[Victor Grijalva]

Victor Grijalva on July 11, 2022 at 4:51 pm · in reply to: Mt.Rainier Climb Trip Report #69087

Steve,

As you pointed out, Chimbo will not really have a heavy carry, it will be steep but the altitude is the big challenge. Building your base is key which for me the bread and butter is the runs and the weighted carries. But in addition, I also like to do one High Intensity Interval training session per week. It could be run up a hill for 30 seconds, or run on a treadmill, or run a lap on an outdoor track. I use work to rest ratio of one to one, meaning if I run for 30 seconds then I rest for 30 seconds and then I repeat for however many sets I’m doing. These sessions generally last from 20 -30 minutes for me and I often incorporate it into my runs.

Also, I tend to dial up my aerobic training a little but by adding in one or two sessions of stationary bike. I’m a bit older so my joints cant take all the runs so I add in a session of bike to keep my heart rate in low zone 2, high zone 1. I usually put on Youtube and watch something or listen to a podcast as I crank away.

Finally, if you can get there a day or two earlier to Quito that may help acclimatize but this is often a tough one given our schedules!

Small things like becoming more efficient on your steps help too, the less energy you can use up the more you have in reserve.

And stay hydrated.

I’m not a coach so those are just my 2 cents!

[Victor Grijalva]

Victor Grijalva on July 11, 2022 at 4:07 pm · in reply to: Mt.Rainier Climb Trip Report #69085

Steve,

I don’t see my post anymore either so I’m reposting it. Did not have comments on the training but had some ideas for the food!

Victor

Repost:
Steve,

Thanks for the report, good luck on Chimbo. About the food, I can’t stand freeze dried anymore so have had to find other solutions. Here are a few of my alternatives.

1) Ramen noodle that I just add boiling water to and then also add in chicken (see attachment) and spices. You can get bags you can add boiling water to at Pack It Gourmet.
2) I also do the instant mash potatoes and just add boiling water using the same bag in 1) above.
3) Indian meals by Tasty Bites (see attachment), I really like these, you just add these bags to boiling water and then pour into bowl. I also add rice that you just boil the bag. Little bit more effort with this and the Tasty Bite bags are a little heavy.
4) Bagels with cheese. I also add beef jurkey, the bacon kind so it is a little softer. Bagels keep are light abut a little bulky.
5) Bring some fruit, apple, banana, orange.
6) bring tortillas, cheese and smoked meats/salmon.
7) Have hot chocolate after dinner to get in more calories. Add electrolytes to your water, some will add 100-200 calories to your drink.

I try and bring as much normal food as opposed to freeze dried but every now and then you need the convenience of freeze dried so for freeze dried I use Pack I Gourmet, I find their food way more palatable but it is more expensive.

As Mark said, experiment at home to see what you like before trying it out on the mountain!

Victor

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[Victor Grijalva]

Victor Grijalva on July 9, 2022 at 11:34 am · in reply to: Gear – Training Hiking boots #68997

If I’m doing the workout on my treadmill or on stairs I’m using my running shoes. If I’m hitting a trail it is usually my trail running shoes or light mid hiking boots. If I’m doing something longer in Colorado going over scree it is generally my hiking boots. I will also do sessions with the boots that I’m going to wear on my trip (such as Scarpa Phantom 6000 or my Phantom Techs) but I will only do this on my treadmill so I don’t wear the boot out, its mainly for my foot to get used to the boot again.

[Victor Grijalva]

Victor Grijalva on July 6, 2022 at 4:14 pm · in reply to: Step-ups #68917

Chad,

For what it is worth, I have the Mprdictrack with 40% incline and it has worked out well for me. Dallas is very flat so finding incline to work out on is a challenge. The Nordictrack solved this problem. I’ve had it for over 2 years and it has taken punishment and held up. The monitor on the unit is very nice so you can get lots of data to keep you interested and you can watch programs to pass the time. It syncs with your phone so you can play your music. I have used this equipment for many UA workouts. I don’t like the fan so much, it is a bit underpowered so I have an external fan I use to help stay cool. As for a jogging treadmill it is ok, it tends to vibrate some at the higher speeds. Not cheap either but when the choice is driving far it has saved me lots of time and makes for a good work out.

Victor

[Victor Grijalva]

Victor Grijalva on June 27, 2022 at 12:44 pm · in reply to: Adding elevation gained and weight carried to HrTSS #68592

Hello,

Please check out the link below, maybe it has some additional useful info for you.

Victor

https://uphillathlete.com/trainingpeaks-metrics-ctl-tss/

[Victor Grijalva]

Victor Grijalva on May 24, 2022 at 11:05 am · in reply to: Denali tent recommendations #67570

I do recall we had some condensation but not to the point that it was a problem. I attributed it to the weather on Denali, it was very cold at nights so I think it would be hard to avoid all condensation. The tent did have multiple ventilation flaps. Do other tents vent better, maybe, I don’t know.

Denali was a great experience, I highly recommend it!

Victor

[Victor Grijalva]

Victor Grijalva on May 24, 2022 at 7:56 am · in reply to: Denali tent recommendations #67559

Steve,

I climbed Denali on a guided expedition and we used the North Face VE 25 tent (see attached picture), it is a 3 man tent we used for 2 people and that worked out great because we really needed the extra storage. It is also a double walled tent which I think you would need for Denali. It was very easy to set up, had great interior pockets and did a great job in some pretty harsh conditions.

