Men’s Fitness Australia – June 2017

Climb any mountain

Use expedition leader Laurence Dawson’s

expert advice to tackle any challenge.

Pace your self

■The secret is to start each day slowly and

expect to get slower, particularly if your

adventureisataltitude.Pauseevery15minutes

or so to rehydrate and eat something sweet

such as a piece of chocolate or some dates.

The brain and body need glucose during a

challenge like this.

Solve problems

■If you’re anxious about, say, a blister in the

making,stopandsortitout.Istillremember

the mantra of my Mountain Leader instructor

— “Coulda, Shoulda” — because if you don’t

address a problem, you’ll probably end up in

a world of not just pain but also frustration.

Recover faster

■At the end of the day rehydrate, preferably

with electrolytes, and stretch your quads,

glutes,calvesandfeet,especiallyifyou’vebeen

walking in stiff boots. Unpack your sleeping bag,

eatasyouwouldafteragymworkoutand,most

importantly, try to get a good night’s sleep.

Sleep soundly

■Useadrybagstuffedwithadownjacketasa

pillowandwearapairofsocksandawoollyhat

tobedifyouneedto.Acoldsurfacewillconduct

warmth away from your body if it’s not well

insulated, so if you’re going camping invest

in an inflatable sleeping mattress.

Live in luxury

■Take a couple of “luxury” items, such as

a plunger and some freshly ground coffee

—appreciated at 3,200m on Toubkal. Other

useful items include a lantern for when the

generator’s off and a book or journal (no

batteries). But of course, the more you bring

the heavier your backpack!

with an astonishing view of the Atlas
mountains. If you had any extra breath

that sight would take it away but it’s now
minus 15° and the air is dry and thin.

The final section involves a mini-
break about every ten paces. Eventually

we reach the summit and, suddenly,
with a celebratory bar of chocolate

in hand, it feels incredibly calm and
peaceful... And I manage to resist

the urge to take a selfie, although a
commemorative snap is a must. Then

the elements decide we’ve had it too
easy and the sky begins to darken as

clouds form above us.
Going down is significantly easier,

and we use a running-sliding hybrid
to “ski” down over the snow and

scree that gets us back to the refuge
in an hour. As well as eating lunch

there, we do a series of mobility

and stretching drills. Some brave

individuals are attempting another

summit but we opt for an afternoon

of relaxation at the refuge before

a final night in the mountains.

The following morning a sense

of achievement seems to give each

step on the gentle decline back to

Imlil extra energy. Stepping off the

plane back in familiar territory,

brings us back to reality. It’s hard

to believe that just 24 hours earlier

I was in the rugged and dramatic

north African wilderness.

“Been anywhere nice?” the taxi

driver asks. Well...■

For more information on how to take on Toubkal,

visit shorthauladventure.co.uk

JUNE 2017 MEN’S FITNESS 81

Owning the summit:

Author Glen Burrows

(centre) on top

of Toubkal.

Cold comfort:Les Mouflons

private refuge, located

3,000m up the mountain.