Week one - 10th to 16th August

Training stats

Distance: 100km

Elevation: 2,328m

Hours: 13 hours

Weight: 78.2kg

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Building - 3 week block

Here we go! 1st week of focused training for Mt Everest. I'm really no stranger to training and juggling other life responsibilities. However adding in the journaling and content producing to raise awareness and donations for The Human Connection Project made me appreciate the need for rest!

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Training get's done, but has to fit in with my 9-5 job at Konica Minolta, running coaching Fit Tribe Oz athletes, run the run club at FitazFK (pun intended) but above all of that my family responsibilities like school and kindy pick up/drop off, Maya's netball, keeping house, general family and some 'us' time with Vanessa, which we definitely don't get enough of!

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What a week, on to the next one to do it all again!

Jamie.

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Week two - 17th to 23rd August

Training stats

Distance: 111km

Elevation: 3,486m

Hours: 14:30 hours

Weight: 77.2kg

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Building  - 3 week block

Alright we made it through week 2! Well I didn't have too many doubts. However it was touch and go getting a few workouts and runs in this week as Emily our 4 year is creating a habit of crawling into our bed throughout the night and using my face to rest her feet! Needless to say sleep has been difficult to find most nights!

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The sun is waking earlier so it's a little easier to get pre dawn sessions in, something I favour as it doesn't impact on family or work time. The lead up to this event is really about time on feet and getting stronger climbing hills. On my easy runs around home I'm looking for streets on an incline and the strength work in the gym isn't too dissimilar to what i'm used to, although I am focusing more on unilateral (single leg) strengthening exercises like single leg deadlifts and squats.

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This is week 2 of a three week building block, increasing distance and elevation each week.

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I had some great conversations with supporters of this journey with Ralph from Trixfi, Phill from Beartrap and Nik from Edge, we have some ideas for event day to make it a little more interesting, until then. Stay tuned!

Week three - 24th to 30th August

Training stats

Distance: 130km

Elevation: 3,708m

Hours: 16 hours

Weight: 76.4kg

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Building - 3 week block

Hello week 3, I knew you were going to go hard on me and that you did. What a big week!  I look back on the week just gone and still try and understand how I can fit it all in.

Work has more pressure now that business has improved in confidence, It's gradually warming up with Spring knocking on our door. I was even fortunate enough to get a swooping by a neighborhood butcher bird this week! 

I had to get a solid run in on Sunday to build on the last two week's, with one of Emily's friends having a birthday party at 9am, Sunday morning so a 3am start on the trails in Mt-Cootha. It's a hard decision to make at the time, but runs like this condition the body and mind to work under fatigue for endurance racing, so it's worth getting in.

Maya is joining me on some more runs lately with the distance gradually increasing. She is definitely getting faster on her bike, I try to tie some of my sessions in with the girls throughout the week to get some time with them and get the workout done at the same time. Sometimes it works, other times it's just a lot of laughter!

Filming has started with Trixfi and I'm excited to see how all this unfolds over the coming weeks. Thanks for following, on to week 4!

Week four - 31st August to 06th September

Training stats

Distance: 104km

Elevation: 2,172m

Hours: 12:30hrs

Weight: 76.5kg

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Reset week

So we are into week 4 in preparation of climbing Mt Everest ⛰. It was a week to reset and ‘lay off’ the intensity a little before another couple weeks of building. Speed work, hill work and strength in the gym all stil play a part however I deload slightly to realign the body and mind. It’s still a high speed hustle though compared to most training weeks as we are very specific and targeted towards climbing the tallest mountain in the world.

I caught up with the team at K2 Base Camp, an adventure store based in Fortitude Valley in Brisbane who offered great advice and fitting of shoes specific to the purpose of utra distance run events with constant elevation change. We settled on the La Sportiva Jackal shoe which will get a solid test next weekend. 

This quote resonated with me well this week

’Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle’ Abraham Lincoln

Stepping into the darkness for week 5 and 6 they are big weeks ahead! I’ll see you on the other side! 

Week five - 07th to 13th September

Training stats

Distance: 153km

Elevation: 4,249m

Hours: 19:30hrs

Weight: 76kg

Building - 2 week block

Week 5! Still in one piece. Coming into week 5 I new was going to be a physical and mental battle. It was programmed to be my biggest week of training in leading up to this event. It actually turned out to be my biggest week of training in my history of running...period! 

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Ok so if I was an elite athlete doing this full time this type of load would be sustainable. But I'm a family man, have a full time job and all responsibilities that come with being me day to day, so this is seasonal training specific this event. Next week will be similar, then I'm definitely looking forward to pulling it back before the big dance. 

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In three weeks we are conquering Everest!!!

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'It isn't the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it's the pebble in your shoe'

Muhammad Ali

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Week six - 14th to 20th September

Training stats

Distance: 124km

Elevation: 2,930m

Hours: 16hrs

Weight: 74.2kg

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Building - 2 week block

At this stage of training there’s excitement, relief and a few nerves 😁. Undoubtably the last 6 weeks I put the biggest load and pressure on myself to prep for any event. Some days I felt invincible and other times near breaking point. This last week alone, pushing through muscle pain and fatigue in almost every session.

Stoked to say to I’ve come out of the woods strong and ready to climb Everest! ⛰ It’s now time to taper, I’m still training but will be focusing on rest, recovery, immunity and getting this body fresh to climb.l
 

Two weeks and it’s game on!!! Thank you to everyone who has encouraged and supported me on this journey.
 

Please help us get to $8,848 for the legends at @connectionprojectau ‘empowering people to become more resilient and empathetic individuals’

Week seven - 21th to 27th September

Training stats

Distance: 51km

Elevation: 576m

Hours: 7hrs

Weight: 75.1kg

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Taper week

A very welcomed taper week! If only all training weeks were de loaded like this 😊
 

’hold the vision - trust the process’
 

I caught up with my first ever running coach this week, we filmed the catch up on the Trixfi docoumentary series. Chris Weier 'Weiery' as we know him by, keeps his methodologies to training and racing very simple.

But he came out with this cracker for me when I asked him what is one piece of advice you can give me between now and the event: ‘Don’t do anything stupid between now and Saturday’ 😂

I couldn't help but laugh at this statement, then look around for bubblewrap and a padded room to keep me in one piece! The sleep ins are welcomed, no 2am alarms this week and many more hours soaking up family time on the weekend and weeknights. 

Bring on Everest! Next weekend we are EVERESTING in Brisbane! 8,848m 👍

Week eight - 28th September to 04th October

Training stats

Distance: 123km

Elevation: 8,955m

Hours: 24 hours

Weight: Pre race 76.2kg post race 71.8kg

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Event week

Boy oh boy what a feeling! There’s much of the day I don’t remember. But there’s one thing I do: the overwhelming support and the connections I’ve made on this journey 🙏
As Matt Boyce would say... HOW GOODS LIVING!