[Editor’s Note: This article was first published on our sister site, GearJunkie. We’re also sharing it here as athlete Tyler Andrews is combining multiple sports, including running, in his Himalayan speed efforts.]
Image this: You’re working within the mountains alone with minimal gear and only one liter of water. However this isn’t a day journey into the Colorado Rockies — you’re within the Himalayas ascending Manaslu, the eighth-highest mountain on the earth. And also you’re doing it with out supplemental oxygen or climbing companions.
Sound dangerous? Tyler Andrews, a 34-year-old endurance athlete from Massachusetts, could be the primary to agree. The runner has racked up a formidable record of feats on harmful mountains, together with 69 Quickest Recognized Instances (FKTs) to this point, inserting him within the ranks of the world’s elite runners.
Final 12 months noticed a number of of Andrews’s most spectacular information but. He set new FKTs on Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro and Argentina’s Mount Aconcagua. On each mountains, Andrews pulled forward of previous information set by working legends like Karl Egloff and Kilian Jornet.
However Andrews advised us he needs to be “one of the best on the earth.” That’s why he determined to check his expertise on the largest stage of all: the Himalayas. Final month, on September 19, Andrews hiked up the 26,781-foot Manaslu in 9 hours and 52 minutes, shaving greater than two hours off the earlier file, set by Nepalese climber Pembe Gelje Sherpa final 12 months.
Tyler Andrews signed on with La Sportiva in 2024 as a sponsored athlete. He’s seen right here in Quito, Ecuador. All photographs: Chris Fisher
These mountains have sometimes been the realm of mountaineers — not path runners. A lot of them require sections of vertical climbing, which is why the running- and hiking-centric web site Quickest Recognized Time has lengthy excluded pace information on these mountains. Himalayan Database tracks them as a substitute.
However now that’s altering, thanks partly to Andrews, who additionally works part-time for the FKT group. For the reason that major route on Manaslu lacks technical climbing, he thinks turning the summit push into an FKT is truthful play. And he believes the coaching he’s making use of to those mountains — like bringing a stationary bike to Manaslu base camp — represents a novel method to Himalayan journey.
We caught up with Andrews to learn how he did it — from vitamin and kit to timing and method.
GearJunkie/iRunFar: Congratulations on setting a brand new FKT on Manaslu! You’ve set many information already. Are you able to inform us what this one means to you?
Tyler Andrews: I imply, to start with, it’s my first 8,000-meter [peak] pace file. In order that’s actually particular. However actually, I feel the factor that made it probably the most particular is that I attempted and failed a 12 months in the past.
And the best way that the massive mountains go is you typically solely get one shot a 12 months. And that sort of sucks, nevertheless it undoubtedly makes it extra particular when issues go rather well. I feel the larger the mountain, the larger the stakes, the larger the stage, the extra vital the preparation — all that stuff. And to have it go so effectively after what was objectively a reasonably tough 12 months, that simply makes it doubly particular.
Tyler Andrews working in Chile’s Atacama Desert.
GearJunkie/iRunFar: You pulled off this file on what was initially a coaching day for you. Final 12 months, you additionally gunned for the summit on what was imagined to be a coaching day, and ended up too drained to aim the FKT. What did you be taught and what modified?
Tyler Andrews. Picture: Chris Fisher
Andrews: 100%, that’s precisely appropriate. Final 12 months, I undoubtedly burned a number of too many matches on my summit day first. However there’s so few alternatives to apply these items that you just simply must make errors. The explanation that I did that was as a result of, on virtually each different mountain, I’ve gone to the summit first earlier than making an attempt the FKT. And it’s at all times labored, as much as even 7,000 meters.
Nevertheless it was means an excessive amount of [on Manaslu]. I completely fried myself final 12 months and had no fuel on FKT day. So, the plan was not to do this this 12 months. The most important factor I realized is that there’s no details about these items. Nobody is aware of what they’re speaking about, together with me.
I at all times say coaching is an experiment of 1. And that’s much more true when you might have stuff that’s actually tip of the spear like this. Typical knowledge simply doesn’t work. And so, it’s actually simply experimentation. This time, I undoubtedly took a chance within the different path and it ended up working.
