Altitude, Hiking, and Rowing

[RayOfSunshine]

I did the 1st 18 weeks of the BPP (beginner Pete's Plan) prior to moving up to the mountains for the summer. I had been at sea level and only doing the BPP. Well, I had started throwing in an occasional jog, but it was almost never the same day I'd row.

After moving to the mountains, I started hiking almost daily and continuing through the BPP. It's been a bitch. The hiking is one piece of it, but the change in altitude itself has impacted my already poor aerobic capacity (I think that's the correct term).

Have others experienced any issues when changing altitudes? Or, is that just all in my head and it's really just the fact I'm cross-training.

[jamesg]

Depends on the height, up to a thousand meters doesn't create oxygen problems; over 3k certainly can and a week or so is needed for acclimatization, over 5k and we risk all sorts of things.

But what is your problem? Rate of climb, overweight, backpack too heavy, sore feet, downhill? Do you use sticks?

[RayOfSunshine]

Depends on the height, up to a thousand meters doesn't create oxygen problems; over 3k certainly can and a week or so is needed for acclimatization, over 5k and we risk all sorts of things.

But what is your problem? Rate of climb, overweight, backpack too heavy, sore feet, downhill? Do you use sticks?

My problem isn't with the hikes, it's with my rowing. My times have fallen off the cliff. Even if I don't hike that day or the day before, I get winded much faster and can't maintain a pace.

I've gone from 0' elevation to about 4,000'. That's where I row (not hike).

[jamesg]

For something strenuous like rowing, 4000' (1200m) is quite high. Air Pressure and hence available oxygen is about 85% of that at sea level, a noticeable difference as you have seen. Most obvious idea would be to start at 15% less power than you developed at sea-level.

[RayOfSunshine]

For something strenuous like rowing, 4000' (1200m) is quite high. Air Pressure and hence available oxygen is about 85% of that at sea level, a noticeable difference as you have seen. Most obvious idea would be to start at 15% less power than you developed at sea-level.

Thank you! I will adjust because I've been mentally torturing myself trying get back to sea level paces... and failing miserably.

[RayOfSunshine]

Most obvious idea would be to start at 15% less power than you developed at sea-level.

I went and checked my times... I did a 10k TT right before moving to the elevation, then I did a very hard 12k (close to TT effort) a couple weeks after getting in the mountains.

Using the watt-pace calculator (below), the average watts on the 12k was about 15% less than that of the 10k. You were spot on. Thanks again!

http://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/t ... calculator

[Cyclist2]

That's why there is an adjustment in the qualifying times in the Denver erg event.

I grew up in Colorado at 8000'. But I now live at sea level. It still takes a few days to be able to comfortably "catch my breath" when I'm hiking and climbing there. I eventually feel fine, but my times or other measures of performance are definitely worse. It does make a difference!