Training for EBC in May and June

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TIPS

  • Keep a training calendar.

  • Enter details straight after training or you will forget, then get into a hot bath.

  • Undercover stairs are a great option during the winter months.

May – training three days a week, starting incline training on the treadmill.

Week 1…Walk 1.5 hours, Hills @ Templestowe; Treadmill 30 min 1 km run, vertical feet (vft) 500, 2.706 km Week 2…Treadmill 3 km, 25 min, no incline, 65 steps on new stepper; Walk 65 min fast walk to Rosanna, 5.5 km; Hill climbing (?) Week 3…Bike, Bridge at Templestowe to Petty’s Orchard; Hills (?); Treadmill 4km, incline 800 vft, 46 minutes; Treadmill 4km run,1 km walk cool down. in 46.5 minutes on 1 step  incline. Week 4…Treadmill incline training,1 hour, 4.73 km 5 and 7 step inclines, 1052 vft.; Treadmill 30 min, 2.6 km, 1 incline 53 vft.; Walk Plenty River Trail, Viewbank, 1 hr 45 min, off trail hills.

Perfect for Everest Base Camp Hill training

This is one of our favourite training hills because it is steep! That’s Sam half way down the hill and my daughter is the speck at the top.

June – training three days a week, 1 slow week, started step training

Week 1… Treadmill 4km total – 3 km run on 0.5 incline in 27 min, 1 km on 10 step inlcine, 40 min, 346 vft. No other training this week. Week 2… Run at Rosanna Park; Weekend away, Heathcote 7 km walk. Week 3… Walk, Plenty River Trail Viewbank off trail hills; Run 4km at Rosanna Park; Treadmill incline training, 10.5 step incline,  30 min,1.997 km; Stairs at La Trobe 2,304 steps Week 4…Walk at Rosanna Park 5 km ; Walk, Plenty River Trail Viewbank, 6 km “6 laps”; Stairs at La Trobe 2,000 steps; Walk, Plenty River Trail Viewbank,”8 laps”, 1 hour 10 min. Week 5… Stairs at La Trobe, 2,250 steps, 40 minutes.

* Stairs have been a good option during the Winter months.

Shomare and Ama Dablam

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Shomare 4040 metres

At this small shop in Shomare, over a coffee we decided to turn back from our trek to Base Camp. Given the rash creeping up both my legs it seemed the best decision. It was 2013 and was a fantastic experience. Later it felt like unfinished business. In October 2015 we returned and made it to Base Camp.

Shomare in the Khumbu 2013
Ama Dablam is the spectacular backdrop

Three Months EBC Training Activity

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February Training

Week 1…Walk to park 5km; Treadmill 5.8km no incline; Treadmill incline 5, 2.44 km, 5 min bike, stretches; stretches Week 2…Trail walk & treadmill 6.5 km 400 vft.; Walk to Rosanna park one lap. Week 3…Treadmill 5.1km, 1hour, 900vft.; Treadmill 15 mins, 1.2 km, 74vft ; Walk to park, half a lap Week4…Treadmill 3 km, 33.5 mins, 415 vft; walk to park 1 hour 20 mins; Bike ride 11km Heidelberg to East Ivanhoe.

March Training

Week 1…Treadmill 5.423km, 1 hour 20 mins, walk/ run 413 vft ; Treadmill 7 incline, 626 vft, 2.578 km, 30 mins; Bike 12 km Templestowe to Petty’s Orchard Week 2…Treadmill 30 min walk on 2 incline, 20 min run on 2 incline, 20 min on 6 incline; Walk /run at Rosanna Park 1 hour 20 mins Week 3…Bike at river Mountain Trail Bike path Week 4…Run 4 kids, incidental walking as support team; Treadmill incline 30 mins, 2.512km,8 incline 510vft; 1 hour 20 min hill walks and “off piste” terrain Week 5…Bike Odyssey House to Petty’s Orchard (Pedal for Parkinson’s); Treadmill 10 minutes; Bike to Fairfield boathouse, 1 hour 15 min12 – 13 k, Treadmill 10 min 7 incline 11min 1 km…April… Treadmill 4 km, 47 min,15 min on 7.5 incline; Fast walk to Fairfield Boat House along Main Yarra Trail to Studley Park boathouse and back; Walk 9 – 10 km, Fairfield to Gipps Street bridge / Yarra Bend.

