reallifestory
How did you prepare yourself
for the challenge?
AH: Getting physically fit for such a
trek is the most exciting part. We had
six months to go once we decided to
climb Kili. So, we began working towards
increasing our endurance for climbing
high altitude.
I worked out a combination of cross
training that included 5 km running,
45 minutes cycling, light weight training,
climbing three storeys (15 times) with
a 20-kg backpack, wrapping it up with
stretching and plyometrics.**
We knew that it’s essential to increase
the intensity of the training gradually, and
bring it to a peak about two weeks before
the climb. So we trained on alternate days
for two weeks, moving up to daily training
for the week after.
In the final week, you should rest
your body so that there is enough time
to recover from any muscle injuries. The
funny thing is, I ended up with a minor
slipped disc three weeks before the trip
and doctors advised me not to attempt
Kili. But I had gone too far