Making the Trek: Melanie and Tom's Everest Experiences
Over the course of my time as a trainer, I have had some impressive clients: clients who have run marathons, competed in Spartan races and triathlons, cycled century-long bike rides, hiked the Grand Canyon from rim to rim, I could go on. This past year, however, I had two clients who climbed to the Mt. Everest Base Camp—a two-weeklong journey averaging 10–12 miles a day with an elevation gain of 17,600 feet. As we approach one year from them being back from their trips, I wanted to highlight this huge accomplishment and reminisce on what it took for each of them to reach this goal of a lifetime.
Meet melanie
I first met Melanie three years ago when she came into the Fitness Clinic with a vast goal in mind: climb to Mt. Everest basecamp. As a new trainer at the time, my initial thought was, “Wow. This might be kind of tough.” How was I going to get her ready for a feat like this and do it virtually? Melanie lives an hour and a half away from the Fitness Clinic and had heard about us through a mutual friend. Training in person simply wouldn’t be an option given how far away she lived from the gym. Oh, the powers of technology! I trained Melanie 2-3x a week virtually via Zoom for two years leading up to her trip. At the beginning of our training time together, we really focused on mobility work to make her body feel more agile and loose. Once we had a strong foundation, countless glute bridges, squats, hinges, lunges, and step-ups along the way ensued to get her ready to be in the best shape possible for her trek. We even climbed the Lucas Oil Stadium stairs together during the annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb right before she left for her trip in May. This was our final challenge, and after we completed the climb, I knew she was ready.
While of course the training aspect of the preparation for a trip as vast as one like this is crucial to success, mental toughness, grit, and discipline are just as crucial. I commend Melanie for the discipline and lifestyle changes she made to lose 50 pounds and get into the best possible physical shape before her trip. And as her trainer, that was something truly remarkable to watch. To see her transformation not only physically but also mentally was so rewarding, and I knew I was truly helping to make a difference.
Melanie accomplished her dream and completed the Everest Base Camp Trek! Being halfway across the world, I was able to track her live progress, see updates, and talk to her thanks to Facebook. It was so awesome to see her photos and videos along the way and be able to talk to her and keep encouraging her throughout the trek. I look up to Melanie in so many ways. She taught me what it looks like to take on very hard things and that no dream is ever too big to accomplish.
Q & A with Melanie
Q: A loaded question, I’m sure, but what was the most challenging part of the trek?
A: The most challenging part of the trip was something I couldn't train for and didn't expect. I have traveled internationally many times. However, when I landed in Nepal it dawned on me that I was just about as far away IN THE WORLD from my family, friends, and support network as I could possibly be. The flight was 30 hours, and I was 10h 15m ahead on the clock. It felt isolating. Thankfully, I had WIFI in almost all areas and I could post updates and connect via Facebook. The outpouring of support I received helped keep me going.
Q: On the flip side, what was your favorite part?
A: I really enjoyed thru hiking. Waking up in one village and hiking several hours to the next to sleep for the night really felt like progress. During training, I would hike trails on my property or at public parks. It's not quite as fulfilling parking your car and hiking a loop back to your car as thru hiking is.
Q: How did you change your lifestyle to get in the best shape possible for this adventure?
A: I trained for 2 years for Everest Base Camp. I started with yoga, then incorporated weights and cardio making slow and steady progress and listening to my body. The goal was to not overwork myself and get injured. I'm 50 years old. I don't recover as quickly as I used to. If I needed to rest, I rested. I did A LOT of hinges, squats, lunges, step-ups and various balance exercises. The last 6 months I started hiking longer distances as well as using an altitude mask with some workouts. I focused on eating plenty of clean healthy food and making sure I was getting enough protein daily.
Q: Any advice for anyone who would like to do this trip?
A: Give yourself plenty of time to train, test and purchase gear, as well as acclimatize to the higher elevations during your trek. Slow and steady wins this race.
Q: Anything else you would like to share about your trip and/or the training side of it?
A: The EBC trek is more about the journey than the destination. I trained for 2 years, flew 30 hours, and hiked 10 days to spend 1 hour at Base Camp. This trip reinforced to me that I can do hard things. I can dream big and accomplish those dreams. There's an entire world out there to conquer. GO DO IT!!