Tyler Andrews trekking by means of close to South Face of Lhotse.
GearJunkie/iRunFar: I learn your FKT gear record out of your interview on the La Sportiva web site. You identified it’s extremely harmful to ascend an 8,000-meter peak with solely that gear. Did you might have a contingency plan if one thing went incorrect? In that case, what was it?
Andrews: It’s a very fascinating query. I feel lots of people have this concept that, “Oh, since you’re getting in minimal gear, it’s actually harmful.” I truly suppose the best way that I’m shifting the mountain is safer than the typical particular person.
Let me clarify: I spend a lot much less time in harmful locations. Whether or not it’s above 8,000 meters, whether or not it’s beneath big seracs, or on avalanche terrain — I’m capable of transfer a lot faster. , final 12 months, when Chris [Fisher, an athlete and photographer] and I had been going by means of the Khumbu Icefall … we went by means of it in two hours. And it takes some folks on our expedition 10 hours.
So now we have 80% much less publicity on probably the most harmful a part of the mountain. Clearly, it’s a chance, and I acknowledge that. It’s a tradeoff. I don’t have enormous boots. I don’t have an enormous jacket. However we’re additionally speaking about Manaslu.
There’s 700 folks on the mountain or one thing, and I had Dawa Steven Sherpa, our expedition chief, on radio. He’s acquired folks on the mountain. So there’s a little little bit of a mountain ethic. If you happen to do have that vast disaster, folks care for one another.
Tyler Andrews on Manaslu.
GearJunkie/iRunFar: How did you deal with vitamin on this enterprise? What did you eat and the way typically?
Andrews: I’ve at all times tried to method actually massive mountain stuff equally to how I’ve carried out ultrarunning. So I’m not approaching it as a mountain man. I’m approaching it as an ultrarunner. , if I’m going to do a 10- to 12-hour extremely, I do know precisely what number of grams of carbohydrate I must eat, what I must carry, how a lot liquid I want. So I’m attempting to eat 300 to 400 energy an hour.
The one actual problem I had with vitamin was the water state of affairs. I left with one liter of water from base camp, and that was all I had all the best way to the summit for 10 hours. In order that was fairly tough. And, once more, that was principally as a result of we had our tent at Camp 3, and my plan was to go up there after which perhaps stroll one other hour after which come down.
So after I left Camp 3, I used to be like, ‘Meh, I might boil some snow and take some water, however I’m solely going up an hour after which down a half hour.’
I believed I’d be again quickly. After which, you understand, I ended up going. It was six hours above Camp 3, simply up after which down. So, yeah, that was fairly tough, actually. The [lack of] hydration was brutal.
GearJunkie/iRunFar: Are you able to describe your psychological battle upon reaching what mountaineers name the Dying Zone? What helps you address the large problem of ascending that altitude with out oxygen?
Andrews: I actually suppose {that a} super a part of the work above 7,000, perhaps 7,500 meters, is all above the shoulders. It’s actually completely different from another sort of athletic factor I’ve ever needed to do. There’s nobody piece that feels significantly laborious or unhealthy. It’s simply the best way that manifests for me as a sensation. It’s this actually super need to show round.
I’m identical to, “God, I don’t need to do that,” you understand? And I’ve at all times been a very massive fan of breaking issues up into smaller items on the psychological aspect. I assume that is my different superpower that I inform folks: I’m extremely good at mendacity to myself. Self-deception is one among my best strengths.
So I’ll say, “Oh, you understand what, I’m going to go 50 extra meters, after which I’m simply going to show round and go down.” And then you definitely say, “Cool, okay … Now I’m going to do it once more.” And the reality is, you’re simply getting your self by means of that rep. And it’s precisely the identical up there.
Look intently and you may simply make out Tyler Andrews working close to Manaslu.
GearJunkie/iRunFar: The place and the way does run coaching/cardio growth issue into prep for outings like this, together with all the opposite variables you’re attempting to coach for?
