Your #1 Priority Before A Big Mountaineering Expedition

In this episode, I explore the most critical priority that a mountaineer needs to remember in their final weeks before a big expedition (which SO many people don't think about). 

Tips To Stay Healthy Before A Mountaineering Expedition 

Today, we are going to be talking through one of the most common challenges I see for mountaineers that get in the way of their expedition just before they go.

We are not talking about being undertrained...

(We do not want to be in that position, but that is not what we are talking about today.)

We are not talking about injury.

(Though this is definitely a significant thing that trips a lot of mountaineers up in their final preparations.)

We are not talking about logistics.

(Obviously, getting all that right can be a little bit tricky, but that is not what we are diving into.)

What we are talking about is one of the major roadblocks that I see for mountaineers leading into their expeditions.

Getting sick right before their trip.

This is so common for mountaineers all around the world.

I see it all the time. Just getting sick a week or two before their big expedition.

Whether it is a cold, the flu, or something more sinister, it is so common.

I think this happens for a few reasons (all of which affect the immune system to some degree):

1) Accumulated Fatigue

When we get to the last couple of weeks of training, we have months and months of accumulated training and accumulated fatigue.

Our workouts all come to a peak in the last weeks before you head off.

All that fatigue reaches its endpoint. You are tired. You are overtraining. But you are just pushing through the final days.

And then the taper comes, and you pull the training back, and the body relaxes. It finally gets a bit of space and says, "Now I can chill out". And then it is like now it is time to get sick.

(I know this isn't the most 'scientific' description and explanation, but it makes my point well enough).

2) Stress

In the last couple of weeks, stress is generally pretty high.

You are finishing work. You are saying goodbye to family. You are packing. You are doing last-minute prep. You are getting nervous about the trip. You are up at night.

3) Reduced Self-Care

Nerves, stress, and last-minute prep will often impact sleep.

Relaxation time goes out the window.

Healthy eating tends to go down as you are clearing out the pantry (as who wants to do groceries just before you go!).

You forget to drink enough water.

All of these can impact the immune system, and all of them can contribute to getting sick.

You Don't Want To Get Sick Just Before An Expedition


At the lightest level (a small cold or something like that), sickness can affect energy, mood and confidence.

If it is more serious and lingers for a week or two, it can significantly impact your ability to perform on the mountain. It affects your ability to get up and succeed. It affects how much you enjoy the trip.

It is not something we want to deal with.

Tips To Prevent Getting Sick Before A Mountaineering Expedition 

You cannot 100% guarantee you will avoid getting sick.

But there are things you can do to support your immune system and look after yourself.

Things I strongly recommend you pay attention to in the final couple of weeks before you go. It is very easy to forget this stuff. It sounds basic, but I see it go out the window all the time.

So if you have a big expedition coming up, make sure you follow these things.

1) Avoid Sick People As Much As You Can

If you have any chance of avoiding sick people in your life, then do it.

If someone in the grocery store is coughing, get away. If a family member is sick, stay away. If someone in the office is coughing, ask them to work from home, or you work from home, or move elsewhere (whatever is possible). Do what you can to avoid sick people.

2) Good Hygiene

Get some hand sanitiser. Use it. Wash your hands regularly.

Basic stuff, but it is important.

3) Look After Your Sleep

Sleep is incredibly important for immune health. Make sure you have a set time to go to bed. Even if you have tasks on your 'to-do list' left. Have a sleep routine. Do something to unwind so your mind is not racing.

4) Manage Your Stress

Stress levels are high during this time. So try to do something small each day to help manage this.

Simple ideas could be:

• Deep breathing routines (e.g. box breathing)
• Meditation
• Gentle walks (not training, just cruising)
• Gentle music (take 5-10 minutes to relax and listen)
• Journaling

5) Keep Up Hydration

Very easy to forget about once the hard training is done. But try your best to stay on top of it.

Set some reminders for yourself (notes around the house, reminders on your phone, etc). Keep up the water.

6) Healthy Eating

The last week before a trip, you often do not want to grocery shop. You are running around. People end up clearing out the pantry and getting takeout.

There is nothing wrong with that in theory. But be aware of your choices.

Still try to get in plenty of vegetables. Still aim to get some fruit to eat every day. Try to avoid crazy high-processed foods for your meals.

If you are cleaning out the pantry, get some frozen veggies to go with meals.

If you get takeout, choose healthier options.

7) Minimise Alcohol

Pre-trip stress and social events have many people leaning towards alcohol.

If you are stressed, try something else to manage it.

If you are socialising, go right ahead! But try to minimise the booze.

Save it for after the trip. ​

Keeping Healthy While Travelling To A Mountaineering Expedition

Next up, I want to cover some simple travel tips to use if you are flying to your climbing destination.

A few simple things:

1. Bring and use hand sanitiser (keep it in your pocket and use it regularly)
   
   
2. Bring a mask (if someone is sitting next to you on the plane, coughing their guts up, at least it will give you some protection!)
   
   
3. Stay hydrated (very easy to forget when flying. Keep it up)
   
   
4. Minimise alcohol (again, save it for after the expedition)

Finally, if you are climbing in a different country, which has a different culture and cuisine, then just be wary here.

Don't go crazy on new foods your stomach is not used to.

If you do not usually eat a lot of dairy, do not suddenly dive into cheesy pasta and pizza right before your expedition, it might not be a good idea...

Sure, you might be eating things that are a bit different, but try not to have anything too challenging for your stomach. Save the food adventures for after your climb!

==

All of these tips are very simple.

And you may be thinking, what is the point of even talking about this? Isn't this all just common sense?

But I cannot tell you how many times I have seen people get sick in that final week or two. It is so common. And it adds stress, uncertainty, and discomfort. It is something we want to avoid as best as possible.

So if you have a big expedition coming up, make a note of this.

Put a reminder in your calendar for when the taper starts.

Make a list of these tips. Do them religiously. Stay on top of them.

Do everything you can to stay healthy because the last thing you want after months of preparation is a cold, flu, or infection getting in the way of your dream adventure....

Yours in adventure.​

Rowan 

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