From Marathons to Mountain Climbing

** One in a series of USAFit/Philly 2012 member profiles. Perki, our mascot, would like to get to know the members better.**

Jeannie Stephens will test her strength and endurance climbing Mt. Ranier this year. Perki sat down to chat with her this week.

Perki: How many seasons have you trained with Phillyfit?
Jeannie: This is my third season 

P: How, what and/or who started you on the road to training for distance?
J: My sister. She thought it would be a good bonding experience to run a half marathon together. I though it was crazy but did it anyway. We ran Disney in 1999 and in October 1999 I completed my first full marathon.

P: What is your motivation?
J: I like the challenges, both physical and mental. The feeling "I can do this"



P: What has been your hardest lesson to date?
J: Learning to be flexible with my expectations. Not letting someone else define what good enough is. Also, telling myself to "Get over yourself" and take walk breaks when I need them.

P: Tell me about a EUREKA moment.
J: During training for the Philly 2010 full marathon. It was on our 18 mile run. The first 7 were awful. Nothing felt right. Then in mile 8 it it all started to flow. I realized you have to keep going and moving through the tough part.

P: So tell me about climbing Mt. Rainier. How did this idea to come about?
J: Someone said, "Have you ever thought about mountain climbing?" My first reaction was, "Hell, no!" and then a week later I'm researching it.  A similar reaction to the one I gave my sister when she suggested we run a half marathon.


Jeannie on Mt Washington

P: Mt. Rainier will not be your first climb will it?
J: No, I took a winter mountaineering course with Eastern Mountain Sports which culminated in a climb on Mt Washington in New Hampshire.

P: Mt. Washington is known for it's weather and not all of it good.
J: We experienced -20 degree wind chills and 120 mph wind gusts. I lost my first toenail after that climb.

P: So when is the Mt. Rainier climb?
J: September 5-8. On September 5-6 we have training. It's all about safety. Mt. Rainier is part glacier so there are crevasses to manage. We have to learn how to climb together tethered by a rope and how to fall. We'll begin the climb on September 7. We'll go 10600 feet and spend the night on the mountain at Camp Muir, on September 8 we will finish the ascent and descent back to the base.

P: And how high is Mt. Ranier?
J: Just over 14,000 feet.

P: What special training do you need to prepare for something like this?
J: It's a lot like training for the marathon. A lot of endurance training including a focus on core stability and strength. I will have to get used to walking with a 50 pound hiking pack and I need to break in a pair of hiking boots that are rated for 0 degrees. And I have to do that in the summer!

P: What else should we know about this challenge?
J: I really don't know what to expect. It's going to be awful and awesome all at the same time. I can't give up. If I have to stop the whole team has to stop. So when my muscles ache I have to think that they are just reminding me that they are there. It will be beautiful up there. I will focus on that.

P: Ok last few questions in the fashion of the actor's studio. What is your favorite training sound?
J: Steady breathing

P: What is your least favorite training sound?
J: Gasping for air

P: What is your favorite workout?
J: That early morning or after work workout where everything kind of flows together

P: What is your least favorite workouts?
J: Speed workouts. (laughs) Because I'm gasping for air.

P: If you could spend a day with any athlete present or past, who would it be, and why?
J: Bo Jackson, because of he diversity of his career and abilities. Post retirement he continues to use his athleticism for causes. He recently lead a 300 mile bike ride across Alabama, Bo Bike Bama, to raise money for the people devastated by the tornados that hit me Tuscaloosa last year

P:When it comes to your training or your racing what would you love to hear someone say to or about you?
J: She's fun to run with.