We all want some adventure in our lives and I am no different. Looking for something that was less intensive than training and competing in a BJJ competition but more intensive than a weekend of camping if you know what i mean. Something challenging, something far away, unique, something that not too many others have done…and then i found it:) While reading an adventure magazine recently i came upon a great article that talked about trekking through the Himalayan Mountains of Bhutan, the Snowman Trek! It is 24 days of hiking over 11 peaks of 16,000 feet or more for over 210 miles…this is what i have been looking for, in my eyes it is just amazing!! Getting away from it all, a challenge few have done, something that has history in it as well as this very trek was the trail used by warriors from days long ago to travel through the Himalayan mountains. Not only is this a great adventure but I will be traveling to a place that is still pristine, simple and clean. A place that few westerners have ever seen. I do my best to live a simple life and am really excited to go to a place where the people live simply. This I have looked forward to for a long time and so I signed up right away and have begun my training for it. But living here in Wisconsin how do i prepare for the high altitude training i need as the highest area in Madison might be 100 feet above sea level:) I have a couple ideas and will share them with you over the next two months as i prepare and train.
So i will begin with ‘Snowman Training blog 1:
I’ll call this the Snowman Run, it starts out easy…sort of:) and progressively gets harder and harder. Thought this would be a good match for hiking higher and higher. After a solid warm up i begin with Sprinting (at about 70%)
500 meters - 145 strides
then walking about 200 meters recovery
500 meters - 147 strides
then walking about 200 meters recovery
500 meters with a 15 pound vest on - 157 strides
then walking about 200 meters recovery
500 meters with a 15 pound vest on - 159 strides
then walking about 200 meters recovery
500 meters with a 25 pound vest on - 175 strides
then walking about 200 meters recovery
500 meters with a 25 pound vest on - 178 strides
then walking about 200 meters recovery
500 meters with a 40 pound vest on - 188 strides
then walking about 200 meters recovery
500 meters with a 40 pound vest on - 189 strides
then walking about 200 meters recovery
Then running 1 x 500 meters one more time without any load on, this felt great, but still hit me at 300 meters big time:) - 149 strides! While i was running i did my best to keep a specific pace throughout, so i counted my stride count as i did not have a timer set up, and this worked great! What I really like about counting my strides is that I can tell by the markers on the running lane if I am on target pace or not by my stride count.
In all it took under 30 minutes, kicked my butt and really challenged my conditioning alot. I felt this is definitely a great workout to put in my arsenal for the ‘Snowman Trek’ training.
This workout takes alot of training just to get your body, legs use to the extra load while running which i have done. So unless you have been training with added resistance, I highly recommend not jumping into this workout.
I’ll keep you updated in my "Snowman Trek" training and hope you like the workout and that this might inspire you to also do something amazing yourself:)
Your friend,
Jon Hinds Founder / Owner of Monkey Bar Gymnasium