Aug 12, 2026 · 12 min · 9 segments
Racing at altitude can feel intimidating, especially if you live at sea level. Should you buy an altitude tent? Sleep in a hypoxic chamber? Wear an altitude mask? In this episode, CTS Director of…
So let's start with the most important point in this entire video, because if you only remember one thing, remember this: fitness is still your best tool.
The bigger your fitness buffer, the more of that cost you can absorb and still perform.
Now, if you're well-prepared, you arrive at altitude with a bigger buffer to draw from.
If your fitness has holes in it, altitude finds them fast and makes them worse.
That means fewer oxygen molecules available per breath, even though the percentage of oxygen in the air stays the same at roughly twenty-one percent.
It also means less oxygen is available to bind to hemoglobin and get delivered to working muscles.
At a fixed pace, your heart rate climbs higher for the same output because your cardiovascular system is compensating for reduced oxygen delivery.
So the athlete who shows up with the highest sea level fitness, the best-trained aerobic system, the most durable legs, is the athlete with the most room to lose and still perform well.
This is why I tell athletes preparing for an altitude race, "Don't let altitude anxiety derail your entire training block.
A well-executed build with zero altitude-specific intervention will outperform a mediocre build with every gadget in the toolbox." Second, plan your calendar in advance and think carefully about when you arrive.
So let's start with the most important point in this entire video, because if you only remember one thing, remember this: fitness is still your best tool.
The bigger your fitness buffer, the more of that cost you can absorb and still perform.
Now, if you're well-prepared, you arrive at altitude with a bigger buffer to draw from.
If your fitness has holes in it, altitude finds them fast and makes them worse.
That means fewer oxygen molecules available per breath, even though the percentage of oxygen in the air stays the same at roughly twenty-one percent.
It also means less oxygen is available to bind to hemoglobin and get delivered to working muscles.
At a fixed pace, your heart rate climbs higher for the same output because your cardiovascular system is compensating for reduced oxygen delivery.
So the athlete who shows up with the highest sea level fitness, the best-trained aerobic system, the most durable legs, is the athlete with the most room to lose and still perform well.
This is why I tell athletes preparing for an altitude race, "Don't let altitude anxiety derail your entire training block.
A well-executed build with zero altitude-specific intervention will outperform a mediocre build with every gadget in the toolbox." Second, plan your calendar in advance and think carefully about when you arrive.
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