Sept 15-Oct 15 "Daniel's Running Formula" Book Club (Page 6)

So, I guess it's still not clear to me.

Are you guys suggesting that it's not significant enough to matter? I'm making the trip either way so, it's not a question of that.

When is the best time to take this trip (within a marathon cycle) and for how long does one need to be at elevation for it to have an effect?

I think the original posting in TT was a bit vague on what you were trying to do. some questions I've had fell flat there too. Dale is covering much of it very well here though. The tent brought up something to do with that in I've been hearing it's more the recovery in altitude that brings on these changes. While training you want to get more of it so your body is better at processing it. Some actually do train with added oxygen tanks. Merit to this concept?

Did the changes sticking around have anything to do with age? My info on this is from awhile ago, but does it matter at all if one grows up at altitude vs doing more reaching adulthood? I've heard the changes could be somewhat different, but again, this could be rather dated. I haven't had an opportunity to stay up at altitude for a long time, so never really rechecked that.

Then for an upcoming race at altitude, even though the changes won't fully take place for a bit, the farther ahead you get there the more used to it you'll be. One day won't really do anything, but more time tends to be better.

I know that the guys who went to Colorado a couple weeks before the Pro Cycling Challenge did well and credit that to having been training at altitude for a couple weeks (Sagan and Voigt are the two I can think of). So I suppose a couple weeks is enough to acclimate to the altitude but I have NO idea if that is the amount of time where you start to gain the physiological benefits. As far as when during the training cycle? I'm going to assume that the closer to the event, the better. But again, my .02

Where is the marathon at? What kind of altitude compared to most of your training? About how long will this trip be?

I honestly don't know that it's really worth trying to do unless the race is at altitude or (maybe) if you're going to be up high for a rather long time. Yes there will be some benefit training/recovery benefit from being up there, but that can be negated by not being able to push as much for some time while you're there, resulting in lower quality training sessions.

ETA: More info might come back to me later, but for now, mostly what I can say is that I would not do just a few week trip (or less) late in the build to the race unless perhaps if the race is at altitude.

Boston. So, no significant elevation. My thought was not to train FOR elevation but to use elevation as a tool to, well, get faster.

The trip could be anywhere from a week to a month, the real limiter being max capacity of sharing space with my parents 

But whatever, it just sounds like it's  not worth it.

And in stark contrast to a lot of what we are focusing on, Lauren Fleshman a nice article for Runner's World: http://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/why-science-and-running-dont-always-mix?cm_mmc=Twitter-_-RunnersWorld-_-Content-RunnerStories-_-ScienceAndRunning

Just something to keep in mind as you all read "Running Formula"  

Yeah. I ran it last year and I was only going to do it once but I couldn't let that be how I remembered it.

We went to a Red Sox game while we were there (and I plan to go again this time.) There is NOTHING like Fenway!

As much as I like data & numbers, I always keep the last part in mind. Just a tool.

Good article. It reminded me of my thoughts when i was reading JD's discussion on the 4 types of runners. I decided I am a 3.5. I'm definitely not in the gifted category and as much as I enjoy running I wonder about my motivation, my willingness to hurt to get better.

Yeah, I am totally a 3. Glad I picked up some of that work ethic along the way! I credit my parents, for all that wood splitting, hauling, moving and stacking I had to do as a child. 

Well,  it's a relative term - talent, but  in the perspective of a Champion? 

But thank you! 

I know what you're saying. Don't know about fully being a 1, but 3 doesn't fit either as you started doing well fairly early. I picked up tri fairly quick, but was already fairly athletic. I've had to work for everything along the way. Rather mediocre at first if a new activity is not similar to something else. I'll make noticeable gains with hard work, but stay flat if I don't. Not really much of a middle ground.

You just need to get one of these:
http://www.trainingmask.com/products/TRAINING-MASK-2.0.html

"No one cared who I was, until I put on the mask..." 

Now we are getting into Brad's territory 

It reminds me of Rupp's asthma mask

Perfect 

hawt.

Uh - where was I? Oh yes--So funny, this is one thing I have NEVER had an issue with. It may blow your minds how slow-as-molasses I run sometimes. I don't know if there is such thing as "too slow" but if there is, I have toed that line for sure.

Conversely, when I started added intensity (and when I raced, before I did any intensity) it was a major shock to my body. Now that I regularly incorporate intensity into my weekly training, it's much less of a shock and I recovery much more quickly.