Summit Week
Travel, acclimate & summit!
This is summit week! Everything you've done has prepared you for this. Travel to elevation, let your body adjust to altitude, and summit your first 14er. You are ready. Go get it.
Week at a Glance
Run (Final)
Travel to Elevation
Acclimation Walk
Light Jog
Travel to Trailhead & Camp
SUMMIT DAY!
Celebrate & Rest
This Week's Reading
Deepen your knowledge with these essential guides
Daily Workout Details
Complete breakdown with coaching notes for each session
Monday
Run (Final)
You will begin with an easy 5 minute walk to get your muscles warm. Then run continuously for 15 to 20 minutes at an easy continuous pace. Focus on maintaining a steady, sustainable pace throughout. If you prefer intervals, run 10 minutes, walk 2 minutes, then run 10 minutes.
Finish with a 5 minute cooldown walk. Do not go hard today. Keep it moderate.
Make sure all your gear is ready to go.
Consider whether to start taking Baby Aspirin OR Ginkgo Biloba (NOT both) and Rhodiola Rosea to help with acclimation. Always check with your primary care physician before taking any supplements.
Workout Structure
Easy walk
Easy walk
"This is your final workout before traveling to elevation. Keep it moderate and do not go hard. Make sure all your gear is ready to go."
Tuesday
Travel to Elevation
The goal today is simple. Get to elevation and let your body start adjusting. Hydrate constantly at altitude. Drink more water than you think you need. Rest well tonight.
Consider taking Baby Aspirin OR Ginkgo Biloba (NOT both) and Rhodiola Rosea to help with acclimation. Always check with your primary care physician before taking any supplements.
Workout Structure
Arrive in the afternoon or evening. Let your body start adjusting to altitude. Hydrate consistently.
Optional Activities:
- • Travel to elevation
- • Check into lodging
- • Hydrate well
"The goal here is to get your body adapted to lower oxygen levels before summitting a mountain. This is important because altitude acclimatization takes time. Your body needs to produce more red blood cells to carry oxygen, adjust breathing rate, and adapt to reduced oxygen pressure. Arriving 2 to 3 days early allows your body to start these physiological changes, reducing your risk of altitude sickness and significantly improving your summit success rate. Without pre-acclimatization, you risk headaches, nausea, dizziness, and potentially having to turn around."
Wednesday
Acclimation Walk
Let your body adjust to altitude. Stay hydrated. Drink water consistently throughout the day. Monitor how you feel. Watch for these symptoms: headache, nausea, dizziness. These are normal but you should monitor them closely.
Consider taking Baby Aspirin OR Ginkgo Biloba (NOT both) and Rhodiola Rosea to help with acclimation. Always check with your primary care physician before taking any supplements.
Workout Structure
Easy walk at conversational pace
Let your body adjust to altitude. Stay hydrated. Monitor how you feel.
"Let your body adjust to altitude. Do not push hard. Watch for these symptoms: headache, nausea, dizziness. These are normal but you should monitor them closely."
Thursday
Light Jog
You will begin with an easy 5 minute walk to get your muscles warm. Then jog or walk for 15 to 20 minutes at a very easy pace. Finish with a 5 minute cooldown walk. If you prefer, take a short hike at altitude instead of the jog. Keep drinking water throughout the day.
Consider taking Baby Aspirin OR Ginkgo Biloba (NOT both) and Rhodiola Rosea to help with acclimation. Always check with your primary care physician before taking any supplements.
Workout Structure
Easy walk
Easy walk
"Keep this workout easy at a conversational pace. This keeps your legs loose and continues the acclimation process. If you prefer, you can take a short hike at altitude instead of the jog."
Friday
Travel to Trailhead & Camp
Camping at the trailhead serves two critical purposes. First, it helps you adjust to the much higher altitude where you will be hiking. Second, it lets you start super early in the morning without having to drive in the pre-dawn hours.
Once camp is set up, walk around lightly to scope out the trailhead and trail. Do not push it at all. Just get familiar with the area.
Separate out all the gear needed for tomorrow's hike. Double check all your gear. Your pack should be ready to grab and go in the morning. Fill all water bottles and camelbacks tonight. Set multiple alarms. Try to get as much sleep as possible. If you need to go to bed before dark to get 8 hours of sleep, bring eye covers. Stay hydrated today.
Consider taking Baby Aspirin OR Ginkgo Biloba (NOT both) and Rhodiola Rosea to help with acclimation. Always check with your primary care physician before taking any supplements.
Workout Structure
Once camp is set up, walk around lightly for 10 to 20 minutes to scope out the trailhead and trail. Do not push it at all. Just get familiar with the area.
Optional Activities:
- • Set up camp
- • Walk around lightly to scope out trailhead
- • Separate all gear for tomorrow
- • Double check everything
- • Fill all water bottles and camelbacks
- • Set multiple alarms
- • Sleep as much as possible
"Camping at the trailhead tonight serves two purposes. It helps you adjust to the much higher altitude where you will be hiking. It also eliminates the need to drive in the pre-dawn hours, allowing you to start hiking immediately when you wake up."
Saturday
SUMMIT DAY!
Wake up as early as possible. Using a headlamp is a great way to get a jump start on the trail. Starting early helps you avoid the lightning risk that builds on summits after noon. Plan for more time than you think you need. Most beginners underestimate how long it takes to summit.
Climb slowly and watch your heart rate. Do not push yourself too hard and burn out. This is a tortoise and hare situation. Slowly but surely wins the day. The mountain is not going anywhere. Take your time.
Drink water constantly on the mountain. Eat snacks regularly. Listen to your body. If you feel dizzy, nauseous, or develop a headache, descend immediately.
Be off the summit by noon due to lightning risk. If weather looks threatening, turn around. The mountain will be there another day. Your safety is the priority.
Workout Structure
Wake as early as possible. Use a headlamp to get a jump start. Climb slowly and steadily. This is a tortoise and hare situation. Slowly but surely wins the day.
Summit Day Checklist:
- • Wake as early as possible
- • Start with headlamp if before sunrise
- • Climb slowly and watch heart rate
- • Drink water constantly (Bring AT LEAST 2 to 3 liters of water)
- • Eat snacks regularly (Think light weight, but carb heavy snacks. Runner snacks are perfect. You can find them in the exercise section of the supermarket. A few favorites: Honey Stinger Waffles, Snickers, and Jerky Sticks)
- • Be off summit by noon
- • Turn around if weather threatens
"This is what you trained for. Remember the tortoise and hare. Climb slowly and steadily. Watch your heart rate and do not burn out. Plan for more time than you think you need. Lightning builds on summits after noon, so be off the summit by then. Drink water constantly. Eat regularly. Listen to your body. Turn around if conditions deteriorate."
Sunday
Celebrate & Rest
"Total rest or very light activity. Head home or enjoy the area. You did it! From zero to 14,000 feet in 13 weeks. Next steps: Consider intermediate 14ers, or repeat this program for a harder peak."
Training Tips for Success
Essential guidance to optimize your training this week
Nutrition
Eat familiar foods all week. Test your summit day nutrition during Friday walk.
Hydration
Drink extra water at altitude all week. Start summit day well hydrated.
Recovery
Prioritize sleep every night, especially Thursday night. Aim for 8+ hours before summit.
Progression
Everything you've done has prepared you. Trust your training. You are ready.