On Friday 4th December 2020, Darren Hardy stepped into The Altitude Centre with a very clear goal in mind: to complete the world’s highest long distance duathlon. The challenge would involve a 10 km treadmill run, 150 km through Zwift’s Watopia, finishing with a punishing 30 km run. The twist? He’d be undertaking the challenge at a huge 3,600 m of altitude.
To simulate the high altitude required for the challenge, we used one of our gold standard hypoxic generators. This reduced the oxygen content of the air that Darren was breathing to just 13%, a huge reduction from the 20.9% you’ll enjoy at sea level. The low availability of oxygen in the air he breathed meant Darren’s muscles and brain were deprived of oxygen, sending his heart rate soaring and increasing the physical demands of the challenge several times over.
With a number of projects in the pipeline, we’re looking forward to working with Darren on his acclimatisation and physical preparation for upcoming challenges! Watch this space!
Take a look at how the day unfolded below
