Running - at an altitude!
 

I started C25K this week, and began in week 4 because I had previously been jogging up to 10 minutes at a time and felt comfortable starting there. But all of my previous jogging was before moving to Colorado. Has anyone else moved from somewhere at a lower elevation to a higher elevation? What are your experiences? I have also switched from running on an indoor track to running outside, so that might have something to do with it, but I am having such a hard time completing these short runs. It's very frustrating. I figured I'd have an adjustment period, but this seems crazy! I know I should just be patient and persevere, which I will do, but I just wish it wasn't quite this hard, you know?

I know running at alititude can be difficult. I actually started running at altitude and am accustomed to it (although it's *very* easy for me to fall out of running shape). I think it just takes time and consistency. There aren't really any shortcuts that I know of, just to allow yourself time to strengthen your lungs.

In Denver, some days are worse to run on than others (especially during the winter) and in that case I just stick to the treadmill.

Hiya! Another fellow Coloradan here. I have lived here for 13 years but only started running earlier this year. I honestly do not notice a difference until I go to down sea level and run. Then I come back up here and feel like I'm suffocating during runs for about a week :lol:

Honestly I don't notice it anymore. I feel like I can breathe fairly well. I think you just have to give it time to adjust. I hiked a lot at higher elevations this summer and it does help in the short run. You might find this article helpful: http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/altitude.html

Good luck!

I have the opposite. When I run at sea level I feel like my lungs are going to explode :lol: Perhaps that's a humidity thing, too.

When I lived in Nashville running was something I really enjoyed. I could power up hills a lot easier.

That's so funny lol. We went to Cancun in July and while I was wanting to die from the humidity down there, I felt like if it wasn't for the heat I could have run for a lot longer than I usually do. I was like, omg, I can breathe! SWEET OXYGEN! :lol:

Thank you for the link! I'm thinking I'll just take an extra day to do the C25K weeks (instead of doing 3 runs per week, change it to 4). Soooo frustrating though...I just keep looking at the pretty scenery to lift my spirits :)

I live a mile high too (outside of Albuquerque, NM) and I have found that I have to ease into everything physical a lot slower here than I did in NY.