Tackling the Tetons – March Update

The good folks at Exum Mountain Guides asked if I would take a minute and post an update on my “training” progress for my Big Climb coming up this July.  No problem, pretty simple actually. With the days getting longer and temperatures soaring above freezing for the first time in months, it’s actually getting easier. I managed to keep riding my bike to work all winter and have mixed that with 3-4 days a week of stretching and yoga. I was actually able to survive the winter without putting on any unwanted pounds (the first winter I can say that in the last 25).  I still want to drop 15 more before the climb, but at 5 pounds per month, that should be doable.

As I said, with the longer and warmer days, I am now adding a longer ride (to my daily commute) in at least once a week. Last week it was a 26 mile loop along the Yellowstone River. It doesn’t hurt that I bought a new carbon bike to help get me excited! I have also added 2-3 days of light dumbbell exercise to my stretching routine.. Again, keeping it simple with bench press, curls, shoulder press and then some step ups. I don’t think I will get much more intense with the weights than what I’m doing nowt. I plan to start hiking “the hills” in the area as the snow melts. Oh and one other “step” for good measure, no idea if it will help.. But I go up and down the stairs to my office all day 2-3 steps at a time…  figure it can’t hurt.