my path from doing only 7h trips on the weekends to Aconcagua, and beyond…
- This topic has 3 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 1 year, 9 months ago by Scott Johnston.
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March 17, 2023 at 10:17 am #125139TFustos88Participant
I would like to start with giving a huge thanks to Scott and the work he has been doing, his methodology changed my life.
Back in 2018 I got a question from a friend if I want to climb Pico de Orizaba. I said let’s go, but I felt weak for it, so I started looking into what I must do to get stronger. I had been doing the usual weekend trips to the Canadian Rockies as I live in Calgary. The maximum I had done at the time was 6-7 hour days with 1300m gain and maybe 15km in distance. A typical weekend warrior.
Bumped into the TFTNA book and started reading and making my training plan based on what I read. I did every workout in my living room, using whatever I had. After 3 months of doing the workouts, I said, let’s try out where I am, let’s do 2days in a row, try to climb 2 peaks with 1500m gain. Well, on the 1st day I did 3125m gain with 3 peaks in 16 hours or so and wasn’t tired. The next day I could only do an easy hike due to the blisters, but still managed 800m gain wearing crocks.
Then the whole world opened to me, started continuing the workouts, the trips started getting bigger and longer. Ended up doing Rainer in a 1-day push after driving 14 hours and once we got back to the parking lot, 14-hour drive back to Calgary. Weekend trips started getting into the 18h range, 2–3000meter elevation gains, no problem, I just wasn’t tried. Climbing Orizaba felt easy.
During Covid I tried their 24-week training (that time UA), first time using any kind of pre-made plan. After 4 months, I tried a running race, won the 24hour section, ran 100km (7 laps on MoMoRo) in 18 hours, and I am not even a runner. Had to stop the 7th lap as I got into a mild hypothermia. The same year I tried a fun challenge with my friends, ended up doing almost 6000m (almost 9 laps on Prairie Mountain) gain in 18hours. Could have done more uphill, but my legs couldn’t handle the downhill anymore, but still, wasn’t tired. Doing the famous Wapta traverse, a few weeks later the Bow-Yoho traverse, then Mount Columbia as a day trip. The speed wasn’t as fast as Kyle Toth’s speed, but a few years earlier, I would have never thought doing either of them as a daytrip. In 2022 I modified their 24-week plan and trained for a paddling race in Yukon (Yukon River Quest). Had to stop halfway through, but still managed to paddle 31 hours on a SUP and felt no tiredness. Later in the summer, ran 60km and 70kms, and still not tired.
2023 February 11, I stood on the top of Aconcagua. I knew I will be strong – both physically and mentally – and fast enough to handle it so went for it as a solo expedition. I only use help to the basecamp, above it I was on my own. Now the plan is to go bigger and higher 🙂
One of the best thing in the whole training is that it makes you a better person, you will eat better, you will feel better, your personal connections will be better. The 2nd best thing is that you need only 6-7hour a week of training, approximately 1 hour a day.
Thanks guys, you are amazing! I spread the word to everyone I talk to, just buy the book, and keep training, it will work!!!
Tamas
PS: one thing I regret, when I talked to Scott in Banff I think in 2019 during their 2nd book release, I didn’t take a photo with him.
March 19, 2023 at 1:14 pm #125165ChristianParticipantHi Tamas,
wow, thank you for your post! Your results are really inspiring. I hope that in a few years I can tell a similar story … and never get tired. 🙂 Keep on and godspeed with going even bigger and higher!
March 20, 2023 at 6:39 pm #125187Shashi ShanbhagKeymasterTamas – thank you so much for sharing this. As Christian said, really inspiring! Wish you the very best!
March 21, 2023 at 5:33 am #125192Scott JohnstonKeymasterTamas;
What an amazing story. Thank you so much for your kind words. I wish I could take credit but……I may have pointed you in the right direction, but you were the one that forged the path and did all the work to get these impressive results. Our mission here at Evoke is to inspire more people, point them in the right direction, and support them on their own journey. Your story will serve as inspiration to the timid, the reluctant, to the undecided to take the first steps like you did. Congratulations. I am proud to have played a small part in your story.
Scott
PS. I hope we do cross paths sometime. I would be honored to have my picture taken with you.
- This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by Scott Johnston.
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