April Training

Week 2…Walk to Rosanna; Walk back of Templestowe (Boot Camp 6); Walk to Rosanna park and some jogging 59 mins: Walk Week 3…Bike Ride 13km, Heidelberg to Odyssey House and the alpaca; Templestowe hill trail with trekking poles, 7 km, 2 hours; Treadmill 4 km run and 1 km on incline Week 4…Treadmill 2km, 7 incline, 27:25 min, 462 vft; Walk 7 km, 2 hours Plenty River Trail, Treadmill 3km, 27 min, 1.5 incline; Treadmill 1 hour, 4.808 km, 6 step incline, 927 vft; Treadmill 5km, 2km on 8 step incline, 3km on 1 step incline, 599 vft. Week 5…Walk Plenty River Trail, 1 hour, 4km; treadmill run, 1.5 incline, 200 vft. 4km in 31min; Treadmill 30 min ”Central Park” 28 mins, 20 min walking on 6 incline, two lots on incline training.  

POSTSCRIPT –

Is all the training and the tedious list necessary? I trekked all the way to Gorak Shep without a blister and with very little in the way of aches and pains thanks to our training. Put “Trek to Everest Base Camp” as your Fitness Challenge or on your bucket list. You won’t regret it and it maybe it will be one the best things you do. Chances are you will do it again. Trekking in Nepal is addictive.

Are you considering an Everest Base Camp Trek? Want to know more? Here is the last place you will sleep on the trail….. The Last Lodges at Gorak Shep

Training for the EBC Trek in January

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January 2015 – school holidays and a cool January

Sunday 4 – Saturday 10
4… Walk Waterfall Gully to My Lofty (Adelaide)
5… Walk along Henley Beach
6… Stretches
7… Stretches
8… Stretches

Sunday 11 – Saturday 17
11…Stretches, Walk / Run 55 minutes
12… Stretches, Walk to Hazelwood Park
13… Fly to Melbourne
14…Hill Trail walk Templestowe 1.5 hour
15… Stretches, 5 minute spin bike, 40-minute treadmill
16… Walk Canoe launch, around off main trail tracks to Petty Orchard return
17… Stretches

Sunday 18 – Saturday 24
18… Walk / Run 2 laps at Rosanna Park
19… Stretches, Bike ride to East Ivanhoe. First time on Mountain Bike Trail
20… Sore after MBT ride
21… Rosanna Park Walk 8 kilometres
23… Plenty Hill Trail with Bike. 5 kilometres, 1 hour.

Sunday 25 – Saturday 31
25… Walk at Rosanna Park, some jogging, 1.5 hours
26… Walk Heidelberg to Rosanna, 6 kilometres
27 … Stretches
30 … Bike Viewbank to the Orchard, 18.5 kilometres
31… Treadmill 38 mins, 10 min walk @ 5.5 Km, 10- 12 min run @ 6.5 km, 10 mins 1 incline 5 / 5 km, 229 Vertical Feet (VFT)

Day 5 Namche Bazaar to Tengboche 2013 Trek

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Two Hours to Tengboche

I knew climbing to Namche Bazaar on Day Three of our itinerary, was going to be a strenuous. We trained well for the trek and though it wasn’t easy we took the climb in our stride.

When we set out two days later for Tengboche, the Trainer told me it would be a relatively easy day. That proved far from the case. We had a breather at the top of Namche after a steep climb out of the amphitheatre-shaped town.

Namche Bazaar Everest Base Camp Trek
Namche Bazaar

After a few more challenging hills with spectacular views, the track really levelled out. That bit was the honeymoon period.

The trail then descends 570 metres to the river, after crossing this, there is a relentless 750 metres two to three hours climb (according to the guide book) to Tengboche. I am sure this section took us much longer.

