# Strava Climbing Challenge – Climb Everest in 20 days or less



## oliglynn (17 Nov 2014)

*Climb 8,848m (29,029ft) in 20 days.
*
Anybody else out there challenging themselves to this? I’m trying to complete the challenge, and am currently at 45% with 10 days to go. Living in a flat area of Oxfordshire I’m having to pull out the stops for this one, divert my commute by about 2x the distance to hit some hills, and even do some hill reps for the first time ever!

This is quite a different challenge for me, as being quite tall and a bit overweight I generally go for distance and avoid hills! I’d been deliberately doing a bit more hill climbing the last few months anyway, and I really feel it’s made a difference to my climbing, which on many sportives / big rides has previously let me down, especially when the gradient gets crazy.

This challenge is really pushing me to hit the hills big time. I’m really motivated to complete this just for the personal achievement. So far so good, but I think a bit of a push near the end will be required to complete the challenge!


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## nickyboy (17 Nov 2014)

I'm doing it. Living in a hilly area it isn't really a motivator to climb hills as I don't really have any choice but I thought it might be fun. I'm at 40%. I planned to do a decent ride Sunday but drank a lot with friends Saturday night so following day was a bit of a write-off.

Off out this pm to get my % up a bit


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## Geoff Crowther (17 Nov 2014)

nickyboy said:


> I'm doing it. Living in a hilly area it isn't really a motivator to climb hills as I don't really have any choice but I thought it might be fun. I'm at 40%. I planned to do a decent ride Sunday but drank a lot with friends Saturday night so following day was a bit of a write-off.
> 
> Off out this pm to get my % up a bit


Good luck with this Nicky.
But surely, all you have to do is keep riding up Monks Road from Charlesworth then hurtling back down again


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## nickyboy (17 Nov 2014)

Geoff Crowther said:


> Good luck with this Nicky.
> But surely, all you have to do is keep riding up Monks Road from Charlesworth then hurtling back down again



I couldn't imagine anything worse. I avoid Monk's road like the plague, too steep.
49% of the climbing now so just about on track after 50% of the time...but got a soaking for my troubles


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## fossyant (17 Nov 2014)

Chunal.


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## nickyboy (17 Nov 2014)

fossyant said:


> Chunal.



Don't you swear at me


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## Geoff Crowther (17 Nov 2014)

nickyboy said:


> I couldn't imagine anything worse. I avoid Monk's road like the plague, too steep.
> 49% of the climbing now so just about on track after 50% of the time...but got a soaking for my troubles


Well done!
And ... I wasn't being serious. Haven't cycled up it all yet.


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## ColinJ (17 Nov 2014)

If I did my least hilly local routes, I would have to ride them about 16 times in the 20 days which wouldn't be particularly challenging unless the weather were bad, though it would give me a real fitness boost if I made the effort to get out that regularly.

If I rode some of the more hilly routes, I could achieve the target in 5 rides, which would be a lot harder.

It is getting a bit late in the year for me to want to do 5 hilly 100-ish km rides in less than 3 weeks, but I might have a go next spring if I am feeling well, and the weather is kind to us.

For a really difficult challenge, perhaps do it in just 2 rides? (I know that this all started with people 'doing the Everest' in one ride, but that would be crazily hard!)


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## Shut Up Legs (18 Nov 2014)

fossyant said:


> Chunal.


Bless you!


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## nickyboy (18 Nov 2014)

ColinJ said:


> If I did my least hilly local routes, I would have to ride them about 16 times in the 20 days which wouldn't be particularly challenging unless the weather were bad, though it would give me a real fitness boost if I made the effort to get out that regularly.
> 
> If I rode some of the more hilly routes, I could achieve the target in 5 rides, which would be a lot harder.
> 
> ...



It's not that hard a challenge for those of us "blessed" to be living in hilly areas. You, like me, probably average 100ft/mile as a normalish ride. So 29,000ft needs about 290 miles. I'm not sure how fast you'll go but let's say 12mph. This way you need 24 hours in the saddle over 20 days. Not a massive commitment compared to the flatlanders

57% today


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## oliglynn (18 Nov 2014)

9 days to go, 58% complete, My legs are shot!! Having a rest day tomorrow! 

This is definitely a tough challenge for a "flatlander" such as myself. I have the ridgeway located aprox 6 miles from me, which offers some hills of between 50-140m ascent, however with the 12 miles required to reach and return from said destination each time makes it considerably harder. I have to make a conscious effort to hit the hills. I can commute to work a few days a week which is aprox 14 miles with To stick another 70m climb up a half decent hill in that commute takes it up to around 17 miles, and then more if more hills are required. I found myself having to do hill repeats for the first time ever, plus this evening, driving to the white horse hill, riding round it a few times then driving home!!

