I had to attend and teach at a convention in Lake Placid this past weekend. WOW... was it ever pretty up there! Serious elevation, located in the Adirondack Mountains, I could feel the pressure on my lungs as soon as I arrived. This provided a small glimpse into what I will encounter in Flagstaff when I race. Just a glimpse though as Flagstaff is at 7000 ft and Lake Placid is at about 4000. Ugh... big difference. But let's focus on the positive. It was an opportunity to do a little training at a higher altitude than I am used to. FYI- the town I live in on Long Island is actually one foot BELOW sea level.
I worked out 2 times while I was gone. One morning I ran around Mirror Lake, which is the area where the 1980 Winter Olympics were held. It was a lovely morning with the fog coming off the lake and a slight chill in the air. It felt terrific but I did notice the difference in my breathing. The second workout was in the gym of the hotel because it was pouring outside. I just didn't feel like being cold and wet. Did I tell you it snowed for most of the weekend? Really and I'm not kidding.
So there you have it. A change on venue, a change of altitude. It's all in a day's training and it's all good.
