[pct-l] Re: training at elevation

[tahoe.cat at verizon.net (Bill Frenette)]

Hi Sarah    You are right on the money! I've heard this for years too, 
"Climb high, Sleep low" !      Remember
"Be Prepared"          Ground Pounder Bill        "Semper Fi"
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sarah M" <msarahm@cox.net>
To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Saturday, March 11, 2006 9:10 PM
Subject: [pct-l] Re: training at elevation


> 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
>
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