The biggest problem was the signage. Not long out of Namche there was sign which said “2 hours to Tengboche”. Two hours further along the track there was another sign “2 hours to Tengboche” and then about another two hours further on, you guessed it – “2 hours to Tengboche”. Hence the comment on the video and the post title. At one point after the third sign, we stopped to catch our breath. Another trekker was doing the same with his guide waiting for him. When we asked the guide how much longer to the top, what do you think he replied? I couldn’t believe it.

That day I learnt mental preparation is everything. I had heard it said in relation to physical challenges but had never really experienced it. For our next trek to Everest Base Camp we will be prepared for the “two hours to Tengboche”. In fact we are changing the itinerary to start the trek from Khunde or Khumjung and not Namche. The other tip is don’t believe the estimated trekking time between the towns and definitely don’t believe the signage.

Going For 1500 Vertical Feet

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Sustained Incline Training for EBC Trek

TIP    Hill and treadmill incline training is important preparation for the EBC trek.

Having a personal trainer helps even if you live with them! ‘Smile!’ he said. I flung the towel at him. He laughed, ‘Straighten up. Strengthen those back muscles. Do 1500.’

Correcting my slight stoop with a hand either side of my lower back. Easy for him to say he wasn’t the one on the level 15 step incline, the highest on the treadmill. ‘Do you want the ipod? Turn on the air conditioner.’ No all I want is peace. Go away and let me mull on my blog posts that I need to write and publish. I finished the 1500 vertical feet in 51 minutes.

Now hopefully he will be happy given I missed my mid week training session. I look at the 555 calories burnt and  am reminded of the two pieces of homemade banana cake I ate for breakfast.

1500 vertical feet

Incline training today

Training for EBC update

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We have been planning a return trip to Nepal for a second attempt at trekking to Everest Base Camp since mid 2014. We paid for our flight to Kathmandu one week before Nepal’s first earthquake three months ago. Since then and the second quake we have followed the news of Nepal. With Plan B up our sleeve we have continued to plan and train.

Pre training started in mid January and included hill training, jogging and cycling. In June the personal trainer cranked it up and we started intensive hill and stair climbing and recently incline training with backpacks.

Yesterday we climbed over 4,000 steps. After 35 minutes we had a five minute break walking to the water fountain. I was reminded of how exhilarating it feels to feel really fit, something I felt for the first time in my life on our 2013 trek towards Everest Base Camp.

Everest Base Camp Trek
Almost there! The infamous climb to Namche Bazaar almost finished.

Earthquake in Nepal

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Nepal and it’s people are beautiful. It has experienced such devastation and loss and has limited resources to respond. It is sad to see what has happened. When it is a place you have travelled it feels so much more real.

Lukla | Nepal’s Infamous Airport

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Day One Kathmandu to Lukla

People who have trekked to Everest Base Camp may forget some of the names of villages along the trail but are unlikely to forget the name Lukla. Unless you opt for the five-day hike in from Jiri, Lukla is the start of the trek to Everest Base Camp. Google Lukla and “air crash” appears near the top of the key words search list. “Flying into Lukla” was on the top of my Why I Don’t Want to Trek to Everest Base Camp list. Continue reading →

Too Many Hot Cross Buns

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Ok, I confess. For breakfast this morning I ate my sixth or was it my seventh, hot cross bun since Thursday night? Trouble is that will be nothing compared to what I will eat at Nonna’s for tea tonight.But it’s Boot Camp day nine and my personal trainer has been in my ear. So I jumped on the treadmill.

TODAY    Treadmill – varied routine

\ 10 minutes on 7 step incline with 1 kg hand weights

\ 12 minutes on 7 step incline walking

\ 10 minutes on 2.5 step incline walking and slow jogging at 5.5 km/hour

\ 20 minutes on 2.5 step incline at 5.5 km/hour

\ I finished off with a little burst at 7. 5 km/hour to get the total to 5 kilometres.

Boot Camp Day 9 Treadmill - To run off the hot cross buns.

Boot Camp Day 9 Treadmill – To run off the hot cross buns.

Beautiful River Walks

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Boot Camp Days Seven and Eight

Two beautiful morning walks in the superb autumn weather. Exploring new bits of the Main Yarra Trail.