I have also used the MH trango and it is an excellent tent, they are pretty similar.

I have an Eddie Bauer Katabatic 3 tent (double walled 3 person, 4 season tent) which is an excellent tent that I no longer need. It was given to me new two years ago and I used it once, not much use for it here in Texas. Here is a link to the tent : https://www.eddiebauer.com/p/82300158/katabatic-3-tent?sp=1&rrec=true Check out the video

I saw this tent used on Denali. If you are interested in this tent please email me at victor@altion.net. I can probably save you a good bit of money if the tent will fit your needs.

Victor

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[Victor Grijalva]

Victor Grijalva on May 23, 2022 at 8:46 am · in reply to: Who Likes Their Watch? #67511

Thanks everyone for all the great information — sincerely appreciated! I went with the Garmin Forerunner 945. There are a few write-ups comparing it to the Fenix 7 and the Forerunner 945 is characterized as a “poor man’s” Fenix 7. It has mostly all the same features but the Fenix 7 has a better build but is also heavier. Bottom line, I did not want to spend the money on the Fenix 7 and found the Forerunner 945 for $350 and that was in line with what I wanted to spend.

[Victor Grijalva]

Victor Grijalva on May 20, 2022 at 12:04 pm · in reply to: Who Likes Their Watch? #67427

James,

Thanks for the recommendation. The Apple watch will work great for what you are wanting to do. That was the original purpose of mine! BTW, I could not stand the phone in the pocket either!

Victor

[Victor Grijalva]

Victor Grijalva on May 20, 2022 at 12:01 pm · in reply to: Who Likes Their Watch? #67426

Krish

Thanks for the recommendation, a friend of mine also recommend the Fenix 7 so I’m taking a look at that one.

Victor

[Victor Grijalva]

Victor Grijalva on May 20, 2022 at 8:46 am · in reply to: May 2022 Introductions / Goals / Geographies #67409

Timothy,

For what it is worth, I have climbed Shuksan via Fishers Chimney route and would highly recommend it. Compact trip, great scenery with a little bit of everything, hiking, rock climbing, ice climbing (winnies slide), glacier climbing. Reasonable approach with moderate pack.

Enjoy the training!

Victor

[Victor Grijalva]

Victor Grijalva on May 16, 2022 at 9:51 am · in reply to: AeT threshold test questions #67240

Ben,

You asked about TSS, here is a definition I saw that you may find helpful:

Training Stress Score (TSS) is a composite number that takes into account the duration and intensity of a workout to arrive at a single estimate of the overall training load and physiological stress created by that training session

Regarding estimating your threshold from the data, I would guestimate you are in the low 120’s but would do the test again. You can compare that to 180-your age which is a generic reference point for your threshold.

Also, I have found that your threshold test can vary based on how you are feeling, how your muscles might feel from previous workout, how hot it is outside and other factors. Try doing the test on day you are feeling well rested with little fatigue. My 2 cents!

Victor

[Victor Grijalva]

Victor Grijalva on May 12, 2022 at 9:19 am · in reply to: Intro and Apple Watch TPeaks Sync Question #67061

Todd,

Here are the instructions I was mentioning.

https://help.trainingpeaks.com/hc/en-us/articles/360039727152-Connect-your-Apple-Watch-with-TrainingPeaks-Apple-Health-Integration

[Victor Grijalva]

Victor Grijalva on May 12, 2022 at 8:29 am · in reply to: May 2022 Introductions / Goals / Geographies #67060

Hello, Victor from Dallas, Texas here. Married with 2 kids that are out of the house, 2 dogs (golden doodles), 57 years old and retired. First time user of training group although I used the UA Expedition 24 week plan to successfully climb Denali last year. Not much to climb here in Dallas so getting elevation for training is a challenge.

Most recent climb was Mexico Volcano (Pico de Orizaba) in February of this year. Scheduled to Climb Mont Blanc (7/22), Ecuador volcanoes including Chimborazo (11/22) and Mount Vinson (1/23). Looking to further my fitness by getting insights, tips, information, feedback from this group and coaches that might not be available from a book. Also, I think this program will help keep me motivated to train.

Good luck everyone during your training and upcoming climbs!

[Victor Grijalva]

Victor Grijalva on May 12, 2022 at 8:14 am · in reply to: Intro and Apple Watch TPeaks Sync Question #67058

Todd,
I use Apple watch and do not have to enter the data manually in Training Peaks (TP), it uploads automatically for me. I pick an equivalent workout on my Apple Watch (run, hike, etc.) and do the workout. When I’m done I have to place the watch on the charging station and then it will sync with the TP app on my phone. Then I will generally go to my desktop and open TP there as I find it easier to navigate but you can also do it on your phone if you want. Sometimes the workout will automatically pair with the scheduled workout and you are good to go. Sometimes it will pull up as a separate workout but then you drag and drop that workout onto the scheduled workout and then it will ask you if you want to pair them and you reply yes. Once it uploads to TP you can see a map of where you ran, your heart rate over the workout, your TSS score and other important data that you may not get by entering manually.

There are instructions somewhere in TP on syncing with Apple Watch, I don’t remember where.

Good luck and happy training!

Victor