Harvey: Yep nothing like time at elevation, but I wonder whether you agree that general physical conditioning means "the less you'll feel the altitude".
I also wonder whether you would distinguish between AMS and general endurance and shortness of breath in what it means to "feel the altitude". I am pretty sure general condition has nothing to do with AMS and thought the same about endurance and wind, but less sure of the latter.
Salty is correct. Shortness of breath (SOB) without AMS is simply Mountaineer's Foot, ie, pooped and cannot put one in front of the other. Happens at sea level, too, but moreso where atmospheric pressure is lower. Same as your car- gotta push on the gas or downshift to maintain speed uphill. Cars can keep it up, or at least until they overheat. Human engines are not as sturdy.
While being conditioned may help one avoid this for a while, or get ahead of the pack, it is felt in the scientific community that youth and athleticism actually increases the risk of AMS by going too high too fast. . Obviously, there is huge individual variation and exceptions to many general rules. Messner, for example, did not have a champion cyclist or marathoner VO2max. He just had "it" whatever "it" is.