I'm sure my hill climbing will have improved a lot with all this practice, so looking forward to hitting white horse hill after the challenge is over, with fresh legs, and seeing how much time i can take off my PB!


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## busdennis (19 Nov 2014)

dragged my self upto 48% since the start day, with Wednesday Thursday being rest days from work if im going to complete this challenge they will be no rest for me. hoping to get to 70% by friday


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## Dogtrousers (19 Nov 2014)

Is the air getting thinner yet?


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## oliglynn (19 Nov 2014)

Dogtrousers said:


> Is the air getting thinner yet?


Ha - colleagues at work say I should complete this challenge with my mouth duck taped shut with a drinking straw sized hole poked through!


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## moo (19 Nov 2014)

I've been doing hill repeats before and after work on my 25kg commuter. My legs are not happy, but now I'm over the half way mark they can shut up and deal with it


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## 50000tears (20 Nov 2014)

Forgot I even took up this challenge but was reminded when I hit 75% today. Should be easy if the weather is not too cruel.


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## derrick (20 Nov 2014)

47% completed. it going to be hard


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## moo (20 Nov 2014)

Decided to take a few days rest and go all out on Sundays century. My feet/mile for November is almost double what I usually manage, and my legs know it.


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## nickyboy (21 Nov 2014)

69% so well on track providing I can get another 2-3 rides in. Loads of PBs so I guess the challenge is having it's desired effect ( I certainly won't be taking up their kind offer of purchasing the "limited edition $120 jersey" though)


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## ColinJ (21 Nov 2014)

I am not doing the challenge, but I checked back through a few 20 day periods this year and I often hit over 60% of that climbing without making an effort to put in extra hills. I can see that it would be difficult in a flatter area with long rides to get to decent hills.


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## 50000tears (22 Nov 2014)

Now on 112% with 5 days to spare. The benefit of living in a hilly area I suppose. Just did my normal riding.


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## busdennis (22 Nov 2014)

none cycling day today so remain on 79%. Being an heavier ride im find this challenge hard work and wondering if its benefiting my cycling goals. Hay brow is a local hill with an height gain of 384ft with a KOM time of 5.02, my best time is 6.33 with an an average time of 7.20 . I started the challenge climbing it at 7.20 but that has dropped to closer to 10 mins while im doing hill repeats. I will complete the challenge if it kills me


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## slowmotion (22 Nov 2014)

If you rode up Ditchling Beacon three times a day you would have a day and a half to spare.


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## User6179 (22 Nov 2014)

Local club did this in a day , nutters http://www.everesting.cc/


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## nickyboy (23 Nov 2014)

80% after a hilly 50 today. Couple more shortish rides should see me home. Weather looks OK for rest of the challenge


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## nickyboy (23 Nov 2014)

Eddy said:


> Local club did this in a day , nutters http://www.everesting.cc/



Local guy did it in a day too. 27 times up the Snake Pass starting 0630, finishing 2230. Utter madness.

http://www.everestinguk.com/2014/09/everesting-snake-pass-cold-beer-never_25.html


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## Fubar (24 Nov 2014)

nickyboy said:


> Local guy did it in a day too. 27 times up the Snake Pass starting 0630, finishing 2230. Utter madness.
> 
> http://www.everestinguk.com/2014/09/everesting-snake-pass-cold-beer-never_25.html



Yeah some guys in our club are proposing Everesting in a day using Bealach Na Ba - not for me though...


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## arranandy (24 Nov 2014)

Completed the challenge yesterday. However I don't think I will be buying the special cycling top from Strava $75 plus shipping


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## MrGrumpy (24 Nov 2014)

No where near but I've only been commuting, thought I would breeze it as well.... But never factored in the weekends lmao


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## slowmotion (24 Nov 2014)

The biggest hill on my commute is Battersea Bridge. I think it could take me a bit longer than twenty days.


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## HLaB (24 Nov 2014)

Eddy said:


> Local club did this in a day , nutters http://www.everesting.cc/


A local guy did it here too and its not even that long a hill, he must of got well sick of it http://www.strava.com/segments/5705774


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## Supersuperleeds (24 Nov 2014)

I'm 86% complete now and I live in a very flat area, as evidenced by the fact I have had to do over 900 miles to hit that 86%.


