Altitude training and physiological conditioning from the practical point of view of the runner.

An individual's adaptation to altitude and the likely improvement in sea level performance resulting from it are not easily predicted from a knowledge of his sea-level performances. In Mellerowicz's study (Table I) the outstanding sea-level runner (Oh) had the largest decrement on first going to altitude but showed the greatest improvement during the four weeks at St Moritz. The slowest sea-level runner (Ec) on the other hand was least affected by altitude initially but showed the smallest improvement on return to sea level. Indeed, his sea-level time on first returning from St Moritz was slower than his time immediately before his departure to altitude. This table illustrates the astonishing individual variation both in response to altitude and in the benefit gained on return to sea level. Even at the end of four weeks the original "pecking order" has not been restored and seven of 11 individuals are still improving and two continuing to get worse steadily. From Mellerowicz's investigations it appears that the decrement on first going to altitude averages 5.6% for moderately fit athletes running 3,000m who are paying their first visit to altitude. This compares with a decrement of 8.5% for international athletes running 3 miles (4,800m), and 6.1% for a similar group running the same distance in Font Romeu at a slightly lower altitude. Mellerowicz's policemen made a much greater improvement at altitude than was achieved by the international athletes in the latter studies (Tables II and Il1) a 4.4% improvement, corresponding to 29 sec over 3,000m, as opposed to the 2.8% and 2% improvements corresponding to 17 sec, over 4,800m of the international athletes.