Part II of Jack’s Altitude Training Series focuses on, How long does it take to adapt to altitude.

As already mentioned, in slow-speed endurance events, altitude-best performances will never match sea-level bests, but they will definitely improve with altitude training. In as few as two weeks, altitude performance will be noticeably improved. Within about six weeks of altitude training, acclimatization will be quite complete.

However, improvement in altitude performance may continue for much longer as you learn to compete in the unfamiliar environment of altitude. There are two distinctly different types of acclimatization taking place:  a physiological one and a competitive one, with the latter type staying with you even after long periods of time back at sea level. You tend to always remember how to race at altitude.

Next week we’ll post, What is the best altitude for living and training high?