Andrews: That is the factor that surprises folks most about me as an athlete, after I meet folks on an 8,000-meter mountain. I’m approaching this mainly the identical as if I had been coaching for a path race. Clearly, actually massive mountains, you want a ability set, proper? So there’s at all times a steadiness of ability and health, proper? So, like working on a treadmill is 100% health and 0% ability.
I’m approaching this as a runner. And so the routes which might be most fun to me are those the place health is a giant share. A part of the rationale that you just’re seeing this file is as a result of folks method it extra as a ability than a health problem.
And for me, it’s like 90% of the route is strolling uphill. There’s a cause that Manaslu is [considered] a newbie’s mountain. Plenty of it’s strolling uphill. That’s mainly a take a look at of your engine. I understand how to get my engine actually, actually massive and match.
That is in all probability probably the most outrageous factor that I’ve ever carried out, however I truly introduced a stationary bike as much as Base Camp at 4,900 meters above sea degree.
GearJunkie/iRunFar: You introduced a stationary bike to Manaslu Base Camp?! How did you employ that on your coaching?
Andrews: The explanation for that’s that is my third 8,000-meter expedition. I knew from the final couple of years of coaching that staying lively is admittedly vital for my health. And so I’d exit each single day within the morning and go as much as Camp 1 or one thing, about 1,000 meters up, come down, relaxation, and have lunch.
After which I do a few hours on the stationary bike within the afternoon. And it was about coaching quantity, but in addition about depth. So once more, it goes again to simply this concept that nobody is aware of what they’re doing, together with me. It was an experiment, and it appeared to work fairly effectively. However most individuals are like, “You introduced a motorcycle to camp? That doesn’t make sense.”
However I used to be actually simply approaching it like an uphill race.
A portrait of Tyler Andrews.
GearJunkie/iRunFar: How do you view your accomplishment within the context of Reinhold Messner? He proved that ascending these mountains with out supplementary oxygen was attainable 52 years in the past. Now now we have athletes such as you setting FKTs on these mountains — additionally with out supplementary oxygen. What do you concentrate on your house within the mountain’s historical past?
Andrews: When Reinhold Messner was attempting to climb Everest with out oxygen, folks had been like, “Yeah, he’s gonna’ die. He simply can’t try this.” And, you understand, I feel he’s another person who simply sort of bucked standard knowledge and was like, “Hey, I’m gonna determine this out.”
I’m not attempting to cheat demise. However when folks inform me athletically that one thing I need to do isn’t attainable, which I’ve heard lots of instances, that simply will get me actually fired up. I’d guess that Messner in all probability had just a little little bit of that, too. So it’s an honor to be interested by him and me in the identical sentence.
GearJunkie/iRunFar: What do you hope to realize by making use of these working strategies to the world’s highest mountains?
Andrews: Hopefully, [Chris Fisher and I] are heading as much as the Khumbu Valley/Mount Everest area. In order that’s actually thrilling, and now we have an entire bunch of targets there. It’s probably the most lovely, spectacular place on earth. No matter we find yourself doing, it’s going to be nice.
I used to be not an athletic child in any respect. However then I completely fell in love with coaching at excessive altitude. I had carried out lots of mountaineering and mountaineering in my day, however I actually didn’t consider it as one thing I wished to do competitively for a really very long time, till I used to be in all probability 30.
It’s been a journey, a mixture of my love of self-discovery and pushing myself, coupled with this unbelievably aggressive inside drive.
A few of that’s being aggressive towards myself, and a few of it’s that I need to be one of the best on the earth. And I’m not embarrassed to say that. I need to go to probably the most aggressive routes, the largest mountains, the largest levels, and the best strain. That’s thrilling for me.
[Editor’s Note: Since this interview took place, Andrews has already set another record in the Himalayas. He and Chris Fisher ran from Lukla to Mera Peak (6,476 meters) and back to Lukla in under 44 hours. This required a 51-mile run in addition to the summit.]
Name for Feedback
Have you ever adopted Tyler Andrews Profession? What are your ideas on his newest achievements?