Adams State High Altitude Training Center

As a former competitive high school runner from sea level, I had never known what training at altitude was like until I went to college at high altitude and got to experience it first-hand. I improved greatly from high school and earned many All-American accolades and was a track national champion. Since then, I have gone on to coaching distance runners at sea level and at high altitude. Throughout my time coaching, I have been asked on numerous occasions to explain the benefits of altitude training and if it really works on improving performances. Many professional athletes train at altitude for six to twelve weeks and then return to sea level for their competitive seasons. More and more professional athletes are seeing the benefits of this type of training and seeking out environments that will provide an excellent High Altitude experience. While there are numerous high altitude training centers in the US and around the world, these resources have only been open to the elite distance runner.

I am pleased to announce that starting in June 2012 there will be a High Altitude Training Center in Alamosa, Colorado. This is a unique opportunity geared towards college students who want to learn and train at an altitude of 7,544ft for the months of June and July. This learning experience coupled with training at high altitude will improve your likelihood of success in your upcoming cross country seasons. Adams State College has developed a high altitude training class as a part of their HPPE (Human Performance and Physical Education) program and has employed Coach Damon Martin to teach the class. They have included guest speakers such as internationally renowned Dr Joe I. Vigil, the 2004 Olympic coach to be guest lecturers. The class will go into detail about the physiology of altitude training and how to best train at altitude.

Along with taking this class, students will be able to live in the on- campus apartments and have access to all of the facilities that Adams State has to offer. The mission of this program is to give collegiate level student -athletes the opportunity to learn about high altitude training and to experience it first-hand. There is no other program like this in the country and we highly encourage all who are interested, to take advantage of this unique opportunity.

For more information please contact High Altitude Training Center Coordinator Virginia Coindreau at vlcoindreau@adams.edu, or check out the blog at www.highaltraining.tumblr.com.