on Hematological Parameters Related to Oxygen Transport, Blood Volume and Oxygen Consumption in Adolescent Endurance-Training Athletes.” Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness, vol. 20, no. 4, 18 Oct. 2022, pp. 391–399, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesf.2022.10.003.
