If you can’t go to the mountain then you bring the mountain to Lincoln.
Mountain runner and Lincoln University student, Matt Scott, has been picked to compete for New Zealand in the world mountain running champs next month and has turned to a Lincoln researcher for help due to a lack of local tall peaks to train on.
He has been working with Lincoln Associate Professor Dr Mike Hamlin, of the Tourism, Sport and Society Department, doing altitude (also known as hypoxic) training to overcome the paucity of peaks.
The training works the same as going to altitude by reducing the oxygen to the muscles.
Matt said the championships are in Canillo, Andorra, and feature a 10km race with 1000m ascent (starting at 1500m finishing at 2500m).
“Most of the mountains I run in New Zealand don’t even exceed 1500m, which is where the race starts. I have been doing this hypoxic training with Mike to help acclimatise to the altitude there.
“Hopefully this will mean I will arrive there already used to the altitude and it will have minimal effect on me on race day.
“Possibly, it will give me, an advantage over other runners or at least not letting them have the advantage over me. The main thing is trying to rule out another things that could go wrong on race day,” Matt said.
Associate Professor Hamlin has previously worked with organisations such as New Zealand Cycling, Triathlon New Zealand and the New Zealand Rugby Union as well as international teams such as the Netherlands Triathlon team, with the purpose of improving performance.
He has Matt completing his long slow (endurance) running on his treadmill while breathing hypoxic air generated from a hypoxic machine.
He said Matt will continue his normal training outside of the lab.
“This should have a number of positive effects for Matt including an increased red blood cell volume which should allow Matt to carry more oxygen when he is running in the mountains which should improve his performance at altitude.
“This training also improves the respiratory system so that it kicks in quicker and has a stronger effect.
Associate Professor Hamlin said acclimatising to hypoxia before he gets to the mountains will also benefit Matt by reducing the risk of him suffering acute mountain sickness.
“Acute mountain sickness symptoms include nausea, headache, fatigue and stomach problems which can all effect training and recovery and therefore performance at the event.”
Matt has been running for around seven years, mostly focusing on track and cross-country racing but has always loved to race and train on the trails and in the mountains.
“Mountain running has always appealed to me as I prefer the slower, steadier, longer grind to the top of a mountain than racing on the flat, it’s also more you against the mountain than the tactics of track and road racing.
“Running somewhere significant like to the top of a mountain also seems to make more sense, and is much more rewarding, to me than running in circles or in a field. You get a view at the top, to top it off.
“That or I’m obsessed with being in the mountains as skiing and mountain running are all I would do if that could pay the bills.”
He became competitive after “doing quite well at mountain running nationals two years ago, getting third in the U20s without specifically training for it.”
“I changed my focus to mountain running with the goal of qualifying for worlds, which I did getting bronze in the nationals early this year, after not being able to compete last year as I injured myself descending Mt Herbert.”
He is currently fundraising for the trip through Givealittle https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/help-matthew-scott-get-to-world-mountain-running