Amazing training weather continues in Finland

One could not hope for a better training weather for Everest than what this winter in Finland has offered. There has been plenty of snow from beginning of the year and the temperature has varied between just below minus degrees to severe minus temperatures. On top of that, we've had some hard winds and snow storms from time to time. Perfect training conditions that is.

On Everest, the weather can be all of this, but in multiple terms. Colder, harder winds and snow storms. With luck Everest might show the best side of it and during the days the sun may raise the temperature to pleasant levels and the freezing summit slopes could be an experience comparable to the Finnish winter. However, we will not know whether we will have luck with the weather or not until our summit attempt sometime mid-May, so one needs to be prepared for the worst. On Everest, one cannot go home to warm up after a cold day outside, but instead the tent, sleeping bag and gear provide the only protection. Bad weather on Everest normally means that the mountain is inaccessible, as the conditions are perilous. Therefore, it is vital to follow and predict changes in the weather.

Therefore, I do believe I have an advantage over some other climbers having being used to snow, cold and draught already at home. There are people who climb Everest without hardly any experience of even walking on snow or of severe minus temperatures. During the two months that the climbers spend on the mountain living in tents in extreme conditions, mental strength becomes the most important factor in survival. In addition to hard weather conditions, one has to be prepared to endure continuous physical unease and pain: extreme physical efforts, tiredness, nausea, being sick plus mental unease. Therefore, preparing for Everest involves mental training for these type of conditions in addition to mere physical training.

My physical side seems to be allright. The last two weeks have consisted of 26 hours of training in the form of running, aerobics, snow shoeing, climbing, indoor cycling, yoga, plus snow and hill training. The focus now one month before the start is on lengthy endurance training and once a week I do a long 4-5 hours hill- or similar training session outside. At the same time, I am trying to increase my mental endurance by getting used to the cold with regular dips in the icy waters, by reading other mountaineers' experiences and by ensuring that my gear is as good as possible. On Everest, even small things matter.

A lot has happened on the co-operation partners' side. Poolia www.poolia.fi and Intrum Justitia www.intrum.fi joined as new co-operation partners on the journey to the top of the world. We continue to build our very interesting co-operation together with WWF Finland and my first writing on WWF Finland's blog can now be found at:

http://www.wwf.fi/villiplaneetta/2010/02/matkalla-maailman-katolle-carina-raiha/

Now I also have some concrete facts around my co-operation with the do-gooder association Mano a mano. My plan is to visit before my climb children in the orphanage in Kathmandu which Mano a mano financially support until they are 18 years old.

Media work has continued to be busy and the latest interviews to a sports magazine and some womens' magazines will be published during March
and April. The article in the already published Sport- magazine can be read in their journal 02/10 or later under the Media- link on this website.

Here you can find some pictures from the past two weeks' training sessions in Nuuksio:

http://picasaweb.google.com/cr30169/TrainingInNuuksioFinlandInFebruary2010#

More news soon!