Mt. Baldy (10,064’) on a warm day…

Let the workouts begin! 

Getting into shape was the first priority.  We will be pulling very heavy sleds, loaded with enough food, fuel, tents and equipment to operate independently in Antarctic cold.  While we will only be at 9,000’ on top of the ice cap, the physiologic altitude is about 11,000’, since the air is thinner at the poles.  So both strength and aerobic capacity will be key.  Much better to suffer in moderate doses at home than every day on the ice.  To simulate the sled hauling, I chained two tires together, and started dragging them around our neighborhood.  I very quickly discovered that dragging tires is hard!  My first outing lasted only 20 minutes, and went only ½ of a mile.  I had my work cut out for me.  To keep things fresh, I mixed fairly short (60 minutes or less) intense runs, bicycle sprints, cross-trainer sessions, and tire drags, with much longer bicycle rides and some serious uphill trekking.  Our local mountain is a 4.25 mile hike each way, with a steady climb of 2,500’.  Once that got a little too easy, I started tackling the local Southern California peaks, like Mt. Baldy and Mt. San Jacinto, both over 10,000’.  While there are easier routes, I tried to pick ones that required at least a 4,000’ – 5,000’ climb, which usually meant a 12-16 mile hike. I also got a treadmill for my office to go with the standing desk that I started using after I broke my neck and my back a few years ago.