An introduction to Everesting

Have you always wanted to scale a mountain, but are nervous about the reality of it? Or perhaps you don’t think you could deal with the different terrains, weather changes and uneven footings? Or maybe, you can’t resist a muscle-burning, body-breaking physical challenge?

Then Everesting could be right up your street.

For those of you haven’t heard of it, Everesting is a physical challenge that’s somewhat of a simple concept by nature, but a beat of a beast to conquer in reality.

‘Everesting is the most difficult climbing challenge the world’

That’s what the creators of Everesting say about it. Because basically, the concept of Everesting involves this:

• • Picking a hill or mountain (any hill or mountain in the world, Scafell Pike, Ben Nevis etc.)
  • Cycling or climbing up and down said mountain or hill
  • Until you cover 8,848m – the equivalent height of Mount Everest, the highest mountain on the planet¹

Whew, just thinking about it is enough to tire anybody out! But you’ll be amazed at just how many people have risen to the challenge so far and got themselves on the Everesting Hall of Fame.

You can complete the challenge in person or virtually

If you’re up for a good physical challenge and don’t mind factoring in all of the physicalities that go with climbing or cycling up and down a mountain repeatedly, then you may choose to complete your Everesting challenge in person.

But if the in-person experience isn’t for you, then it’s perfectly fine to complete it virtually by vEveresting.

And you can ride it or run it – the choice is yours…

Whether you to choose to cycle or run, the rules remain the same, your Everest challenge must be recorded on Strava (if you’re doing it in person) or on Zwift (if you’re doing it virtually).

And you can either opt for a:

• Vertical gain – the 8,848m/29 029ft is taken as your total elevation gain. You may even decide to go past this and get to the 10,000m mark and get a 10K badge for it


• Single activity – no matter how long it takes, you must complete your ride/run in one attempt (i.e. no sleeping in between!)


• Single climb – routes can be any length, on any hill, mountain, driveway or bridge. However, you cannot follow different routes.

What you may want to consider before going Everesting

Just because you’re not actually scaling Mount Everest, doesn’t mean you’re not going to put your body through some serious physical exercise.

It’s therefore essential you’re fully prepared before taking the Everesting plunge, from a practical (if you’re doing it in person) mental and nutritional perspective.

6 key nutritional questions to ask yourself:

1. What type of food do you want to eat at certain times of the day?
2. How are you going to keep your fluid intake up to avoid getting dehydrated?
3. Are you going to consume just liquids or solids or a combination of the two?
4. How many calories will you need per hour to replenish your energy levels?
5. Can you cut up and store your food separately so that it’s easier for you to grab on the move?
6. Is it possible for you to plan your food breaks into your route beforehand?²

If the Everest challenge appeals to you, then you may want to check out the free Everesting guides, which are designed to provide participants with everything they need to prepare for and hopefully conquer the challenge. You can also use the Everest calculator to work out how many repeats you need to complete of your chosen route.

Some interesting facts about the Everest challenge

If the concept of Everesting in itself has piqued your interest enough (we know it has piqued ours!) then take a look at these at-a-glance stats:

• The Everesting Hall of Fame is growing – at the last count, there were 10,169 successful Everestings


• It’s a global affair – participants from 96 countries have taken part so far


• The number of metres that have been collectively racked up - currently stands at 87,249.096


• In kilometres that equates to - 3,880,203

So there you have it, an overview to the wonderful world of Everesting. The opportunity to scale Everest in your own way, without actually scaling Everest. In the meantime, for more on the benefits of cycling, check out this article, ‘How good is cycling for you?’ While this post tells you everything you need to perfect your diet for fitness success.

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Last updated: 7 September 2020