MN Daily: Gophers will battle high altitude at NMSU

[BleedGopher]

per the Daily:

The game will likely be nearly as hot, with a high near 90 degrees, but the altitude — not the heat — could present the biggest challenge to players.

The elevation in Las Cruces, N.M., where the university is located, is nearly 3,900 feet above sea level. The Twin Cities sits just 841 feet above sea level.

“Drinking a lot of water [is important],” senior defensive lineman Ra’Shede Hageman said. “As simple as it is … that’s what’s going to help us stay in the game in the third or fourth quarter.”

http://www.mndaily.com/sports/football/2013/09/04/gophers-will-battle-high-altitude-nmsu

Go Gophers!!

 

[highwayman]

This is where depth and rotation on defense will pay off.

 

[Rescooter]

I really appreciate the fact that the Daily is running some positive Gopher articles, this one isn't the best. I'm very accustomed to altitude changes (as an avid hiker/climber) and 3,900 ft. would not be considered a problem at all. If we were playing the University of Wyoming in Laramie, I'd say the 7,000 foot altitude WOULD indeed affect us. But 3,900....meh. Here's a chart by the US Army on altitude effects:

Altitude Meters (m) / Feet (ft) Effects of Acute Altitude Exposure
Sea Level – 1200m / 4000 ft None
Moderate 1200-2400m / 4000-7870 ft Mild altitude illness and decreased performance may occur
High 2400-4000m / 7870-13,125 ft Altitude illness and performance decrements are more common and greater
Very High 4000-5500m / 13,125-18,000 ft Altitude illness and decreased performance is the rule
Extreme 5500m / 18,000 ft - and higher With acclimatization, humans can function for short periods of time

The heat will be more of a factor than anything - and keeping hydrated, but altitude will not be an issue.

 

[e.bigelow]

I really appreciate the fact that the Daily is running some positive Gopher articles, this one isn't the best. I'm very accustomed to altitude changes (as an avid hiker/climber) and 3,900 ft. would not be considered a problem at all. If we were playing the University of Wyoming in Laramie, I'd say the 7,000 foot altitude WOULD indeed affect us. But 3,900....meh. Here's a chart by the US Army on altitude effects:

Altitude Meters (m) / Feet (ft) Effects of Acute Altitude Exposure
Sea Level – 1200m / 4000 ft None
Moderate 1200-2400m / 4000-7870 ft Mild altitude illness and decreased performance may occur
High 2400-4000m / 7870-13,125 ft Altitude illness and performance decrements are more common and greater
Very High 4000-5500m / 13,125-18,000 ft Altitude illness and decreased performance is the rule
Extreme 5500m / 18,000 ft - and higher With acclimatization, humans can function for short periods of time

The heat will be more of a factor than anything - and keeping hydrated, but altitude will not be an issue.

Interesting. Thanks for sharing Recscooter!

 

[Schnauzer]

Oh no... just when I was thinking this game was a slam dunk... now comes the old altitude scare. Time to head down to the rental store and order up 70 oxygen tanks!!!

In reality, this team has HUGE issues if 4000 feet of altitude becomes an issue at all.

 

[Rescooter]

Oh no... just when I was thinking this game was a slam dunk... now comes the old altitude scare. Time to head down to the rental store and order up 70 oxygen tanks!!!

In reality, this team has HUGE issues if 4000 feet of altitude becomes an issue at all.

Don't tell this to dances4raiders or her New Mexico counterpart dances4aggies!

 

[Flatfoot]

The heat will be more of a factor than anything - and keeping hydrated, but altitude will not be an issue.

This.
It won't be humid either.
Thursday in MN was a harder test for our boys than NM will be Saturday.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Oh no... just when I was thinking this game was a slam dunk... now comes the old altitude scare. Time to head down to the rental store and order up 70 oxygen tanks!!!

In reality, this team has HUGE issues if 4000 feet of altitude becomes an issue at all.

Yep, this one should not be a battle and altitude certainly should not be a factor. Can never look past someone but these guys are a step down even from UNLV. The team will still need to execute and play smart but there is really no reason why we should lose this game or even be in a tight game with these guys.

If we are not 3-0 when San Jose State rolls into town something has gone horribly wrong.

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

This weather forecast is not an issue, period.

90 degrees, dry, Elev 3900 ft, 6:00pm kickoff is about as comfortable as it gets. That's a downright beautiful evening in a dry climate. And I agree, the elevation won't be an issue either.

 

[Firejumper]

Will give you guys a report tomorrow night. Should be in Truth or Consequences, NM around 6-ish. I'll run around the hotel a couple of times and let you know if I get sick to my stomach (ehh... more than normal). Then I better have a beer to hydrate, just as a precaution.

