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High-Altitude Research Initiative

PROGRAM & MISSION STATEMENT:
The mission of the High-Altitude Research Initiative is to advance our knowledge and understanding of the benefits of high-altitude exposure for endurance athletes while enhancing the applications of this knowledge to improve the development of elite athletes.  The initiative, driven by the Human Movement Program at ATSU, represents a gathering of elite endurance coaches and exercise science scholars who are collaborating on various research projects based in Flagstaff and Mesa, Arizona.  The program will be directed by Dr. Jack Daniels, who joins ATSU as an Associate Professor in the Human Movement Program, Dr. Matt Rhea, Director of the Human Movement Master’s Degree, and Dr. Jeff Messer, an exercise physiologist and faculty at Mesa Community College.

The unique environmental differences within a relatively close proximity (Flagstaff elevation 7000 feet, Mesa elevation 1200 feet) open up a wide-range of possible research projects.   The Interdisciplinary Research Lab on the campus of ATSU-Mesa will enable advanced metabolic testing at low-altitude, while portable testing devices will allow similar testing to be done at high-altitude.  This research will be conducted with the participation of many elite endurance athletes who live in, or travel to, Flagstaff to train with Dr. Daniels as well as Arizona competitive and recreational runners. 

PERSONNEL:
Jack Daniels, PhD
Dr. Daniels brings with him a very unique background in both sport and exercise science.  Daniels  is a winner of silver and bronze Olympic medals in the modern pentathlon (Melbourne, 1956; Rome, 1960).  He has coached 30 NCAA national individual champions, 8 NCAA national team champions, 130 All-American collegiate athletes, and numerous elite male and female marathon runners including an Olympic silver medalists.  In NCAA competition, Daniels was named “Women’s Cross-Country Coach of the Century” and is a two-time recipient of the National Coach of the Year.  In the mid-1990’s he was labeled the “World’s Best Running Coach” by Runner’s World.  He is the author of Daniel's Running Formula published by Human Kinetics, and more than 50 articles and research studies involving elite athletes.   

Matt Rhea, PhD
Dr. Rhea was honored in 2008 by the National Strength and Conditioning Association as their Outstanding Young Investigator in recognition for his research in sports conditioning and performance enhancement.  He has worked with numerous collegiate and professional sports teams implementing advanced exercise programs.  He has published over 30 studies, several books/book chapters, and has presented at international conferences including the International Olympic Committee’s World Congress on Sports Science (Athens, 2003) and the International Conference on Strength Training (Denmark, 2006; Colorado, 2008).

Jeff Messer, PhD
Dr. Jeffrey I. Messer is a residential faculty member specializing in exercise physiology within the Department of Physical Education and Exercise Science (PEES) at Mesa Community College (MCC), Mesa, Arizona.  Prior to joining MCC, Dr. Messer completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics (Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT), a Master’s of Business Administration degree (Duke University, Durham, NC), a Master’s of Science degree in exercise science (Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ), and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in exercise physiology (Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ).Dr. Messer is also active as an interscholastic and post-collegiate coach specializing in distance /endurance running events ranging from the 800-meter run to the marathon. He is a distance coach for the 2007 Arizona high school state champion Xavier College Preparatory (XCP) cross-country program and a coach for the second-ranked master’s female marathon runner in the United States. He serves as Vice President for the Arizona Track and Cross-Country Coaches Association (ATCCCA).

RESEARCH PROJECTS:
Physiology of the Aging Endurance Athlete
This project will involve a 40-year follow-up of testing of elite runners who were first tested prior to the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games.  Dr. Daniels completed a 20-year follow-up evaluation and will now begin conducting testing to evaluate health, fitness, and performance among these athletes, many now in their 60’s.  This represents an unprecedented longitudinal evaluation of elite runners and will provide great insight into aging and performance. 

Changes in Running Economy among Elite Runners through the use of Resistance Training at Altitude
The use of resistance training may enhance the running economy, endurance, and performance of elite runners.  While research has shown some effectiveness in this regard, performing resistance training in combination with high-altitude running, has yet to be examined.  This study will provide direction in the proper use of resistance training among Olympic runners.

“Live High, Train Low”
A comparison study will be conducted to examine training adaptations among elite and recreational runners living/training in different environments.  Different philosophies exist regarding exposure to altitude in preparation for endurance events, including living at altitude but training near sea-level.  Through the use of altitude chambers and the differences in elevation in Flagstaff and the Phoenix-area, this research will enable us to identify different physiological adaptations in different scenarios.

Educational Projects:
In addition to conducting research, the High-Altitude Research Initiative will disseminate research findings and other educational information via conference presentations, journal publications, and a quarterly newsletter.