Steve Whittington
I am originally from Thompson, Manitoba and now live in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. I am an avid mountain climber having climbed 40 mountains including four of the seven summits of the world, such as Mt. Kilimanjaro and Denali. I most recently lead a team to climb to the, so far, unreached peak of Mount Saskatchewan in the Yukon and will be leading a team to climb Everest in April, 2013. In preparation for a climb I undertake intensive workout regimens and follow strict diets to prepare myself for the rigours of being on a mountain. Between climbs I have a more relaxed workout to maintain my general health and that I can fit into my busy schedule as Flaman’s VP of marketing.
Part of my training for Everest is not just increasing endurance, cardio and strength. There is also gear prep and making sure the systems all work together the way they should. With that in mind, I have been marching around in my new high altitude boots to break them in.
In 'Quest For Everest' Steve Whittington is sharing his training experience with us as he prepares for a big challenge: climbing Mount Everest in March. Make sure to check out the other blog posts in this series.
In 'Quest For Everest' Steve Whittington is sharing his training experience with us as he prepares for a big challenge: climbing Mount Everest in March. Make sure to check out the other blog posts in this series.
Without a doubt, all of us have read at least one blog or article or watched one program about setting New Years Goals. I am not about to weigh in on the advice from the various pundits. But I will tell you what I have done and am in the process of doing.
1) I gained weight during the holidays, I always do. I eat more (and not “good for you" more) and I train less; not an unexpected result.
2) I feel sluggish after the holidays as a result of #1.
3) I start back into the training at an easy pace.
4) I pick a date to...
The best way to train for climbing is to climb: a common comment in the climbing world. Pick up any book by any of the world's great climbers on training from Mark Twight to Will Gadd and you will find some form of that comment. So with that in mind, I went climbing.
After a long week on the road for work (Saskatoon, Regina, Saskatoon, Lethbridge, Calgary), I picked up my climbing partner late Friday night at the Calgary airport and the next morning at 4:45 am we headed out of Calgary up the ice fields highway to find some ice...
I remember now. I remember the pain of training hard, except this time I am two years older and I have cranked the speed and incline level. In 2010, I was the expedition leader on a private trip to Mount McKinley in Alaska. We had a strong team and tapped the top.
My experience at high altitude has taught me that in order to be successful, I need to focus on being healthy and taking care of my body while up there. It may seem obvious to do this, but my hardest climbs have been when I did not pay attention to my body properly. This is harder than you may think, as a long expedition grinds you down and you lose focus and discipline.
To give myself the best chance at staying healthy, I am focusing my training and diet for three results:
Steve Whittington, Flaman's VP of Marketing and an avid mountain climber, will face one of his biggest challenges in March when he attempts to climb Mount Everest. Part of that challenge lies in the vigourous training he will under go in the next few months to prepare. Steve will be sharing his training journey with us in a series of blog posts; all the ups and downs, struggles and successes.