Frostbite and Broad Peak training update 24 March 2016

It's been awhile since my last update...but I haven't been sitting idly.

As you can see from the picture the toe has healed nicely.  I even got to clip the nail last week...a big moment for me.  It still feels like pins-and-needles at the tip of the toe area, but I can live with that.  I suspect that nerve damage may be permanent.

I have been cycling madly over the last couple of weeks and noticed severe pain after 30mins of cycling.  I thought it was caused by the toe but it is actually on a spot lateral to the bump (refer to where my finger is pointing).  This is where my cycling shoe strap tightens onto.  Strangely the pain is not evident on normal walking shoes.  Hoping this heals itself soon.

Right now, my poor fitness level is probably equivalent to what it was when I left Australia to climb Manaslu.  I am surprised to this day how my poor training and fitness actually got me up that mountain.  I don’t want to make that mistake of poor preparation again as I suffered too much.

Even though I will not be climbing this Nepalese spring season, my mind is still on that climbing cycle.  Easter weekend is when I have a big training session to gauge my fitness, but something has been worrying me of late.

What’s been causing me sleepless nights…

I’ve been trying to work out the safest way for me to keep hydrated and fuelled on summit nights.  

I struggled to get down from the summit of Manaslu because of dehydration.  I definitely did not have enough water –I only consumed 2Lt in total for the summit trip!  I would need at least 4-5Lt. This would be OK for mountains around the 8,100m range, but anything higher with a starting C4 of around 8,000m would be a more difficult proposition.

The air up there is dry, so you want to be drinking more.  Your appetite is diminished so forced eating of high calorific food and protein is important.  This means that in order for me to get enough calories, I would require electrolyte mixes and gel shots (gel shots were a god-send).

Fuelling for mountaineering summit night is much like solo MTB racing for 12+hrs, the first 50% is about looking after yourself for the last 50%.  The main difference is that in mountaineering you have to carry your food and water with you (MTB you pit-stop every lap to grab fuel and water).  So, what to do?  How much food to take and water to carry?  This is very difficult to judge correctly and I have not done that well as yet.  It doesn’t help that I lose my appetite whenever I undertake strenuous activity.

Let’s start with the water requirement:

If I need to carry 4-5Lt, then that will be a struggle. Carrying that without freezing is the main challenge.

1x2Lt Thermos = saved for the descent.

2x250mL Nalgene bottles carried in chest pockets (500ml bottles are too large for me to carry on my chest).  For drinking on ascent and refilled for the descent using thermos.

The other 2Lt I carry will need to withstand -30C temps and not freeze.  Even Nalgene bottles wrapped in neoprene bottle holders will start to freeze (it did on me in Aconcagua).  I also want easy access to water so that it encourages me to drink consistently and having to access the thermos in the backpack may not be ideal.

Decisions, decisions: To carry another 2L thermos or carry a 1.5L Camelbak bum bag?  I am leaning towards the bum bag as I can wear it either in or behind the body in the down suit (squished against my backpack or sitting on my tummy) as it would encourage me to sip /drink more consistently as I ascend.  Taking big gulps is not as effective as many smaller sips to quench the thirst.  Conversely, I think a thermos is also simpler and safer as a leak inside the down suit would be catastrophic, not to mention the comfort level of a bum bag inside the down suit.  I’m flip-flopping.

Now for the food:

The requirement is for very high energy stuff here!  Candy bars/power bars are great but have to be kept inside the down gear…biting into a frozen bar is a no no.  Gel shots are the ‘lifesaver’ and I carry as much as I can (minimum 1/hr, ideally 2/hr).  You can stash in most places on the body, or if I am wearing a Camelback under the down suit then I can stash it there as well.  The only food that I can truly stand to eat is most likely gel shots, even chocolate bars put me off.

Significant learning:

My mistake in Manaslu was that I failed to fuel and hydrate properly.  With so little food and water I was destined to hammer myself crazy, and I nearly did not make it.  I cannot repeat that again as my cat-9 lives are seriously running out.  Time to do some experimentation before I head off to Broad Peak in June.

For those that are off to Everest, hope you all make it.  Things always come in ‘threes’…so this 4^th year should be uneventful.