Training for meet at high altitude

Elaine, There is not much you can do to increase the amount of hemoglobin in your system although three weeks is better than nothing. BUT, don't lose hope because this was my experience from 1994. I attended the Breadbasket Zone meet in Denver in 1994. I got there a couple of days in advance - mixed a business trip into the fray. The first 2 practice days absolutely sucked - no other word for it. BUT, come the weekend and the racing - everything from 50s to 500s and I was on track and not slower than at meets in Minnesota (700 ft elevation). I was pleasantly surprised. With a year to plan, the snorkel might help although I would personally opt for training harder instead of restricting your airway. You might try adding an iron supplement in an attempt to increase your hemoglobin and red blood cell count. Normally this is a suggestion for people suffering from anemia (like me), but it might be marginally beneficial in your case. That is my experience. I suspect, you will do just fine. Windrath Greetings from 5311 ft. here in Albuquerque! Your were right-- until you weren't about me doing just fine. I raced the 100 fly, 50 br, and 400 IM yesterday, and I swam my fastest 100 fly and 50 br since 2013! I haven't broken a :44 in the 50 br since then, so when I saw 43.82 on the clock, I was shocked! My start was too deep, and I catched a wave and gulped water in the last 15 yards. I thought for sure I had choked, both literally and figuratively. I guess the USRPT training paid off. I just wonder what my time would have been had I had a better race... Then, there was the 400 IM. On Thursday, I did a practice 200 fly (which I race later today), and I literally had to stop after 100 to catch my breath. Today should be interesting... In the 400, I figured I would be able to catch my breath during the backstroke; however, I was wrong. I literally had to take two breaths FOR EACH STROKE. Usually, when I'm in the zone, I can breathe in on the right arm, and out on the left arm recovery. At worst, it's one breath per arm. By the breaststroke, my turns sucked-- literally. I had to grab extra air :eek:; and, by freestyle, nothing worked :drowning:. I never felt so miserable in the pool in all my life!:whiteflag: I came in at + 19.30 over my seed time, and I wasn't the only one. Out of eight of us in my age group, only once beat her seed time-- and, she is from-- NEW MEXICO! Several of the swimmers did worse than me with how much over their seed times they swam. Oh well; I came in 6th, and I still got a ribbon.:wiggle: I talked with Penny Noyes (5-time All American), as well as several other top swimmers, and they all said they could really feel it at the 75 yard mark in their 100's. Everybody seems to be hitting the wall at the 100 mark like I did in my practice 200 fly. It's a fast pool, though, so the sprinters are doing great and breaking some records. The level of competition at this meet has soared since Birmingham. There are some amazing swimmers here in all age groups. Forumite Kurt Dickson beat his seed time in the 400 IM and broke the record. (Did you come out early and go to Santa Fe first, Kurt? I should have done that; it's 7,000 ft elevation there!). Forumite Glenn Gruber broke the record in the 200 free and won gold. Of the 470 women here, only 19 of us (across all age groups) are racing the 200 fly today. I will be curious to see how we all do! It makes me think of that song, "I Will Survive," by Gloria Gaynor. :D

Elaine, There is not much you can do to increase the amount of hemoglobin in your system although three weeks is better than nothing. BUT, don't lose hope because this was my experience from 1994. I attended the Breadbasket Zone meet in Denver in 1994. I got there a couple of days in advance - mixed a business trip into the fray. The first 2 practice days absolutely sucked - no other word for it. BUT, come the weekend and the racing - everything from 50s to 500s and I was on track and not slower than at meets in Minnesota (700 ft elevation). I was pleasantly surprised. With a year to plan, the snorkel might help although I would personally opt for training harder instead of restricting your airway. You might try adding an iron supplement in an attempt to increase your hemoglobin and red blood cell count. Normally this is a suggestion for people suffering from anemia (like me), but it might be marginally beneficial in your case. That is my experience. I suspect, you will do just fine. Windrath Greetings from 5311 ft. here in Albuquerque! Your were right-- until you weren't about me doing just fine. I raced the 100 fly, 50 br, and 400 IM yesterday, and I swam my fastest 100 fly and 50 br since 2013! I haven't broken a :44 in the 50 br since then, so when I saw 43.82 on the clock, I was shocked! My start was too deep, and I catched a wave and gulped water in the last 15 yards. I thought for sure I had choked, both literally and figuratively. I guess the USRPT training paid off. I just wonder what my time would have been had I had a better race... Then, there was the 400 IM. On Thursday, I did a practice 200 fly (which I race later today), and I literally had to stop after 100 to catch my breath. Today should be interesting... In the 400, I figured I would be able to catch my breath during the backstroke; however, I was wrong. I literally had to take two breaths FOR EACH STROKE. Usually, when I'm in the zone, I can breathe in on the right arm, and out on the left arm recovery. At worst, it's one breath per arm. By the breaststroke, my turns sucked-- literally. I had to grab extra air :eek:; and, by freestyle, nothing worked :drowning:. I never felt so miserable in the pool in all my life!:whiteflag: I came in at + 19.30 over my seed time, and I wasn't the only one. Out of eight of us in my age group, only once beat her seed time-- and, she is from-- NEW MEXICO! Several of the swimmers did worse than me with how much over their seed times they swam. Oh well; I came in 6th, and I still got a ribbon.:wiggle: I talked with Penny Noyes (5-time All American), as well as several other top swimmers, and they all said they could really feel it at the 75 yard mark in their 100's. Everybody seems to be hitting the wall at the 100 mark like I did in my practice 200 fly. It's a fast pool, though, so the sprinters are doing great and breaking some records. The level of competition at this meet has soared since Birmingham. There are some amazing swimmers here in all age groups. Forumite Kurt Dickson beat his seed time in the 400 IM and broke the record. (Did you come out early and go to Santa Fe first, Kurt? I should have done that; it's 7,000 ft elevation there!). Forumite Glenn Gruber broke the record in the 200 free and won gold. Of the 470 women here, only 19 of us (across all age groups) are racing the 200 fly today. I will be curious to see how we all do! It makes me think of that song, "I Will Survive," by Gloria Gaynor. :D