altitude swimming

I had never swam at higher than 400 feet. Then I moved to Az. I did swim in tuscon , mesa , gilbert ,chandler, etc. Then one time I decided to do a swim in Flaggstaff. I told my wife , the races were very short. The 100 yards being the longest one. I am used to doing distance swims. Not realizing this was 7000 plus feet high. Thing this would be a walk in the park. I must tell all, that i barely finished the swim. Had their been longer swims I would not have finished. As I could bareley breathe after the 100. And I did say please GOD, let me finish.

Originally posted by craiglll@yahoo.com I don't think that Illinois has a true long course season? Craig, It is getting tougher to find long course pools in Illinois these days, but there are two long course meets listed on the ILMSA site.

I would love it Mel!!! My wife and I use to go to Aspen every summer and I would swim in the outdoor pool up there and I loved the challenge of keeping my intervals and paces. I remember the coach there one day having us do 25 underwater no breathe.... difficult!, but I finished them... Dennis

OK, Dennis, we'll take the challenge. Let's do a swap of meets. I'll come swim in your 6000 ft elevation pool & you can come compete in our 8750 foot elevation pool. Minimum of 800 IM. Let's go up from there in difficulty. -- mel

Mel.....watch out with Dennis...he cheats.....likes to pull on the lane lines on the backstroke leg! Dennis...Laura & I we're in town Mon/Tue and swam with the Fairmont gang.....rumor has it your running the pool up in Heber? Another little one on the way as well? Peter....the truth is we get far more bang for the buck when drinking beer up here (except in Dennis' state where its all 3.2% alcohol)! Ask evil-goodsmith about his suffering the last time he actually drank TWO in one night!

While the high-altitude types revel in their memories of pain-induced halucinatory experiences, visualize them at their 800IM challenges, faces contorted, massive oxygen-grabbing chests heaving, brain cells evacuating out their ears (lemming-like in their desire to survive). Indeed, if you look closer at the end of the pool, in addition to the usual heaps of equipment and fluid-replacement drinks, you'll see little blackboards propped up noting each swimmer's name, address & telephone number 'just in case' the cost in brain tissue is too severe. Ah, but what of the splendid rewards of living at such altitude? Yes, the pleasures of being flash frozen when venturing outside during the winter, and yes, that sizzling sound is the ozone-depleted consequence of being unshielded from the sun's tender rays whilst recreating in summer.

From the posts I'm reading, it makes me want to put together a high altitude early season swim meet here in Utah. I'm thinking no event less than a 200 and possibly add an 800 IM. Wouldn't that be a challenge!!! Maybe some of us high altitude swimmers could kick some you low level "sea level" swimmers butts..... Always looking for a good challenge... Dennis

Paul, that's OK. Where I swim, there are no lane lines and goggles aren't allowed either. Foreigners usually go away with a concussion at a minimum even if they can finish the 800 IM. -- mel

Paul, May your low altitude Arizona training cause you lungs to burn and your head to pound this weekend at the Colo. State Meet. John Smith 2 beers......... indeed.

For an altitude simulation, attempt swimming a set, at a pace towards your high aerobic capacity, let’s say 85% max heart rate with a Finis swimmers snorkel www.finisinc.com/products-tr-snorkel.shtml. For example purposes lets say you generally hit 85% on a set of 10 x 100 on 1:20 where your pace is about 1:10 with out the snorkel. Try to maintain that same pace and interval with the snorkel. The use of the snorkel will diminish your air intake capabilities and should imitate swimming at a Mile High. Since Paul is telling drinking stories. I swam my collegiate years at Metropolitan State College of Denver in the early 80’s. It was a swim team tradition after Friday p.m. practice to head to one of the campuses 3.2 bars. Back then it was legal in Colorado for 18 year olds to drink 3.2% beer. It was a real cheap buzz, two beers after 6000 yards on mostly empty stomach drank at high altitude was all you needed baby. Ok yea, I did weigh a lot less then.