Caleb Jenkins told me about his plan to sponsor the “Fit in February Developer Challenge” and I immediately got on board – both as a sponsor (VSTS donated a Zune 80GB with the VSTS logo on the back), and as a participant. To me this made perfect sense – because I already have a plan.
Recently, BrianKe, GrantH, Mike Iem and I all signed up for a Basic Alpine Mountaineering course through The Mountaineers organization. In this course we are learning all of the skills to climb both rock and glacier summits. This includes rock climbing, belaying, rappelling, traversing glacier, ice axe assistance, self arrest, and crevasse rescue and escape. We need to be able to spend two days climbing 5-10 miles, gaining 4,000 –6,000 feet in elevation a day, while carrying a 30-60 lb pack. Knowing that, you can imagine that I need to do some conditioning.
So, here’s my plan (part of it compulsory):
- Run three times a week for 30 minutes
- Walk twice a week in mountaineering boots, with a 30-lb pack for 2-3 miles
- Weight training twice a week (focus on core, arms and legs)
- Training and real climbs as part of the course:
- Belay, rappel, and crevasse escape training (31-Jan)
- Belay escape training (10-Feb)
- Winter Climb – Guye Peak (15-Feb)
- Rock climbing practice (indoors) - (22-Feb)
- The guys and I are going to try and work out schedules to do another one or two rock climbing practice sessions as well – not sure that will work out though.
- Ignore all healthy responsibilities on Sundays and eat whatever I want and don’t do any exercise.
There it is – my plan, which has already begun. I’ve been running and walking in climbing boots for the past few weeks. Yesterday BrianKe, GrantH, Mike and I completed the 31-Jan training (above). This was 8-hours of consistent training (with short periods of rest). I personally did three rock climbs and rappels, I did several belay drop-tests (stopping a 200-lb concrete block from falling), and a Texas Prusik escape (see below) with and without a pack (one of the most physically demanding things I have ever done). It was an exhilarating day that left us all exhausted and I’m sure I will feel some muscle aches in the next day or two.
If you haven’t yet, consider getting in on the Fit in February Developer Challenge.
The Texas Prusik
