Original episode & show notes | Raw transcript
Based on the principles discussed in the Empirical Cycling Podcast, this guide provides a detailed breakdown of the preparation, training, and execution required for a successful Everesting attempt.
An Everesting attempt is a formidable ultra-endurance feat that has grown in popularity as a personal challenge that tests the limits of both physical and mental endurance.
The core objective is simple in concept but monumental in practice: to accumulate 8,848 meters (29,029 feet) of vertical elevation gain on a bicycle in a single, continuous ride. This number is the official height of Mount Everest.
While you can set your own rules, a community has formed around a standardized set of guidelines to ensure comparability between attempts. The key rules are:
Single Climb: The entire elevation must be gained by performing repeats of a single, uninterrupted climb.
No Loops: You must descend the same route you climbed. You cannot create a loop or “lollipop” route.
Continuous Effort: The attempt must be completed in one ride. While breaks for food and rest are permitted, you cannot sleep overnight and resume.
No “Kinetic Gain”: The rules address situations where a descent might have a small uphill section. If you can coast over this small rise, it doesn’t count against you. However, if you have to pedal significantly on the descent, that climb may invalidate the segment. The official website has a calculator to verify your chosen route.
The podcast aptly frames Everesting as a form of “extreme time trial.” This is a crucial mindset. Unlike a road race with unpredictable group dynamics, an Everesting attempt puts a huge number of variables under your direct control. Success hinges on meticulous planning and self-management, from gearing and nutrition to pacing and emergency preparedness.
World Records: As of the podcast’s recording, the records stood around 7-9 hours. These are set by elite professional or former professional cyclists with optimized routes and support.
Average Rider: For most amateur athletes, the goal is completion. The podcast suggests a typical time frame of 9 to 13 hours, using 12 hours as a practical benchmark for planning purposes.
The hosts emphasize that logistical preparation is arguably more important than the training itself. A failure in planning can easily derail even the fittest rider.
Your choice of hill is the single most important logistical decision. A recon ride is non-negotiable.
Steepness: The consensus is that steeper is generally better, up to a point. On a steeper gradient, more of your energy is spent fighting gravity and less is wasted on wind resistance. The world record attempts mentioned were on hills averaging 13-14%. A famous climb like Mount Washington averages 12%.
Practicality & Safety:
Location: Find a climb where you can easily set up a “base camp” with a car or a bag of supplies. Access to a bathroom is a significant plus.
Traffic: A low-traffic or closed road is ideal for safety and allows for quicker, easier turnarounds.
Visibility: Ensure you have clear lines of sight at the top and bottom for safe U-turns. This is especially important when you become fatigued.
Road Surface: A smooth, straight road with minimal braking required on the descent saves time, energy, and mental focus.
Accurate Measurement: Do not rely solely on your bike computer’s live elevation data. Use a reliable source like Strava’s segment data or mapping software to calculate the exact elevation gain of your chosen climb. This allows you to accurately determine the number of repetitions needed. Always round up to be safe.
8,848 meters / 128 meters per rep = 69.125 reps. You must complete 70 full repetitions.Your bike setup must be tailored for hours of continuous, low-speed climbing.
Gearing is Paramount: You need easier gears than you think. Your ability to maintain a comfortable climbing cadence is crucial for muscular endurance and avoiding injury.
Find Your Cadence: Determine your preferred climbing cadence (e.g., 70-80 RPM or 80-90 RPM).
Gear for the Worst Case: Choose gearing that allows you to maintain this cadence at your target pace. Critically, you must have at least one or two easier “bailout” gears. When fatigue sets in 10 hours into the ride, you may be pushing 50-100 watts less than your starting pace. Without an easier gear, your cadence will plummet, putting immense strain on your joints and muscles.
Gearing Options: Consider mountain bike cranksets (e.g., 34/26t chainrings) or wide-range cassettes (e.g., 11-32t or larger) to achieve a 1:1 or even easier gear ratio.
Weight Savings: This is one of the few events where being a “weight weenie” pays real dividends. Since you’ll be climbing at low speeds for hours, reducing mass directly reduces the work required.
