First off, let me tell you that I am not an elite athlete. I am a regular person who works hard to accomplish what I do. I do not have the luxury of being able to train all day with a personal trainer like most professional athletes. I need to fit my training into my lifestyle which can be a challenge at the best of times.

Obviously to climb in Antarctica or to climb Everest you need to be in great shape. The better shape you are in the greater your chance of success and safety.But fitness also increases your enjoyment. It's hard to enjoy any experience if you are constantly winded and struggling for each step. I want to be able to enjoy the environment I am in and to have the energy I need to make the most of the experience.

Physical fitness is a baseline requirement for participation in mountaineering but, once that has been met, I believe that mental and emotional fitness are next on the list. Our minds are extremely powerful tools and they can work with us or against us. Our attitude can help us soar or it can break us. I have seen it countless times in the mountains, on training runs, and even with my children in sports, homework, and piano.

I find goal setting to be the best way to stay focused on fitness. Without a clear goal I find my time is easily filled with other things. At the start of August, just after I returned from Kilimanjaro, I had minor knee surgery. I knew that exercise would be important for my recovery. I also knew that I have a big hill to climb in November so I need to build up my strength and endurance. Running was not an option for 6 weeks so I figured cycling would be a good way to go. I registered for a 50 mile road race in Collingwood on September 18. This ride would climb the Niagara Escarpment three times. My time was slow and the ride was tough, but it kept me focused and gave me a goal. I have registered for another 50 mile ride in Niagara in October and am going out for a run today to test my knee.

The key steps in motivation are: 1) Have a Vision, 2) Develop an Action Plan, 3) Do it with a friend, 4) Reflect on progress. More on this next time ...

Journey of a Lifetime!

"Men Wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in event of success”

As the story is told, this was a employment advertisement put into the London newspaper looking for members for Ernest Shackelton’s Nimrod expedition to Antarctica. Apparently thousands of applications were received for what in print seems to be a rather bleak job. However, the enormous enthusiasm surrounding this ad reflected the human desire to explore, to adventure, and to push personal boundaries.

People often ask me why I climb. Why I spend my free time in cold and inhospitable locations. Why I put my life at risk. This is a difficult question to answer, but the basic response is because I love it. It makes me feel alive.

In mid November of this year I will join two friends in an attempt to climb Mt. Vinson, the tallest mountain in Antarctica. To date I have successfully summited the tallest mountain in 6 of our 7 continents. Climbing Mt. Vinson, providing that I make it to the top, will be my final summit of the “7 Summits.”

Before my departure, my blog’s will focus on my daily preparations, my gear, my thoughts, my family’s thoughts, my drivers, and much more. Once on the expedition I will do my best to send back daily blogs reporting on our progress and my personal thoughts and insights.

As a leadership and high performance team specialist I will also share my insights into this world and how some of my personal experiences can be used to better understand how to lead and build high performance teams.

My good friends at Adult Essentials (www.adultgummies.com) will be supporting me on this journey. Daily exercise and nutrition are a critical factor in success. The stronger I am, the greater my chance of success and the more I will enjoy the experience. My challenge however, is that like many of you, I Iead a very busy life. Between business and family commitments it is difficult to find time to train and I do not always eat as well as I should. This is where nutritional supplements come into play: to help me balance my dietary needs while finding time to train physically for this trip