<p>My son is a cross country runner and has recently learned of a camp in Colorado Springs. It looks like the camp emphasizes the fact that training for a week at high altitudes will somehow make running much easier when runners return home. Does this make sense? Does it sound safe?</p>
<p>If he ends up going make sure that he knows the signs of AMS:
<a href=“What Is Google Health? - Google Health”>What Is Google Health? - Google Health;
<p>My son went to a running camp in CO Springs as a junior high runner and did fine. It takes a couple of days to adjust and the effects upon returning home are very short-lived. The reason to go is to train in a cooler, hillier environment and have fun.</p>
<p>CO springs is very very hilly 
It would strenthen his leg muscles and in theory make him able to run longger. he’ll probbaly be fine.</p>
<p>Google “live high, train low”
[Point:</a> Positive effects of intermittent hypoxia (live high:train low) on exercise performance are mediated primarily by augmented red cell volume – Levine and Stray-Gundersen 99 (5): 2053 – Journal of Applied Physiology](<a href=“http://jap.physiology.org/cgi/content/short/99/5/2053]Point:”>http://jap.physiology.org/cgi/content/short/99/5/2053)</p>
<p>[Colorado</a> Altitude Training Live high train low altitude](<a href=“http://altitudetraining.com/main/sports/hypoxic_works/livehightrainlow]Colorado”>http://altitudetraining.com/main/sports/hypoxic_works/livehightrainlow)</p>
<p>Since your son is not a member of the National Team trying to train for the Olympics, his major goal should be to have fun while training and meet new friends. I’d check the camp reviews, and if they are positive, I’d let him go (if it does not drain your bank account). :)</p>
<p>Training at altitude is safe enough, and the benefits are real. But it takes a lot more than a week to realize the benefits. More like months would be needed. So a one week altitude program sounds more like marketing hype than anything else. But if it’s otherwise a good running camp there is no reason not to let him go.</p>
<p>If it’s the Jim Ryun camp there are some other aspects to that camp that may or may not appeal to your son/family.</p>
<p>It is the Jim Ryun camp. It sounds like the benefits are really short term. He’s be “living low and training high.” Thanks for your opinions.</p>
<p>Just be prepared for the intense Christian focus of the camp. It’s not for everyone. My son loved the running, the staff and his peers, but was NOT prepared for all the religion.</p>