Training

OK, so that was kinda grim. Improv (most of you already know I perform live Improv at the Upfront Theatre) has the innate ability to find humor in unlikely places and mountain climbing surfaced as a theme during several scenes after I returned from climbing Denali. In a show I did with Ryan Stiles we improvised a scene where a group of stranded climbers turned cannibalistic. "More Phil," he offered. "No, I'm full" the another actor replied.



I am about to leave for the Gym to do today's training. There are many things beyond the control of a climber which can result in not reaching the summit. So it goes I am committed to doing all I can about those things that are in my control. Conditioning is one of them.



As long as a person has some kind of base-level fitness from which to start, conditioning for Elbrus probably doesn't need to get under way until a few months before the climb. Here is what I have done.



Gym workouts Mon, Wed, Fri from 1:30-3:00. I start with 30 minutes of stepmill (stair climber machine), followed by 30 minutes of weights and core strength exercises. I then finish with 30 minutes of running on the treadmill. No resting in between. Just bang bang bang. By the time I'm done I've sweat through my shoes. My old roomate would be proud.



Outside training Tues, Sat. Nothing can prepare you for packing weight up a steep hill like packing weight up a steep hill. On these days I load an expedition pack with 50 pds of water and grind my way up the trail to Cedar Lakes, a 1,400 ft elevation gain in about 50 minutes. I pour out half the water to save my knees on the way down (a tip from famed High Altitude Climber Vern Tejas) then descend. I like these sessions. I typically listen to music on my I-pod and concentrate on my efficiency of movement. Efficiency of movement is pretty important up high. As there is little air to be had, one must make the most of what he can take in. I started to feel light-headed during our final summit push of the Kilimanjaro climb last year. We were at about 18,500 ft. I began conciously examining my efficiency and realized I was swinging my left arm. That's all it takes. I relaxed the arm, letting it hang, and clarity slowly returned.

It should be noted that opinions differ on some of this. I just spoke with Richard Birkill, my climbing partner on Kili and this climb, and he sees no need to train packing weight since our loads are likely to be light, perhaps ten pounds. To his credit, Richard is a physician. I made the case that 50 pds at low altitude is about what 10 pds will feel like up high, so better to build sufficient muscle and stamina. He counters that more muscle requires more oxygen so this type of training may in fact be counter-productive. At this point I suggest that maybe he is in fact Chicken, adding "Bocka Bocka Bocka," and not up to truly rigorous training. Which he counters with a lot of medical terminology that I wouldn't understand even if I were a doctor because his native South African accent forms such an impossible contango with his efforts to sound like the Canadians of his immigrated homeland. An extended pause follows as I try to sort out whether or not I've been insulted. Uncertain of this, I decide to throw another round of "Bocka Bocka Bocka," at him as insurance.