Gastrointestinal distress or “bonking” (glycogen depletion) are common reasons for failure in ultra-endurance events.
Caloric Demand: The energy expenditure is massive. The podcast provides an example of a 75kg rider with a 300W FTP completing an 11-hour Everesting:
Work Done: 8,200 kilojoules (kJ).
Basal Metabolic Rate: ~1,100 calories just to stay alive for that period.
Total Energy Burned: ~9,300 calories.
Carbohydrate Needs: Assuming roughly 50% of energy comes from carbohydrates, the rider needed to replace ~4,100 carbohydrate calories.
4,100 calories / 11 hours = 372 calories/hour
372 calories/hour / 4 calories per gram = ~93 grams of carbohydrates per hour.
This is a very high intake rate and requires a trained gut.
Key Principles:
Eat Early, Eat Often: Start fueling within the first hour and maintain a consistent schedule. It is impossible to “catch up” once you fall behind on nutrition.
Include Protein: Consuming only simple sugars for 12 hours can lead to gut fatigue and a feeling of emptiness. Including some protein helps with satiety and can aid in muscle preservation.
Practice, Practice, Practice: Use your long training rides and recon rides to test your exact nutrition plan. Find out what foods and drinks you can tolerate for hours on end. Do not try anything new on event day.
Mechanical Prep: Bring spares for common failures: tubes, tires, cables, and even a spare wheel or a complete spare bike if possible. Ensure you have the tools and skills to fix them. Give your bike a full service a week before the event.
Emergency Plan: Have a plan.
Ride with a friend. This is the best option for safety and morale.
If solo, know where you have cell service.
Carry an ID and emergency contact information.
Inform someone of your exact location, plan, and check-in times.
Your training needs to prepare you for the unique demands of the event: sustained climbing, massive duration, and mental fatigue.
Climbing Position: Climbing for hours on a steep grade closes your hip angle and puts significant strain on your lower back and glutes.
Bike Fit: Getting a professional bike fit is highly recommended. Inform your fitter of your goal so they can optimize your position for extended climbing. This may involve raising your handlebars slightly.
Strength Training: A strong core and posterior chain are essential for stability and injury prevention.
These are full dress rehearsals and are crucial for success.
First Recon Ride (6-8 weeks out): Aim for 4-5 hours. The goal is to answer logistical questions. What is traffic like? Is my gearing appropriate? Does my initial nutrition plan work?
Second Recon Ride (3-4 weeks out): Aim for 60-75% of your target time (e.g., 7-9 hours). This is a serious test of your physical and mental endurance, and a final shakedown of your nutrition and pacing strategy.
Extensive Sweet Spot Work: “Sweet Spot” is the intensity zone just below your Functional Threshold Power (FTP), typically 88-94% of FTP. Training here is the most potent way to build muscular endurance and the ability to resist fatigue.
Workout Example: 15-minute intervals at 90% FTP with 5-10 minute rests, repeated for as long as possible.
Alternative: 20-30 minutes of Sweet Spot work every hour for 3-6 hours.
Long Endurance Rides: Your weekly long ride is foundational. Gradually build the duration up to 6-8 hours. A single, full-duration (e.g., 12-hour) ride on flatter terrain can be a massive confidence booster and a great way to practice pacing and nutrition for that length of time.
Low Cadence Training: If your chosen climb is very steep or you are concerned about being over-geared, you must prepare your body for low-cadence, high-torque efforts.
Plan your training backwards from your event day. Your longest, hardest training rides (like your second recon) should be 3-4 weeks out, allowing your body ample time to recover and supercompensate. The final week should be a taper with significantly reduced volume to ensure you arrive fresh.
Start easier than you think you need to. Nearly every failed attempt involves going out too hard. Your first few reps should feel comfortably easy. It is far better to finish with energy left in the tank than to blow up halfway through. Be prepared to adjust your pace downwards as the day goes on. Taking a few minutes’ break between reps is not a failure; it’s a smart strategy.
This is a mental game. The monotony of repeating the same hill dozens of times is a significant challenge. Trust in your preparation. Your meticulous planning, training, and recon rides are what will give you the confidence to push through the difficult moments.