Day 7  Yesterday we walked from the Fairfield Boat House along the Main Yarra Trail and then into the Yarra Bend Park and back. A fast walk 10 km 1 hour 45 minutes walk.

Day 8  Fairfield Boat House to the Collingwood Children’s Farm and then over the Gipps Street bridge to the Yarra Bend Park and back to Fairfield, a 9 – 10 km walk I hour 45 minutes.

Trekking Poles Practice

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Practising with poles for the first time in 2015. And yes that’s a feather in my hat (cap).

First Steps to Jogging Training Program

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I started with a schedule very similar to this one.

first steps to fitness

Basic Training Schedule for introducing jogging.

Boot Camp Day Five

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Wednesday 1 April

Boot Camp Day Five

incline training

Boot Camp Day Five. A ‘rest day’ between two more strenuous days. 45 minutes. Slowly building up on our new stepper. Finishing off with some stretches.

TODAY – Treadmill 4 km to 47 minutes. 30 minutes walk on 2.5 step incline. 15 minutes on 7.5 step incline. About 40 steps on our new stepper. Some lovely stretches at the end.

You Call this Boot Camp?

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Working in a school in Melbourne we are on the end of term holidays. So the Trainer has decided it is a good time to make it Boot Camp for Base Camp. When it involves my bike well I love it and the warm autumn weather has made it a delight.

Boot Camp Day 4

For me, riding my bicycle for exercise isn’t exercise. The hills are hard sometimes but even without hills it is great for general fitness. Riding after so many years was a great first step back to fitness, to build up my fitness level from practically zero. Especially when I first bought my bicycle. I was mainly accompanying my husband and daughters on their many training runs for an organised run event. So I didn’t have to go fast. Being out in the fresh air, seeing kangaroos, rabbits and all the bird life as well as all the trees and different micro landscapes was beautiful. Soul food for me.

So when the Trainer suggested a ride along the river towards the city even though I knew I found it reasonably challenging the first and only time we had tried it, I agreed it was a good idea for such a lovely day. There was one of those slow steady and sneaky inclines for quite some distance along this part of the Main Yarra Trail. These inclines are sneaky because they are over a longer distance so until you are riding them you don’t realise the extent of the elevation. We walked at a few points when it was a bit steep and was out of energy.

It was a 12 to 13 Km ride from East Ivanhoe where we parked the car to the Fairfield Boathouse, one of my favourite spots along the Yarra. I do have to confess to eating half a piece of cake and cream with my cappuccino. But riding bikes up hills is great for strengthening your knee muscles, which is great Everest Base Camp trek training.

Everest base Camp Training Boot Camp

Everest Base Camp Training Boot Camp

How can being here on a beautiful Melbourne Autumn day be considered Boot Camp?

TODAY – I hour 15 minutes on the bike some hills. Approximately 12 – 13 km. Treadmill 10 minutes on 7 step incline approximately 1 km.

Twisting by the Pool

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Music for Treadmill Training

Boot Camp Day Three

Simple Training Tips

Tip: A MP3 player loaded with favourite songs of varying tempo is a great tool for training.
Tip: Don’t pack your MP3 player for trekking, as you need to listen for animals approaching so you can move out of their way.
Tip: Buying a quality treadmill has been one of our best family purchases.

Using a home treadmill regularly is a great first step to fitness for someone over fifty.  It will feature in our 2015 Everest Base Camp Trek training. Our treadmill has a great position under the air conditioner with a 180 ° view of the ever changing Melbourne sky. Music keeps me going when I exercise. I could stay on the treadmill all day with a never-ending supply.

Usually I have a plan before I start; to walk, jog or do some incline walking or all three. The Trainer and I had agreed at least an hour session and stretches for today. I decided to concentrate on incline walking before a quick jog, knowing we have a long bike ride tomorrow. With one-kilo hand weights I started on a 2.5 step incline at 4.5 km per hour. Staying on the same incline I jogged at 6.4 kilometres per hour for ten minutes. Then at the twenty-minute mark it started. Twisting by the Pool. I lowered the belt and raised the speed to 6.6, probably not wise given I haven’t jogged for a while. The songs kept coming and I sped up. Fortunately country songs played next and I switched to six-step incline walk – great pre-training for more serious hills and steps in weeks to come.

