Don’t Miss Out High-Altitude Tips for Runners

A Kenya Camp guest during a longrun with pacers at 2100m altitude

Coach Hugo has 24 years of experience with training at high altitude (plus a Masters degree in Human Movement Science, to back this up with sientific knowledge), and here is his advice for anyone who wants to train at altitude:

Just like Iten in Kenya, many of the best and most famous training spots for runners are situated at an elevation of 1800 - 2500 meters. There's Sankt Moritz in Switzerland (I trained there before the 2006 European Championships), Font Romeu (France), Flagstaff (USA), Ooty (India) and many other great places where runners like to stay and prepare for their major races.

Coach Hugo

Does training at high altitude work? Yes, it does. Although there are still some scientists who doubt the effect of altitude training, the majority of exercise physiologists agree that altitude can boost your performance. And simply look at the sheer number of elite runners who choose to prepare for a World Championships or Olympic Games at high altitude. The overwhelming majority of elites do a significant portion of their training at altitude. This is because they have experienced the amazing effects.

Sea level training can also contribute to a good performance in its own way - for example, because at sea level it's easier to run longer at race pace. But it can't really boost your performance the same way high altitude training does.

Why Train at Altitude?

Altitude training is a proven method to boost endurance performance. The reduced oxygen levels stimulate your body to produce more red blood cells, improving your oxygen-carrying capacity when you return to sea level.

Kenya’s highlands, particularly around 2100m, offer the perfect altitude for runners—high enough for physiological benefits but not so high that it severely limits training intensity. That’s why elite athletes from across the globe, including Olympians, flock to places like Iten, Eldoret, and the Kenyan Rift Valley.

Why Long Runs with Pacers?

At altitude, pacing becomes a delicate balance. The same pace that feels easy at sea level can feel crushing at 2100m. Pacers—especially local experienced ones—are invaluable:

• They help you stick to a sustainable effort.

• They guide you through the route and manage your splits.

• They prevent the common mistake of starting too fast and crashing.

  
  

Training smart at altitude isn’t just about working harder—it’s about working right.

A session in Iten, which is situated at 2400m altitude

Physiology of Altitude Training

1. Oxygen Deficit and Adaptation

   At 2100m, oxygen pressure drops significantly, meaning every breath delivers less oxygen to your muscles. Initially, this causes fatigue, shortness of breath, and slower recovery.

   
   

2. Erythropoietin (EPO) Response

   In response to low oxygen, your kidneys release more EPO, stimulating red blood cell production. More red blood cells mean better oxygen transport—a performance booster when you return to sea level.

   
   

3. Muscle Efficiency and Energy Systems

   • Your body learns to use oxygen more efficiently.

   • There’s a shift toward fat utilization, sparing glycogen.

   • VO₂ max temporarily drops but rebounds stronger post-camp.

     
     

4. Adaptation Timeline

   • 0-3 days: Acute altitude sickness risk, fatigue

   • 4-10 days: Initial adaptation, but performance still low

   • 11-21+ days: Deeper adaptation, EPO effects kick in

   • Post-camp: Peak performance 7-14 days after descending

   
   

Pro Tip from Coach Hugo:

Don’t chase your sea-level splits here. You’re training your heart, lungs, and mitochondria. Trust the process. Kenyan roads teach patience, resilience, and strength.

Simply speaking: if you just go to altitude and do the same training you would have done at home, be ready for a bad experience. Thankfully, it's not so difficult to make sure you approach your altitude training camp in the right way. You have to make sure you check some blood levels (a few weeks) before you go. And you have to take certain things into account, especially in the first 7-10 days at altitude.

Together with Physio Camps & Kenya Camp organise a running camp for physiotherapists from all over the world. For their website, I have written a blog post with my 10 top tips for altitude training.

If you find this interesting, and want to experience high altitude training yourself, you can either join Kenya Camp for one of our organised camps and book your accommodation in the Home of Champions (Iten) and do your own training.