Glossary

Acclimatization:

The period of time your body takes to adapt to thinner air and the lack of oxygen at altitude. It can take a body 1-3 days to acclimate.

Altitude:

This is the elevation above sea level.

Altitude Training:

The theory that exposure to high altitude could improve an athlete's capacity to exercise.

Bag a peak:

slang v. Making it to the summit of a mountain.

Bonk:

slang v. Cycling's term for hitting the wall or otherwise expiring during a ride. Same as boink.

Crater:

slang v. To fall and crash violently from a great height. To fail utterly.

Extreme Altitude*:

Above 18,000 feet (above 5,500 meters).

* As defined by the International Society for Mountain Medicine.

High Altitude*:

5,000-11,500 feet (1,500-3,500 meters).

Hypoxia:

A serious condition caused by a severe lack of sufficient oxygen.

Peloton:

The field, bunch or pack that is the large main group in a road bicycle race.

Respiratory Rate:

The number of breaths you take in a minute.  A normal respiratory rate would be 10-14 breaths per minute.

At high altitude, your body needs to breathe harder in order to take in more oxygen and your respiratory rate increases.

Three-hour tour:

slang v. When something takes much, much longer than you thought it would. A reference to Gilligans Island.

Very High Altitude*:

11,500-18,000 feet (3,500-5,500 meters).