Every summer, hundreds of high school runners head to altitude for training camps. Some return home faster. Others return confused about whether it made any difference. The variable is rarely the mountain itself. It is whether the athlete understands what altitude training actually does, and how to use that knowledge once they are back at sea level.
This article explains the physiology behind altitude training, the optimal conditions for high school athletes, and what research tells us about duration, intensity, and the transition home. Our goal is not to sell you on altitude training. It is to help you understand it well enough to decide whether it fits your development.
The Basic Physiology: What Happens When You Train at Elevation
At higher elevations, the air contains less oxygen per breath. Your body notices this quickly and begins adapting. The most significant adaptation involves a hormone called erythropoietin, commonly known as EPO. Your kidneys release EPO in response to lower oxygen levels, and EPO signals your bone marrow to produce more red blood cells.
More red blood cells means greater oxygen-carrying capacity in your blood. When you return to sea level, where oxygen is more abundant, your body temporarily operates with an enhanced ability to deliver oxygen to working muscles. This is the primary performance benefit of altitude training.
Research published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that athletes training at moderate altitude for two to three weeks showed measurable increases in red blood cell mass. The effect is not permanent; your body gradually returns to baseline over the following weeks. But the window of enhanced performance is real and well-documented.
The Optimal Altitude Range
Not all altitude is created equal. Too low, and the stimulus is insufficient to trigger meaningful adaptation. Too high, and the reduced oxygen impairs training quality, recovery, and sleep. The research points to an optimal window between 6,000 and 8,000 feet for most athletes.
At 6,677 feet, which is the elevation of our Italian Alpine Running Challenge location in Sestriere, Italy, athletes train in the heart of this optimal range. The plateau terrain allows coaches to program controlled workouts without the forced elevation gain that mountain environments sometimes impose. Athletes can run tempo efforts, intervals, and recovery runs at prescribed intensities rather than constantly fighting the terrain.
Sestriere also offers Europe's highest outdoor track at 2,035 meters (approximately 6,677 feet). For runners who want precise interval work at altitude, this matters. Track sessions can be calibrated and repeated, giving both athlete and coach concrete data to work with.
How Long You Need to See Benefits
The duration question is critical, and the research is clear: brief exposure is insufficient. A weekend at altitude will not meaningfully change your red blood cell count. The body needs sustained exposure to trigger the adaptation cascade.
Studies consistently show that meaningful physiological changes require a minimum of two to three weeks at altitude. Some research suggests four weeks produces even greater benefits. This is why our altitude running programs are designed as two-week camps: long enough to generate real adaptation, structured carefully to balance training stimulus with recovery.
During these two weeks, athletes do not simply run more miles. The thin air makes every effort feel harder. A pace that feels comfortable at sea level becomes challenging at altitude. Smart programming accounts for this by adjusting intensity targets, building in additional recovery, and helping athletes learn to read their own effort levels.
The Transition Back to Sea Level
What happens when you return home is perhaps the most misunderstood aspect of altitude training. Many athletes expect to feel immediately faster. The reality is more nuanced.
In the first few days after returning to sea level, you may actually feel flat or sluggish. Your body is readjusting, and the accumulated fatigue from training at altitude may mask the physiological benefits. Most coaches and researchers recommend a brief recovery period, typically three to five days of easy running, before attempting to access the newly available fitness.
The performance window typically opens around day five to seven post-altitude and can extend for two to four weeks, depending on the individual and the training that follows. This timing matters for race planning. An athlete hoping to peak at a state championship should consider when altitude training fits into their broader preparation.
Beyond Blood: Other Altitude Benefits
While EPO production and red blood cell mass get the most attention, altitude training offers additional benefits that are sometimes overlooked.
First, training at altitude forces athletes to become more efficient. When oxygen is limited, your body learns to do more with less. This efficiency can translate to improved running economy, meaning you use less energy at a given pace.
Second, altitude training often involves a mental component that gets underestimated. When every run feels harder than expected, athletes develop resilience. They learn to distinguish between discomfort that signals a problem and discomfort that simply comes with the territory. This skill, being able to accurately read your own body, is central to what we mean by self-coaching.
Third, the change of environment itself can be valuable. Training in new terrain, with new teammates, under different conditions, often rekindles motivation that has gone stale. Athletes who have been grinding through the same routes at home rediscover why they love to run.
Practical Considerations for High School Athletes
Altitude training is not magic, and it is not right for everyone. Here are questions to consider before committing to an altitude camp:
Are you healthy and injury-free? Altitude amplifies everything. A minor issue at sea level can become a significant problem at elevation. Athletes should enter altitude camps with a clean bill of health and a consistent training base.
Do you understand the purpose? Altitude training works best when athletes know what they are trying to accomplish and can adjust accordingly. This means understanding why paces feel different, why recovery matters more, and what signs to watch for.
Is the timing right? An altitude camp in late July can set up a strong cross country season. The same camp in early June might be too far from your goal races to see the benefit. Timing matters.
What happens after? The value of altitude training depends heavily on what you do when you get home. Athletes need a plan for the transition period and the weeks that follow.
What We Do Differently
At our Italian Alpine Running Challenge, altitude is one component of a broader approach to athletic development. We combine the physiological benefits of training at 6,677 feet with personalized gait analysis, custom strength programming, and daily performance psychology sessions.
Athletes do not simply accumulate miles at altitude. They learn how their bodies respond to elevation, which running economy habits cost them the most, and what mental strategies help them perform when effort feels harder than expected. The goal is not just to return home fitter. It is to return home understanding why you are fitter and how to maintain it.
Our two-week format aligns with the research on adaptation timing. Our 1:4 staff-to-athlete ratio means coaches can monitor each athlete's response to altitude and adjust training accordingly. And our admissions-based cohorts ensure that athletes train alongside peers who share their commitment to growth.
The Bottom Line
Altitude training works. The physiology is well-established, and thousands of athletes have benefited from purposeful time at elevation. But altitude alone is not enough. What matters is whether you understand what is happening in your body, how to train appropriately while you are there, and how to leverage the benefits once you return home.
The athletes who get the most out of altitude training are the ones who treat it as a learning experience, not just a training block. They pay attention to how their bodies respond, ask questions when things feel off, and build the self-awareness that makes them better runners long after the altitude benefits have faded.
