Running at 6500 feet

I thought I had adjusted to the high altitude. I've been here a month and a half. I can drink 1 beer without getting tipsy. I can do my normal spin bike work out no problem.

But today I tried to go for a run.

Yikes.

This is what the internet says about high altitude running: "Appreciate the fact that exertion at high altitude is more difficult than at sea level. This is so because of the reduced partial pressure of oxygen as elevation rises. The decrease in oxygen pressure impairs the oxygenation of blood flowing through your lungs, ultimately resulting in a corresponding diminished oxygen supply to working muscles. Studies by the Federation of Sport at Altitude have shown that the lack of oxygen at elevations above 10,000 feet translates to 25-40% less muscle power.

My training plan today told me to run for 14 minutes. "Ha!" I scoffed. "I can do that easily, despite having run exactly one time since the end of September." Though I am slow, even if I haven't been running much, I can usually bust out 25 or 30 minutes of running.

Today, not true. I did, however, make it 14 minutes.

Then I did some easy spinning on the bike for about 20 minutes and arms and abs.

In other news, it is snowing here. Hard. And it is supposed to get very cold. Maybe I'll have a snow day at work tomorrow.