Vanessa O'Brien is an inspiring woman. Once she decided to become a mountaineer, she set her sights on something higher than just mountain peaks. She is one of only 50 women who have ever completed the Seven Summits Challenge, which is to climb the highest mountain on each continent. Furthermore, having completed the challenge in ten months, she broke the record for doing it the fastest. Vanessa also completed the Explorer's Grand Slam, which is the Seven Summits plus the North and South Poles. Read about our interview below to find out more about Vanessa's incredible - yet sometimes scary - experiences.
Head to Toe: You previously worked in financial services with no experience in mountain climbing. What were the reason and / or motivation for the change in focus?
Vanessa: Yes I was not a mountaineer at all – I was a consumer banker living in London. My catalyst for change was a move to Hong Kong along with the global recession. The Hong Kong income tax rates of 15% allowed only one of us to work compared to England’s 55%, so I started thinking about what else I could do. I wanted something goal-oriented, something that would take 3 years or so (that’s how long I thought the recession would last) and something I could measure success by doing. A friend, having a laugh one day, suggested climbing Everest. That is seriously how the whole thing started. But after we all had a
laugh… I couldn’t let it go. Climbing Everest fit all the criteria perfectly and I knew companies ran commercial expeditions. I just didn’t have the skills.
Head to Toe: How (or why) did you get into mountain climbing?
Vanessa: Once I decided to climb Everest, having had no prior experience, the first thing I needed to do was to learn alpine climbing. I did this by finding a company in New Zealand (which was closest to Hong Kong) to teach me Alpine Climbing – there are the same companies in Alaska and Seattle that will do the same over a one-week course.
Head to Toe: Was it difficult to get into mountain climbing as a female?
Vanessa: It is not difficult to get into mountain climbing as a female per se, but it is true that there are less female mountaineers. There are about 15% overall, but the good news is that they are increasing over time. You then need to put what you learned into practice on a mountain and try for a summit.
Head to Toe: What was the biggest obstacle / scariest thing you have faced on one of your expeditions?
Vanessa: That is such a simple question yet so complex to answer. My worst experience was the summit of Everest climbing the last 3,000 feet from C4 (the South Col) to the Summit. Temperatures were -45F and the winds were 40 mph. I had two bottles of oxygen to last 20 hours to get up and down but the effect of dispersed air molecules makes the air feel like it is about 1/3 of what it is at sea level hence ‘into thin air’. You take one step, you breathe 5 breaths. The incline in places is 50%, it is so steep. All of my water bottles and thermos froze so I had no water and I lost my headlamp. When I got to the top, 8 hours later, my camera batteries were dead as were my back up batteries. I waited for a teammate who took my picture. Because 85% of deaths
happen on the way down we only spent about 20 minutes on top – it was beautiful but definitely hard work!
Head to Toe: You completed the Seven Summits challenge, where you climbed the highest peaks on each continent. How did you train for these expeditions? What is the actual trek like?
Vanessa: Each expedition is unique but to simplify let’s generalize by creating two categories. High altitude – which requires higher cardiovascular strength and endurance – which requires higher strength and core training. So if
you are going to high altitude you will want to increase your cardiovascular conditioning because oxygen will be limited. Your brain, lungs and heart must have this oxygen – there is no point in putting on extra muscle that will compete for this limited resource. Think marathon runners – lean and mean. They succeed well at high altitude
The other type of training, endurance, could be pulling tires on a beach for core strength. This works for when you
a pulling sled on the north and south poles but also on Denali (Mt. McKinley) and Vinson Massif in Antarctica. Each trek is completely different because each continent is completely
different. That is why many people like the concept of the Seven Summits – for the diversity it provides.
Head to Toe: There are only 50 women who have completed the Seven Summits challenge. Not only are you one of these elite women, you also did it in 10 months, which is record-breaking time. What was your inspiration / motivation? How did you feel once you accomplished this goal?
Vanessa: It was incredible to have accomplished this goal but I had some great mentors along the way. My lead guide on almost 60% of my trips, Michael Hamill, is the author of Climbing The Seven Summits. I learned a tremendous amount from him and there is no doubt that he inspired me to do the Seven Summits with his book.
Head to Toe: You previously worked in financial services with no experience in mountain climbing. What were the reason and / or motivation for the change in focus?
