HILO TRAINING IMPROVES PERFORMANCE IN ELITE RUNNERS

Abstract

198 Living High and Training Low (HILO) improves sea level performance in college runners. Controversy remains as to whether these results can be extended to elite endurance athletes who may be near their maximum performance potential. We hypothesize that the combination of moderate altitude acclimatization (2500m) accompanied by interval training at 1250m and base training from 1250 to 3000m will improve maximal oxygen uptake and sea level endurance performance in elite runners. We recruited 9 elite women and 17 elite men 1 week after the US National Track & Field Championships for a 27 day altitude camp. They ran 3000 time trials and did laboratory testing at sea level, before and after the camp. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) was determined by open circuit spirometry during an incremental treadmill run to exhaustion. Arterial saturation during running was determined by oximetry. Blood was drawn on 4 occasions; prior to sojoum, 20 hours after ascent, 19 days after ascent and 20 hours after return to sea level. Blood was analyzed for hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct) and erythropoletin (EPO). Arterial oxygen content (aO2) was calculated from race pace arterial saturation and [Hb]. Significance noted by *p<0.05. EPO increased 92%(8.5±2.4⇒ 16.3±4.4* ng/ml) in 20 hrs and returned to 9.8±2.1 by Day 19. On return, Hb increased from 13.2±1.1 to 14.3±1.1 gm/dl*, while Hct increased by 4%* and aO2 increased by 8%*. VO2max increased from 71.6±7.3 to 73.7±6.8* ml/kg/m while 3000m time improved from 8:45.4±0:39 to 8:39.6±0:39*. These results are similar to those we obtained in good college runners and are from an increased delivery of oxygen to active tissue due to an increase in arterial oxygen content while maintaining sea level training velocities. We conclude that “Living High and Training Low” improves sea level performance in elite male and female runners above and beyond their level of fitness at the National Championships.