Saturday, July 13, 2013

Future Plans. High Races




Done! Twice before breakfast!

The quote from the linked article below was the original inspiration for this post. But me being me, I couldn't resist a good masturbation joke. Did I mention that I'm 30 fuckin' years old now?

Ouch.

"I love my bike because I’m trying to learn how to love myself. That’s the truth. Drink to that."


One more week of fixing my knee and then (hopefully) back to jogging. Love me some jogging. 

Some stuff:

Back to the States in 5 days.

About 12 weeks until the TNF Chile 50 miler.

New race in Chile this year. Think I'll go. Looks good:


Vulcano Ultra Trail 2013 - Episodio 1 from Vulcano Ultra Trail on Vimeo.



Actually, there's another new race in Chile this year. But, to me, Andes Infernal is really more of a stunt. It's a 60k ultra with 17,700 ft of gain, which supposedly would make it the race with the most elevation change per kilometer in the world (aside from Vertical K races). Also, it summits Cerro El Plomo, which tops out at over 17,000 ft. above sea level. I'm no expert on altitude...but isn't rapidly ascending to 17,000 ft. sort of dangerous?

With Hardrock wrapping up today and thinking about altitude and my natural inclination towards being a pussy: I don't think that a race as high as this Andes Infernal sounds like fun at all. I suppose if I had the time to acclimate and train up high for a few months before hand, I might consider it...

...which leads me to ramble incoherently about something that's been sticking in my mind lately. I don't know what to think about this hypoxic tent business that's suddenly very much in trail/mountain running. It sort of rubs me the wrong way. 

...speaking of rubbing me...

3rd time's a charm, right?








7 comments:

a said...

Dont be a fucking pussy antes the tiempo.
Yo opino the same...but lets try to get ours asses acclimatize before december, i know we can !

and give your knee some time off.

continua tocandote ahora.

Patrick Thurber said...

let's split the cost of a hypoxic tent. just cover your ears when llega la hora de tocarme. es ruidoso a veces.

GZ said...

HR has 33k of elevation in 160k. And that is bonkers.

This would be the equivalent to 47 something K over that distance.

I know it ain't that as it is shorter, but HR is called a hikers race for a reason.

Go for the hat trick.

GZ said...

There is some thought that the hypoxic tents don't work as they are not really a pressure thing (and that altitude is as much sensed in the skin as it is in the lungs)

Patrick Thurber said...

GZ: I think that if I did this Andes Infernal, I would plan to do nothing but hike. The idea of running even a step at 17,000 ft. makes me feel sad for myself.

...is that the word on the tents? and now you've given me something to research tonight after work. or at work. right now.

GZ said...

I will need to dig it up but somewhere there was some study where they took frogs or something and exposed their bodies (but not their heads) to lower pressures. This in turn gave them an altitude effect. There was gonna be some research if the opposite was true - if you had lower oxygen (like a tent) but not lower pressure (cuz the tent can't be lower pressure or it would collapse), to determine if that had an impact on the effect. I'd dig it up but I am in airport hell ... maybe I dreamed all this anyway.

Patrick Thurber said...

ok, here's what i've found AGAINST the tents:

http://sweatscience.com/a-reality-check-for-altitude-tents-and-houses/

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/07/mile-high-club-can-oxygen-tents-boost-athletic-performance/

http://www.outsideonline.com/fitness/fitness-coach/Do-Altitude-Tents-Work-.html

the first article is really the killer. i'm already over the hypoxic tents. everyone knows hyperbaric is the new hypoxic, anyway.