10/10/14

Week 5: Camp IV - Mt. Everest Challenge


The information below is from the Thrive Idaho website. I am participating in the Mt. Everest Challenge to walk 250,000 total steps over five weeks.

Elevation: 26,768 feet –Most climbers use supplemental oxygen when climbing at this altitude. On one side of Camp 4 is the Kangshung Face, a 7,000 foot drop off; on the other is the 4,000 foot Lhotse Face.

Everest Fact: Each breath on the summit of Everest has 66 percent less oxygen than at sea level. A human taken from sea level and dropped on the summit would lose conscienceness within minutes and quickly die (Jon Krakauer, Into Thin Air.)

Health Fact: Behavior change is more likely to stick when it is self-motivated and rooted in positive thinking.
While you stand atop the 29,035-foot summit, focus on the future. The last four weeks have been an exhilarating health journey, but don’t stop here — stay focused, and use what you have learned to create a healthy plan that will last a lifetime.

Make a plan that will stick. When making your plan, be specific. Want to exercise more? Eat better? Break a bad habit? Detail your plan as specifically as possible. Write everything down and post your plan where you’ll see it as a reminder.

Start small. After you’ve identified realistic short-term and long-term goals, break down your goals into small, manageable steps that are specifically defined and can be measured. Is your long-term goal to lose 20 pounds within the next five months? Focus on losing one pound each week. If you would like to eat healthier, make it your goal for the week to replace dessert with fresh fruit. At the end of the week, you’ll feel successful knowing you met your goal.

Change one behavior at a time. Unhealthy behaviors develop over the course of time, so replacing unhealthy behaviors with healthy ones requires time. Many people run into problems when they try to change too much too fast. To improve your success, focus on one goal or change at a time. As new healthy behaviors become habit, try to add another goal that works toward the overall change you’re striving for.

Involve a buddy and get some support. Accepting help from those who care about you and will listen, strengthens your resilience and commitment. Whether it is a friend, co-worker, or family member, having someone with you on your journey will help keep you motivated and accountable. You will have occasional lapses, but that doesn’t mean you should throw all your hard work away. When you eat a brownie or skip the gym, don’t give up. Minor missteps on the road to your goals are normal and okay. Resolve to recover and get back on track. Remember, you have climbed to the summit of Mt. Everest, an incredible 29,035 feet, so you know you can do anything!


Well, the Mt. Everest Challenge has come to an end. It was nice to have something to focus on and having to strive for around 7,000 steps felt a lot less stressful then when I've challenged myself to walk 10,000 steps a day. While I do like to get in my 10,000 a day I just can't do that without some substantial amount of formal exercise. I try but I don't make it everyday. I need to work harder at it and use less excuses!

I succeeded my goal of walking 250,000 steps in five weeks and I am very proud of my accomplishment.

Monday: 5,219 steps and 2.25 miles
Tuesday: 6,099 steps and 2.66 miles
Wednesday: 5,155 steps and 2.22 miles
Thursday: 10,912 steps and 4.7 miles
Friday: 6,310 steps and 2.74 miles
Saturday: 19,814 steps and 8.59 miles – Balloon Fiesta
Sunday: 5,684 steps and 2.45 miles

Week five total: 59,193 and 25.61 miles
Mt. Everest Challenge Total: 304,520 steps


I walked 54,520 steps over my 250,000 goal


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