Secondly, you need to develop a training plan relevant to the specific elements of the trip. Finally, make sure you understand that you will be roped to other climbers and need to come physically prepared. 

Building your endurance training can be done by gradually increasing time to your cardiovascular training sessions. For instance, before you go you should be training for and hour and a half per day,  five days a week.

This should be done while trying to keep a consistent heart rate in your endurance zone. This should be done with weight. Likewise, you will want to include a longer session or hike once a week, spending up to 6 hours hiking up and down hills, further building your strength and endurance.

However, it is not a one size fits all type of training and it may be different for each person. Do a fitness test so you can be more efficient in your training and preparation. We are available to help you get the right training for Mera Peak.

Long Days Hiking and Daily Gym Work are Important

There is some very specific training you need to be doing before your Mera Peak adventure. Firstly, you need to be hiking up and down hills. You will doing this in a low oxygen environments for days on end. Secondly, you will be carrying 6+kg each day on the trail.  On any given day you will be carrying with 2/3 ltrs of water, rain gear, camera, sun cream and snacks. Higher up the trail you will have to carry gloves, down jacket, fleece, warm hat, crampons, harness and Ice Axe. Finally, we recommend you build up to carrying 15 kg.

Endurance and Leg Strength are Two Key Ingredients

Depending on where your training starts, you should consider doing a fitness test. You will need to have a mix of cardio, pushing your lactic threshold higher. Your goal is to perform at higher heart rates for longer. You will need to come with excellent strength and conditioning for a Mera Peak trip.

The two key elements you need to consider our strength and endurance.  Low oxygen environments find weakness in the body so you need to develop a strength and conditioning program. We can help you develop a program that works for you. On the route we use into Mera peak there are a lot of up and down before reaching Khote, so the first 6 days have a lot of excellent acclimatisation but lots of steps up and down through the forest trails.

Carry Weight in Your Training

You also need to build an endurance program that gets you training in a similar to the actual trail. Training with weighted back pack building up to carrying 15 kg/ 33 lbs is critical in this part of your training. You will be walking up and down steps, steep trail, across and up and down a glacier, with heavier mountaineering boots with crampons on.  You need to consider all elements of the trail and lack of oxygen while developing the correct training plan.  If you are going to be walking 4 to 8 and up to 14 hours a day you need to be training in a similar manor. As you get closer to your trip, it is important to get in some multi-day hiking.  Remember when hiking to build slowly, starting with 2/3 hours and build towards 6/8 hours if possible.

Build Endurance and get the Hours Into Your Legs

I recommend to training 5 days a week. Train on a stair master and incline treadmill 4 days a week start with minimal weight in your back pack 6kg/ 13 lbs.  Doing a fitness test is a really good idea so it is important to train in specific heart rates.

You should be doing most of your training in the endurance zone. Building from 1 to 2 hours per day for 4 sessions. You then need an longer endurance session once per week and a day or two off. This longer endurance session is best completed up and down hills with weight on your back.  If you have no access to hills you should consider a long bike ride. You can also consider a longer gym session mixing up the machines that you use.

We can help you figure this one out. You should be looking at building from 6 to 12 hours of training per week. You should do this for 2 months and then start adding in some weight training developing your quads, calves, and core. In the last 2 months you should consider adding in interval training while you are still doing the endurance training building up the weight you are carrying.