Scott’s Mount Rainer Training Blog

This has been a pretty eventful and busy last couple of weeks! Since I’m now in the last month before I start the climb I’ve ramped up my training to six days a week, sometimes with two training sessions a day. The big focus has been on hiking uphill with a heavy pack, as I need to maximize both my aerobic capacity and the strength in those muscle groups that will carry me up the mountain and back down again. Our dog, Lupie, is loving it as she gets to go out with me on my training hikes on Mt Sentinel and Jumbo. She’s never had it so good! I mix in some long (10+ mile) trail runs and a couple of strength training workouts each week, and I can feel myself getting stronger and fitter. A week or so ago I got the final go-ahead from my oncologist, Dr. Thomas, to attempt the climb. He’d given me preliminary approval a while ago, but we needed to do one more CT scan just to make sure things were stable and headed in the right direction. Everything looks good, which is great, but it was incredibly nerve wracking (as always) to have to wait on the results of that scan. Dr. Thomas gave me some good advice on how to deal with the effects of altitude, and prescriptions for medications I can take to help me out if need be. I’m not sure if he’s ever had to prepare any of his cancer patients for climbing a big mountain, but he did a great job and I really appreciate his support and advice! We’ve gotten some pretty good media attention for the climb, thanks to Jen’s press release and Sam’s Mom, who contacted every reporter at the Missoulian about the story! Ed O’Brien from Montana Public Radio did an interview with me that aired on Montana Evening Edition on Monday July 5th, and today I met with Michael Moore from the Missoulian for a piece that will appear in the Outdoor section of the paper next Thursday (July 15th). In addition, Ruby Kikkert of the Fit to Fight board wrote a great letter to the editor, which appeared in the Missoulian on July 4th. So the word is getting out about the climb and about Fit to Fight, which is really cool. The website is up and running thanks to Jen’s efforts, so hopefully the money will start coming in! In the coming week, in addition to continuing with my training, I’ll be meeting with Leah Versteegen from Alpine Physical Therapy, who is going to help me with figure out a strength training program that will focus on the core muscle groups I’ll use on the climb. It’ll be great to get that kind of professional advice and support! I’m also going to be writing e-mails and letters asking for support and posting flyers in local businesses, and Sam and I are going to be talking with some local businesses about sponsoring the climb. Finally I’m planning to do a training hike on Trapper Peak down in the Bitterroot. So it’s all going well. All I need to do now is climb that darn mountain!