Below you can read all about my current training schedule, while prepping for Denali.

It’s been a while since I know I’ll be climbing Denali in 2017. Last October I had some good preparation by being able to successfully climb Mount Elbrus north face. This was an excellent opportunity to test my current physical condition and my gear.

However, not exercising for October till May 2017 is a perfect recipe for disaster. Alpine Ascents, the organization organizing the expedition to Denali, has some guidance on preparing for Denali. You can read all about it here.

Since I want to make sure my physical condition is the least of my problems on Denali and by ambition goes a little further, I am following a somewhat more intense program.

Here’s my current training schedule:

Monday: Run – Fitness – Run

20 minutes run to the gym. Once arrived, I do another 15-20 minutes run on a treadmill. After being completely warmed up, it’s time for some core-stability exercises. These take about 60 minutes. To end this training I take another 15-20 minutes run on a treadmill. Then change into some warmer clothes and run the 20 minutes back home.

Tuesday: Rest!

Rest is as important as exercising. Today there’s no training for me. Let my muscles relax and recover. But, at least as important; have a day to think about other things than sport. Read a book, find the best new equipment, etc.

Wednesday: Run – Fitness – Run

Again! Same program as Monday, but my running sessions on the treadmill are
more intense. This first session is with increasing speed (currently below 5 minutes per KM). The second is with increasing gradient (up to 12% with 5:30 minutes per KM).

Thursday: Indoor climbing

Meet friends and enjoy my weekly indoor climbing session. I currently climb about 6B (Dutch grade). Unfortunately, climbing only once a week is not enough to climb harder routes. Oh, and it’s a 30 minutes bike-ride to the climbing-gym!

Friday: Fitness

Depending on my plans for the weekend I either run to the gym or take a 10 minutes bike ride. Fitness-schedule is the same as other (more on that later!)

Saturday/Sunday: Bike ride! (or run)

Depending on the weather, I take a +/- 3 hour bike ride. This is an excellent endurance workout. However, with the winter ahead, it might be hard to stay warm. I hate to be cold, so rides may be a little shorter as temperature drops.

Or I run.. Running is good, because it takes less time and it’s not so bad to run while it’s raining. I’m using a Runkeeper schedule for 20 KM below 2 hours. But.. that’s not enough. I think 20 KM below 1:45 is within my possibilities. That’s what I’m going for!

Stay tuned for more updates on my current training schedule! This is just a short overview . There’s a lot more involved. Think about food, time management, gear, etc!