This might be the first physical challenge I’ve attempted where I’m genuinely uncertain I can complete it. I will complete it — but there’s a chance I don’t, due to unforeseen circumstances. But I’m focused and my intent is that things will go as planned! (Fingers crossed)

They say the devil is in the details, and when it comes to climbing the 29,029 vertical feet equivalent of Mount Everest, you can say that again. Everything matters — your shoes, underwear, socks, shirts, fuel, supplements, sleep, and training. Literally everything counts to some extent. Of course, hydration and fuel top the list alongside your gear, because one mistake can cost you dearly. On the literal Mount Everest, it costs you your life. At Snowbasin in Utah, it costs you the finish. Both are scary, but one doesn’t give you another shot — so I’m okay with Snowbasin.

That’s actually one of the reasons this Eversting challenge came to life. The wives of the creators did not want their husbands risking their lives on a physical challenge like the real Everest — hence the name: Everesting. They sell out every event, and it’s clear that people are drawn to putting themselves to the test. That apparently includes me and my good friend Mark Haggarty, who somehow thought this sounded fun — or, as he calls it, a “suffer fest.”

It takes a specific type of person to embark on an ultra-endurance event like this. I’m not sure whether that trait is stupidity or simply a hunger for challenging adventure. For me, it’s all of the above, with a lot of spiritual energy infused into it. When you challenge yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually, there’s nowhere for old stuck emotions to hide. They’re forced to the surface — like a diamond pushed up through the earth — waiting for the moment to be expressed. This Everesting event will mine for some of those diamonds.

Over my lifetime I’ve cleared a lot of past experiences from my being, but sometimes stuck emotions are sneaky. They burrow deep into one’s tissue, hiding from awareness. My hope is that on that mountain on June 12th, any last trace of diminished self-worth, fear, anger, or primal emotion tied to a past experience finds its way to the surface and into the open air.

Then there is the idea of achieving something I had to work incredibly hard for. I’ve always been reasonably good at things in my life, but going from good to great is a different challenge entirely. It requires digging deep to find another part of yourself — or a new self altogether. When you push yourself to your absolute limit, you find out what you’re made of and who you really are. That’s what excites me about this Everesting challenge.

The power of the mind will be what carries me through 13 ascents in under 36 hours. At some point, your body will say, that’s all I’ve got — and it’s your mind that takes over and says, not yet, let’s go. You forge ahead on tired legs, driven by the resilience to keep moving forward one step at a time. Pain becomes just part of who you are and what you’re meant to experience in that moment. This is why mindset is the foundation of almost everything we do in life — including climbing the vertical equivalent of Mount Everest.

I set my Everesting mindset a while ago, with some fine-tuning along the way. I love the definition from the creator of Lifted Coaching: mindset is the story you tell yourself. I love its simplicity and clarity. Within that definition lives the power of words, their organization, and the intent behind them. Stories shape who we are and how we navigate life.

The story I’m telling myself is one of elevating my fitness to the level of an athlete who can climb 29,029 vertical feet in under 36 hours — with strength, endurance, and power. To climb from my soul. To stay mentally present and fully absorbed in the focus that an event like this demands.

My training leading up to this point has included:

  • Fuel & Nutrition — Coach: Celene Lucas (Thank you for nourishing my climb!)
  • EBAs (Energetic Brainstem Activations) — Coach: Bryan Mirabella
  • OA Breath Practice — I’m an advanced Oxygen Advantage Coach, so I’ve applied what I’ve learned to myself through a series of breath exercises designed to prepare the body for elevation.
  • Mobility & Alignment — 2–4x per week depending on training phase
  • Soft Tissue Work — Self-administered and with a practitioner
  • Acupuncture — Acupuncturist: Anne Brunn
  • Step-Ups with Weighted Vest — 2 days per week
  • Strength Training & Conditioning — 2–3 days per week (Coaches consulted: Keith Paine, Jason Pulido, Kaz Qamruddin, Bev Ratcliff, Chris McCauley, Charlie Jones)
  • Treadmill Hikes at 15% Incline — with and without weighted vest (10–20 lbs)
  • Outside Hikes/Rucks — 10–20 lb vest
  • Sauna Sessions
  • Meditation
  • Epsom Salt Baths
  • Testing — You need to test everything to be ready for an event like this.

That’s what the last six months have been about on the training side of life.

Thank you to everyone for the love and support. A big thank you to our entire training team both Nimble and our Independent trainers. Words can’t express how much gratitude we have for the wonderful Nimble community and their generous support of God’s Love We Deliver — the nonprofit that delivers healthy, nutritious meals to people fighting life-altering illnesses. What they do for our fellow humans truly touches our hearts here at Nimble.

This climb is dedicated to my uncle Michael who passed away from an aggressive brain tumor last year. His spirt lives in me and our entire family always! 

Namaste, Daniel