Just as well it wasn’t Zorba the Greek. All the family agree it makes them run really fast.

Boot Camp for Base Camp

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There is a training calendar, the Trainer and a plan. There is always a plan. Only sometimes it changes.

Boot Camp Day Two

The plan was to ride from the suspension bridge to Petty’s Orchard, have a coffee and return. Before we started Adventure Man Sam informed me of his plan to detour off the track via a really steep hill along a rocky track then rejoin the main track. The very hill (below) we trained on ad nauseum for our EBC trek in 2013. I knew I would have to walk my bike up.

TODAY – approximately 10 km ride with some big hills and competitors!

2015-02-08 14.10.22

“Our hill” with the Trainer and my daughter at the very top in February.

We arrived at our hill to find the inaugural Pedal for Parkinsons 6 Hour Enduro MTB, taking place. After watching the event for five minutes, we headed off back on the main trail in the direction of the orchard. Next thing I knew the Trainer was riding up another dirt track alongside the cordoned off area of the event. That wasn’t on the plan. I had no choice but to follow.

The new route crossed over the event’s circuit at a few points. There weren’t huge numbers of riders so this wasn’t a problem. We joined up with the down hill trail from the original planned route. At this point we were on the left of the cordoned off section sharing a reasonably wide track. When we saw a rider on our side of the tape but coming towards us we realised we had in fact, joined the event, but were going in the wrong direction. That was definitely not on the plan.

Eventually we got out of the area, made it to the café at the orchard, had our coffee and headed back. With the exception of very narrowly missing a rider on another off trail track we arrived back at the car in one piece.

Who says you need to go to Everest Base Camp to have an adventure?

Boot Camp for Everest Base Camp – Day One

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Walking along the Main Plenty Trail past the historic silos in Viewbank yesterday. I love that we live near so many different choices of trails. I love living in Banyule. Shortly after we left the trail to follow some of the mud bike trails.

THE PLENTY RIVER TRAIL

The historic silos site of Viewbank Farm on the PLENTY RIVER TRAIL

Tip: Buy your boots early and use them for your training.

TODAY – 1 hour 20 minutes hill training and “terrain practice”

Boot Camp – Boots and All

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My mid week thirty minute incline training got the tick from the Trainer. However on my Friday training night after working a five day week and ending a busy term, all I wanted was a couple of glasses of champagne. Guess who wasn’t impressed? As a concession I promised to train every day over my two-week school holiday break starting the next day. We were both happy with the idea to get back on track. Boot Camp he called it.

This morning was cool and we set off for some local hill climbing in our trekking pants and boots. Appropriate for day one of Boot Camp. Because I had problems with socks on the first Everest Base Trek I experimented with some different ones. I will share this story in a post. Five minutes into the walk my husband decided to leave the track and beat a path up the hill. Thank goodness for my boots.

Terrain training he called it. We did lots of it before the 2013 trek, as it is great for strengthening ankles. Good for breaking them too if you are not careful. Of course he was right. The trek is full of rocks, stones and steps along much trail to Everest Base Camp; well at least to the place we reached.

Everest Base Camp trek the trail

Why practising on rocky footpaths is good idea.

We explored an area obviously popular with rabbits. Between watching out for blackberry bush branches, avoiding rabbit holes and broken fencing I was pleased to find some interesting feathers and small animal skulls.

Both photos are of the EBC trail.

Boot Camp Day Two

Bicycle Love

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Finding Work Life Balance

Get Back On a Bike and Get Back On Track With Fitness

 

In mid 2012 I quit my job. I desperately needed time off work and to find some work life balance and reassess my next step and thinking about what retirement would look like down the track.

During those first few weeks off work I fell in love with and bought, a new beautiful traditional bicycle. Given my second-hand one was in the shed covered in cobwebs, my husband was sceptical that I would use it. I proved him wrong. Continue reading →