 

[NateDawgUM]

Ah, the forever recycled altitude article. You'd think that high altitude teams would dominate athletically due to their superior ability to suck oxygen out of the air.

Yet, the past 10 national champions have come from cities with an average altitude of 250 feet.

 

[Killjoy]

Ah, the forever recycled altitude article. You'd think that high altitude teams would dominate athletically due to their superior ability to suck oxygen out of the air.

Yet, the past 10 national champions have come from cities with an average altitude of 250 feet.

I am not really concerned about his issue but the body does need to adjust to higher altitudes. When the Olympics were held in Mexico City the long distance runners arrived there earlier for that very reason. I have a friend who had to sell his place at Copper Mountain in Colorado because the altitude was causing him a problem. It effects everybody differently. I have personally found that drinking lots of water is an effective way to deal with it. So yes, 4,000 may have an effect on some people but it should be minimal.

 

[highwayman]

I suppose, but Mexico City is 7,400' and the base of Copper Mt. is at 9,700'. That's a far cry from 3,900. I guess we'll see.

 

[RodentRampage]

I suppose, but Mexico City is 7,400' and the base of Copper Mt. is at 9,700'. That's a far cry from 3,900. I guess we'll see.

http://www.altitude.org/air_pressure.php

At Minneapolis' altitude, there is about 97% of the oxygen there is at sea level. At NMSU's altitude, there is about 87%. At 7400 feet, there is about 77%, and at 9700 feet there is about 71%

So, there will be somewhat less oxygen available, but it won't be a huge difference.

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

I am not really concerned about his issue but the body does need to adjust to higher altitudes. When the Olympics were held in Mexico City the long distance runners arrived there earlier for that very reason. I have a friend who had to sell his place at Copper Mountain in Colorado because the altitude was causing him a problem. It effects everybody differently. I have personally found that drinking lots of water is an effective way to deal with it. So yes, 4,000 may have an effect on some people but it should be minimal.

It's highly unlikely I would ever own a place above 8000' elevation. I do some mtn bike riding and ATV riding in southern Utah around those elevations and for me, there's a big jump once you get over 7000-7500'. One of my ATV's is NOT fuel injected and it runs like a dog up at 9000+ feet, I can barely get it over 20MPH. I've actually routinely had difficulty sleeping in a hotel that's at about 9300'. I honestly don't notice that much of a difference at anything below 6000 or so.

 

[MNGoldenGophers1]

Will give you guys a report tomorrow night. Should be in Truth or Consequences, NM around 6-ish. I'll run around the hotel a couple of times and let you know if I get sick to my stomach (ehh... more than normal). Then I better have a beer to hydrate, just as a precaution.

Please post a video of your run so us Gopherholers can make an informed decision as to how this altitude situation will impact the team ;-)

 

[LesBolstad]

I hope they drink plenty of pickle juice.

 

[Killjoy]

I suppose, but Mexico City is 7,400' and the base of Copper Mt. is at 9,700'. That's a far cry from 3,900. I guess we'll see.

You are absolutely correct. My point, though not very well stated, is that altitude can make a difference. At 3,900' I don't know how much but I expect not much. What I was really hoping for was that somebody less lazy then me would have the answer or find the answer. Since none of you would take the bait I may be forced to google it myself.

 

[Killjoy]

People may feel the effect of altitude at 4,000' or more

According to High Altitude Living, "[p]eople may feel effects from higher altitudes as low at 4000 ft above sea level. Usually by 6000 ft, they will experience more fatigue, and a greater potential for dehydration." These effects occur because the air is thinner at higher altitudes, which creates an oxygen deficit that can inhibit regular physical activities-until one's body adapts to the higher altitude.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3603927

It appears NMSU is very slightly below the altitude where problems start occurring. What it doesn't tell you is how much your endurance decreases, if at all, at 3,900'.

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Impact-on-Fitness-of-Exercising-at-Altitude&id=3603927

 

[Deleted_User]

I used to live in Sierra Vista, Arizona. Elevation 4633. I was running there the first day I arrived. Not a problem. Game time should not be a problem for sun. Best to do things in the late evening. Hydration is the bigger issue. I used to run up the drive on Mount Miller. That would bust a mans... ego if he wasn't careful. Tried to run the Huachuca Canyon peak once or twice. Only the maniacally pure at heart can do it. About a 2000 foot rise from its starting point. I think several of the team could run it and survive to tell about it. Too far away from the game day experience to try. Great team building exercise if you can get in the gate. And, no, I didn't make it to the top. Always turned around about midway to shoot at some rock formations. At least that is where some really spooky SF guys used to hang out and mess up my run and hand out fun toys to play with. I miss those Saturday morning runs. Garden Canyon Road a great place to run in the morning. Just don't drink the mountain water. Too much natural arsenic.