I've seen so many videos and tips about how to train for climbs. I have plenty of climbs around, and have trained for one of the steepest hills in colorado, and definitely the steepest paved climb in colorado springs, the road to helen hunt falls with an average of 10 % grade over 3 miles.

my ride | Strava Route



What I don't know is how to train for altitude.

What's the difference? Well as someone who has been living at 7000 ft in elevation for a decade, and has just moved to 4500 ft elevation, it's a huge difference. I have so much more oxygen here, it's as if I became a professional athlete overnight. My heart rate is much lower at the same cadence and tempo as before because of the lower elevation. Now I'm planning a ride that has me starting off at 7000 ft, and climbing to over 12,000 ft (you read that right, twelve-thousand feet), and I don't know what I need to do to prepare myself for that steep drop in oxygen as I climb another very steep ascent at the end of 100 miles, and I don't want to my heart or lungs to aspload on the attempt.

steep finish | Strava Route


Link to the route. Does anyone have any advice on how to train for this, or how to properly acclimate to the lower oxygen?