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24 Week Plan (EBC > Waddington)
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Hello,
I have purchased the 24-week mountaineering plan and started today, in preparation for Mt. Waddington in June 2026 (12 months out).
My AeT is <122bpm (I haven’t nailed it down yet, only tested once so far and drift was 6.6%). 42F.
Before starting the plan I was already training for Everest Base Camp trek in September (~ 8 weeks out) with a mix of strength, stair climbs (90mins), and long flat slow walks (2.5 hours). My focus has been increasing lower body strength and stability and increasing walking duration due to chronic hamstring tendinopathy and hip pain stemming from strength imbalances, which had prevented me from walking more than half hour or so. All that to say, I’ve been less concerned with general fitness, more concerned with being able to walk for longer distances/durations.
I would like to follow the 24-week plan as-is in the lead up to EBC then carry on afterwards in the lead up to Waddington. However, I’m concerned that with the shift in focus for the first eight weeks to training at lower intensity to increase my aerobic threshold that it may actually set me back for EBC. I believe I should be fitting in weighted training and some anaerobic activity sooner than the plan calls for, and also want to get in some longer walks on back to back days (though the plan’s 2 – 3 hour sessions is maybe sufficient).
Thoughts on whether I should tweak the first 8 weeks in preparation for EBC, or just carry on with it as written? I can always restart the 24-week plan afterwards, for Waddington.
Thanks all!
Hi alig,
Thanks for writing in. Some cool places you’re going!
I think you’re right seeing the plan not fitting so well to EBC trek at that point. A challenge will be to increase hiking volume and strength in a way that your hamstring can tolerate and is not an otherwise big jump from what you’re capable of. Using the 24weeks final 8weeks as prep for EBC is a possible solution, as that is when workouts are the longest and the most specific. But, how big of a jump is it in terms of volume and intensity from what you’ve been doing in the last 4weeks or so? That plan is intended for steeper climbing on a more long and sustained schedule, so the final 8weeks are more intense than would be needed for EBC. There is a particularly heavy emphasis on muscular endurance for steep climbing, which is useful for the trek but not as imperative as Waddington.
You could jump to the final 8weeks and reduce each of those weeks workouts by 20% or so and this might be a good plan while still giving you some flexibility and structure. So, do 20% less hiking volume, ME duration (weight would be the same), as example. Perhaps modify the strength workouts to fit your imbalances, if needed at all.
Keep in mind the principles of training, gradualness, modularity, and continuity, and you can probably adopt the plan just fine.
Reach out if you have more questions.
Coach Seth.
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