Cross Country | 10/16/2011 11:47:00 PM

Every athlete is always looking to gain a competitive edge. Some hit the weights, some study film, some meticulously work on their technique, but Western Oregon senior cross country runner Kyle Larson is taking a different approach; he is sleeping. 

Larson has acquired an elevation tent, which is set to 7,000 feet above sea level, and has been sleeping in it for four months as part of his training for cross country and the upcoming indoor track & field season. The tent is designed to allow the body to produce more oxygen-carrying red blood cells and hemoglobin. This will improve the athlete's ability to train, and train more intensely because more oxygen is available to the working muscles.

Larson first heard about the idea back in high school when his teammate purchased and started using the tent he now sleeps in. He then remembers talking about altitude tents with his 2010 Western Oregon teammates and decided to acquire the tent from his high school classmate (at a steal of a price). However, as Larson discovered it is not a matter of just jumping in the tent one night and seeing the benefits the following training session. 

"The first couple weeks were very hard," said the senior from Lake Stevens, Washington. "I was working 40 hours a week and running 50 miles a week. My legs were just dead early on."

He soon learned some tricks to using the device, which fits between the box spring and the mattress on a queen sized bed and can be changed to mimic the altitudes of 1,000 to 7,000 feet above sea level.

"That first night I had it set to 7,000 feet and woke up with a headache because I was not used to sleeping at that elevation," Larson explained. "I then dropped it down to 3,000 feet to for a while to condition myself but have built back to 7,000 feet and have been there for the last few months."

While some may still be skeptical of the benefits of living and sleeping at a high altitude while training at a low altitude Larson believes in results he has seen. "I notice that I have gotten stronger and am able to handle more stress on my body," he said.

This has also meant that Larson has had to take much better care of his body, such as sleeping between 8-10 hours a night and getting naps in when he can. But this has been the same approach for many of Larson's 2011 teammates, who are all focused on taking the proper care of their bodies as they build towards the championships portion of the season.

"We are very excited for GNACs, Regionals and Nationals," Larson said. "Qualifying for Nationals is an expectation we have placed upon ourselves. We want to go into each one of these races and do the best we can that day."

Larson will stop using the tent with GNACs approaching but if there is one lesson to take out of this it is don't sleep on Kyle Larson and the Wolves this championship season.