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## nickyboy (25 Nov 2014)

Supersuperleeds said:


> I'm 86% complete now and I live in a very flat area, as evidenced by the fact I have had to do over 900 miles to hit that 86%.



I think you flatlanders should get a special medal for completing it. I'm at 80% but I've only ridden about 240 miles. Couple of cheeky 30s and I should be done, 300 miles total


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## Dogtrousers (25 Nov 2014)

slowmotion said:


> The biggest hill on my commute is Battersea Bridge. I think it could take me a bit longer than twenty days.


According to this segment Battersea Bridge will give you 9m of climb. So you would need to cross it 984 times.


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## nickyboy (25 Nov 2014)

Dogtrousers said:


> According to this segment Battersea Bridge will give you 9m of climb. So you would need to cross it 984 times.



Doable. 20 days requires about 50 ascents per day. Let's say a minute and a half up and the half a minute back down. Two minutes per rep. That's 100 minutes per day. What's up with that?


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## KneesUp (25 Nov 2014)

I *might* try my own version of this next year - Everest in 30 commutes rather that 30 days (so that I can have days off). My normal commute is 2.5 miles, but having a play on bike hike I've come up with a route that is a tad over 11 miles and is slightly over 1/30 of the elevation required. It can wait until it's a bit warmer and lighter though, frankly.


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## Dogtrousers (25 Nov 2014)

nickyboy said:


> Doable. 20 days requires about 50 ascents per day. Let's say a minute and a half up and the half a minute back down. Two minutes per rep. That's 100 minutes per day. What's up with that?


 Apart from the fact that it's utterly bonkers? Nothing up with it at all.


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## User6179 (25 Nov 2014)

HLaB said:


> A local guy did it here too and its not even that long a hill, he must of got well sick of it http://www.strava.com/segments/5705774



I make it only 145 times up and down


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## nickyboy (25 Nov 2014)

Not much time today so did a stupidly hilly 27 mile loop, 3,500ft of climbing. 93%, one more cheeky ride should do it


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## Supersuperleeds (25 Nov 2014)

I'm now up to 95%, hopefully I will finish it tomorrow, or at the worst on Thursday mornings commute, broke 1000 miles on it today as well


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## nickyboy (25 Nov 2014)

Supersuperleeds said:


> I'm now up to 95%, hopefully I will finish it tomorrow, or at the worst on Thursday mornings commute, broke 1000 miles on it today as well



1000 miles in 18 days is really going some. This challenge is really made for people living in very hilly places like me so anyone who does it in a flat area deserves a big pat on the back. My commitment will be something like 24 hours over 20 days so nothing much.


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## huwsparky (25 Nov 2014)

Just remembered I entered this challenge too. I'm on 2802m with 2 days to go. Not gonna happen for me. Would have been relatively easy though with 90 - 100 ft/mile bring the norm.

Well done to all that manage it


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## moo (26 Nov 2014)

Just completed the challenge and I'm knackered. I left it a bit late and had to do 12,000 feet in 150 miles over the last 3 days. Oddly I was starting to enjoy spinning up a 10% hill repeat


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## Supersuperleeds (26 Nov 2014)

Now on 99%, need to do another 120 feet to complete it.


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## MrGrumpy (26 Nov 2014)

You a courier  I may have asked this before! I do a fair bit of mileage commuting but nowhere near that!


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## slowmotion (26 Nov 2014)

If I keep chipping away at Battersea Bridge on my commute, I should reach Everest Base Camp on October 1st 2015.


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## Supersuperleeds (26 Nov 2014)

MrGrumpy said:


> You a courier  I may have asked this before! I do a fair bit of mileage commuting but nowhere near that!



Nah, just work in an office.

Anyway finished the challenge


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## moo (27 Nov 2014)

Supersuperleeds said:


> Now on 99%, need to do another 120 feet to complete it.



I'd have been worried about the recording device breaking if that close - usually how my luck goes


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## nickyboy (27 Nov 2014)

Done, 102%. Stupid things these challenges. Damp day, should have stayed at home, have to clean the bike now


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## oliglynn (28 Nov 2014)

Agh - had to give up on this one as I had a job interview approaching. Last minute job interview gets postponed. 70% complete though, feeling stronger climbing (even without my e-badge)!


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## moo (28 Nov 2014)

oliglynn said:


> Agh - had to give up on this one as I had a job interview approaching. Last minute job interview gets postponed. 70% complete though, feeling stronger climbing (even without my e-badge)!



Just think of it as practise for the next climbing challenge


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