**Taos Tech: Is Fitness Data Lying About Altitude Strain?**
By Franklin Everett ShawThe burn in your lungs, the relentless pounding in your temples – it’s not just fatigue. It’s altitude. And that shiny new fitness tracker you splurged on before moving to Boulder? It might be lying to you about how hard you’re really working.
Fitness trackers are ubiquitous, especially in endurance-sport meccas like Boulder, Colorado, and Flagstaff, Arizona. But relying solely on their altitude readings and derived metrics can lead to serious miscalculations in training intensity and recovery, potentially hindering performance and increasing the risk of overtraining. Let’s dive into why, and more importantly, how to fix it.
The problem lies in the barometric altimeter, the core technology used by most fitness trackers to estimate altitude. These altimeters measure air pressure, which decreases with increasing altitude. The tracker then uses a pre-programmed algorithm to convert air pressure into an altitude reading. This is where the trouble begins.
Air pressure isn’t just affected by altitude. Weather patterns, temperature fluctuations, and even the position of your body can influence it. A sudden drop in barometric pressure due to an approaching storm in Flagstaff can make your tracker think you’ve climbed hundreds of feet, even if you’re just sitting on your porch drinking coffee. This leads to inflated altitude gain metrics and skewed calculations of training stress.
Consider this scenario: You’re running a familiar trail loop in Boulder, consistently clocking around 1,000 feet of elevation gain according to your tracker. One day, a low-pressure system moves in. Your tracker now reports 1,500 feet of gain for the same loop, leading you to believe you’ve pushed yourself significantly harder than usual. You might then reduce your training volume the next day, unnecessarily hindering your progress.
So, how do we combat this altitude-induced inaccuracy? The key is calibration.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to calibrating your fitness tracker for accurate altitude readings:
Find a Known Altitude Point: Locate a landmark with a precisely known altitude. This could be a survey marker, a trailhead sign with elevation information, or even a building with a documented altitude. Many towns, especially in mountainous regions, have readily available altitude markers. For example, the Boulder Public Library has a known elevation.
Access Altimeter Settings: Navigate to the altimeter or sensor settings on your fitness tracker. The exact location of these settings varies depending on the brand and model. Consult your device’s manual for specific instructions. Look for options like “Calibrate,” “Set Elevation,” or “Manual Altitude.”
Enter the Known Altitude: Manually input the known altitude of your chosen landmark into your fitness tracker. This will reset the device’s baseline and improve the accuracy of subsequent readings.
Repeat Regularly: Barometric pressure changes constantly. Calibrate your tracker before each workout, especially if you’re concerned about accurate altitude data. Make it a part of your pre-run routine, like stretching or tying your shoes.
However, even with regular calibration, barometric altimeters have inherent limitations. Relying solely on altitude data from your fitness tracker is a recipe for inaccurate training assessments. We need alternative, validated methods for monitoring exertion.
Enter the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale. This subjective measure of effort allows you to gauge how hard you’re working based on your own internal sensations, rather than relying on potentially flawed external data.
The Borg RPE scale, ranging from 6 (no exertion at all) to 20 (maximal exertion), is a widely used and validated tool. A simpler, modified scale from 1 to 10 is also common.
Here’s how to use the RPE scale effectively in your high-altitude training:
Familiarize Yourself with the Scale: Understand the descriptors associated with each number on the RPE scale. For example, a 5 might correspond to “moderate exertion,” where you can still hold a conversation comfortably.
Monitor Your Breathing and Muscle Fatigue: Pay attention to your breathing rate, heart rate, and the level of fatigue in your muscles. These physiological cues provide valuable information about your exertion level.
Assign an RPE Value: At regular intervals during your workout (e.g., every 15-20 minutes), assign an RPE value based on your perceived effort. Be honest with yourself.
Record Your RPE Values: Keep a training log and record your RPE values alongside other workout data, such as distance, time, and heart rate. This will help you track your training load and identify patterns over time.
Adjust Your Training Accordingly: Use your RPE values to guide your training decisions. If you consistently feel like you’re working harder than you should be for a given workout, reduce your intensity or volume.
Combining calibrated altitude data with RPE provides a more holistic and accurate picture of your training in high-altitude environments. Don’t blindly trust your fitness tracker. Use it as one piece of the puzzle, but prioritize your own perception of effort.
A common pitfall is ignoring the RPE scale when the fitness tracker data looks “good.” Just because your tracker says you’re only at a moderate effort level doesn’t mean you feel that way. Trust your body.
Another challenge is accurately assessing RPE, especially when you’re fatigued. Practice makes perfect. The more you use the RPE scale, the better you’ll become at gauging your exertion level.
Consider the case of a runner training for the Pikes Peak Ascent in Manitou Springs, Colorado. They rely solely on their fitness tracker’s altitude data and heart rate to guide their training. On a particularly humid day, the runner pushes themselves to maintain a target heart rate zone, despite feeling significantly more fatigued than usual. This leads to overtraining and a subpar performance on race day. Had the runner incorporated RPE into their training, they would have recognized the increased effort required due to the humidity and adjusted their training accordingly.
In conclusion, while fitness trackers can be valuable tools for monitoring training, their altitude readings should be taken with a grain of salt, especially in mountainous regions like Boulder and Flagstaff. Calibrate your device regularly, but more importantly, learn to listen to your body and use the RPE scale to guide your training decisions. This combination of technology and self-awareness will lead to more effective and sustainable training at altitude. Don’t let a faulty barometric altimeter derail your fitness goals.