Meet tom
I first met Tom two years ago as well, when I started training him at the Fitness Clinic. Tom had completed this trek before, but it had been 10 years. Having been approaching his 60th birthday, Tom wanted to make sure he was in the best shape possible before returning to Nepal to complete this trek once again. Sam and I collectively devised a plan, each training him once a week, to build the muscular endurance and strength in his legs needed to take on a trip like this. For Tom, too, countless glute bridges, heavy squats, hinges, lunges, and step-ups were put into play for the year leading up to the trip. Tom knew what to expect going into this trip. He had done it before, but this time he knew what he needed to focus on and things we could do differently. When we completed our last workout in April before Tom embarked on this journey, I was confident that he was ready to tackle the trek—and he did just that!
Tom successfully trekked to the Base Camp and says he felt even better than when he did it 10 years prior. I was also able to follow along with Tom’s journey via Facebook and see the live updates of photos and videos. It was almost as if I were there! Just kidding, I was just living vicariously and cheering for Tom halfway across the world. I look up to Tom as well and admire his crave for adventure and admiration of nature’s beauty.
Q & A with Tom
Q: A loaded question, I’m sure, but what was the most challenging part of the trek?
A: The most challenging part of the 15-day trek to Everest Base Camp (EBC) was day 2, the trek from Phakding to Namche Bazaar. It was 6 hours up, up, up and more up. We went from 2610m (8,563’) to 3,440m (11,286) in 1 day! It was challenging but rewarding to know that my training at FC Indy worked! We stayed in Namche Bazar for 2 days to acclimatize and after these days I was much more relaxed and ready to go forward.
Q: On the flip side, what was your favorite part?
A: The favorite part of the EBC trek is the buildup to the journey. This lasts for many months and requires a lot of mental preparation. This would include all the physical training, reviewing my packing list, buying new items, meeting the people in our group I did not know and finally we leave the house for the airport, and it is game time for 22 days! I love this part of any adventure!
Q: How did you change your lifestyle to get in the best shape possible for this adventure?
A: I changed my lifestyle to get in the best shape possible by releasing alcohol and some carbohydrates, mountain hiking, riding my bike, and working with my trainers at FC Indy. We set up a plan according to the itinerary and worked hard to maintain this for several months. My wife and I hiked 93 miles in 4 weeks while we were in Arizona enjoying some sun time in February of 2023. This trail time was invaluable for my confidence and stamina. The EBC trek started April 2023, and we were training hard from October 2022 on, twice a week or more.
Q: Any advice for anyone who would like to do this trip?
A: The best advice I could give to anyone is to set up a plan months, if not years, in advance. I believe this requires looking at your diet, your physical shape, your itinerary, and please by all means learn about the Nepali culture and the mountain climbing culture. Both are incredibly interesting and different from our culture and lifestyle. Learning the Nepali culture and climbing culture will give you a much better perspective on what you are doing on this trek. It is about the people, their beautiful culture, your friends and the walk of a lifetime you are on. You should know Nepali people are very respectful of others and their religious beliefs that play a part in everyday life. Much different than the US. In my book, learning this before you go is the most important part of the trek. Reading books, YouTube videos and other assorted social media is the best place to learn these very important subjects.
Q: Anything else you would like to share about your trip and/or the training side of it?
A: I cannot stress enough the cultural aspects of your training. Experiencing something like walking to one of the most remote spots in the world next to the tallest mountain in the world is daunting. As athletes say, it is 80% mental and 20% physical, and this holds true for me preparing for something like this. Physically it is a bit more of a challenge to press on with training however, having an end plan in sight makes training sustainable and motivational. Please note that the beauty of the Himalayas is unmatched, and you will take many photos, but you are there for an experience of a lifetime and the beauty just comes with it.
For both Tom and Melanie, one thing was evident: consistency. Their discipline in their diets and commitment to their strength training workouts and long walks were key to getting into the best shape possible. I applaud them both for that. On the weekends before their treks, both Tom and Melanie would hike for hours. Rainy days, snowy days, sunny days—it did not matter. They both showed up to train and were committed to bettering themselves physically, which in turn strengthened them both mentally.
It was truly an honor to have a small part in both Melanie and Tom’s Everest journeys. Helping them reach their dreams and accomplish goals they once thought were impossible is what makes my job worthwhile and keeps me going.
Yours in health,
Taylor