Marianna:
Answers below
1. I find general strength too difficult for me, I cant manage even 1 pull up without assistance. Will it be wise to repeat the first few weeks until I feel more comfortable to move forward? What would be the order? All the more reason for you to be doing strength training. Use assistance on the pull ups as explain in our book. Your pack will be heavy and the trails steep on these mountains. Especially for women, increasing strength helps a lot because you are likely smaller and weaker than most men but still have to carry the same weight pack. Get started on strength training NOW and keep with it.

2. I calculated and looks like I have full 39 weeks countdown – great opportunity for base building. I apologize for asking same question, but wanted to be sure I understand correctly how to extend the 24 weeks to 39. Would my plan be by weeks: 1-16, 12-16, 12-16,…, 17-24? Any other advise? For you I suggest extending the Transition Period (first 8 weeks) to 12 to give you longer in the general strength training. Then add 4 extra weeks during weeks 8-16. During which you will be doing Max strength. Now you are up to 32 weeks. Next add 2 weeks where you do one Max strength and one shorter easier ME workout before moving into the final ME phase.

3. ME exercise – I find it stressful driving to a mountain on weekdays (weekends are saved for longer hikes) and unfortunately I have no access to high buildings. How effective the box steps would be (if I can handle 1.5 hours of boredom)? Is there any other trick to work this around?
You can do the ME work in a gym on a Treadmill or Stair machine. It just not quite as effective as actually hiking up steep hills or stairs (or the boring box step). If you are planning to have a huge goal like this you should also plan to make some huge sacrifices. Some guys who use these plans work on small ships and have only ship ladders and stairs to climb and run up and down. They lift heavy boxes and oil cans for strength training. Then when they are on shore they go crush it in the mountains. Anything can be done if you have the will. Do not start by making excuses for why you can’t do something. Start by finding a way to to do these things you feel are uncomfortable and difficult that by itself will make you stronger. The mind is you most powerful muscle.

Scott