Training For The Climb

When i tell others about this trip the most frequently asked question is - "So just how do you train to climb a mountain like that??" Good question. For this i did a lot of reading and asking around before designing my training program.

The basic idea is that before the climb you want to be in great all-around shape.. if your body can handle strenuous activity at the current elevation, you will be better able to handle very strenuous activity at higher elevation (with less oxygen). That being said, it is important to vary your training activities to handle the various stressors on the mountain. Once on the mountain it is important to climb slowly and steadily (your body demands less oxygen this way), drink LOTS of water (so the oxygen you breathe gets distributed throughout your body), and i also plan to take Diamox, which aids your body in acclimatizing.

The training program i designed and have been following for the past few months is composed of the following:

Cardio Activity - running several miles (3-4) almost every other day
Weight Training - i adjusted my usual routine to focus on the lower body
Stairclimbing - yes, the Stairclimber at the gym.. and it's tougher than it looks!
Hiking - on the weekends i've been taking long hikes (6-7 hours) on mountains in the area
Interval Training - this is basically periods of intense activity alternated with less intense activity, for this i ran laps and stadiums at the local high school track

Since my training program began i have run 81 miles, lifted a few thousand pounds of weights (not all at once of course), climbed 654 flights of stairs on the Stairclimber, hiked 37 miles of mountains, and run 6 miles of intervals. Below is a picture i took on Camelback Mountain which i climbed a few weeks ago in Phoenix.