Vanessa: Yes I was not a mountaineer at all – I was a consumer banker living in London. My catalyst for change was a move to Hong Kong along with the global recession. The Hong Kong income tax rates of 15% allowed only one of us to work compared to England’s 55%, so I started thinking about what else I could do. I wanted something goal-oriented, something that would take 3 years or so (that’s how long I thought the recession would last) and something I could measure success by doing. A friend, having a laugh one day, suggested climbing Everest. That is seriously how the whole thing started. But after we all had a
laugh… I couldn’t let it go. Climbing Everest fit all the criteria perfectly and I knew companies ran commercial expeditions. I just didn’t have the skills.
Head to Toe: How (or why) did you get into mountain climbing?
Vanessa: Once I decided to climb Everest, having had no prior experience, the first thing I needed to do was to learn alpine climbing. I did this by finding a company in New Zealand (which was closest to Hong Kong) to teach me Alpine Climbing – there are the same companies in Alaska and Seattle that will do the same over a one-week course.
Head to Toe: Was it difficult to get into mountain climbing as a female?
Vanessa: It is not difficult to get into mountain climbing as a female per se, but it is true that there are less female mountaineers. There are about 15% overall, but the good news is that they are increasing over time. You then need to put what you learned into practice on a mountain and try for a summit.
Head to Toe: What was the biggest obstacle / scariest thing you have faced on one of your expeditions?
Vanessa: That is such a simple question yet so complex to answer. My worst experience was the summit of Everest climbing the last 3,000 feet from C4 (the South Col) to the Summit. Temperatures were -45F and the winds were 40 mph. I had two bottles of oxygen to last 20 hours to get up and down but the effect of dispersed air molecules makes the air feel like it is about 1/3 of what it is at sea level hence ‘into thin air’. You take one step, you breathe 5 breaths. The incline in places is 50%, it is so steep. All of my water bottles and thermos froze so I had no water and I lost my headlamp. When I got to the top, 8 hours later, my camera batteries were dead as were my back up batteries. I waited for a teammate who took my picture. Because 85% of deaths
happen on the way down we only spent about 20 minutes on top – it was beautiful but definitely hard work!
Head to Toe: You completed the Seven Summits challenge, where you climbed the highest peaks on each continent. How did you train for these expeditions? What is the actual trek like?
Vanessa: Each expedition is unique but to simplify let’s generalize by creating two categories. High altitude – which requires higher cardiovascular strength and endurance – which requires higher strength and core training. So if
you are going to high altitude you will want to increase your cardiovascular conditioning because oxygen will be limited. Your brain, lungs and heart must have this oxygen – there is no point in putting on extra muscle that will compete for this limited resource. Think marathon runners – lean and mean. They succeed well at high altitude
The other type of training, endurance, could be pulling tires on a beach for core strength. This works for when you
a pulling sled on the north and south poles but also on Denali (Mt. McKinley) and Vinson Massif in Antarctica. Each trek is completely different because each continent is completely
different. That is why many people like the concept of the Seven Summits – for the diversity it provides.
Head to Toe: There are only 50 women who have completed the Seven Summits challenge. Not only are you one of these elite women, you also did it in 10 months, which is record-breaking time. What was your inspiration / motivation? How did you feel once you accomplished this goal?
Vanessa: It was incredible to have accomplished this goal but I had some great mentors along the way. My lead guide on almost 60% of my trips, Michael Hamill, is the author of Climbing The Seven Summits. I learned a tremendous amount from him and there is no doubt that he inspired me to do the Seven Summits with his book.
Head to Toe: In what physical condition do you need to be in to climb these summits? What about for the "Explorer's Grand Slam?"
Vanessa: You need to be in top physical condition to climb the summits and when you add The Explorers Grand Slam you are adding endurance. A friend starting out who just completed Mt. Rainer said it quite well – it went along the lines that while he didn’t know exactly how good of shape he was in he had never been through such a mental challenge – not to turn around but just to keep going, putting one foot in front of the other – despite the horrible weather conditions. I think that’s just it. The physical must be there, must be a given – tick that box – because what really differentiates those that make it from those that don’t is the mental determination – the inability to stop, to give up, to turn around.
Head to Toe: What is your typical workout routine? Does your routine change when you are preparing for a trek?
Vanessa: Yes, my workout routine definitely changes when I am preparing for an expedition. I wish I could be in expedition mode all the time but sadly I am not. In expedition mode I am working out easily 3 to 4 hours a day. Because I live in Boston I do not have access to stairs to climb so I would climb tall buildings – up 935 stairs (up and down) over and over again – in a weighted vest. I would run around the Charles River, pull tires on Revere Beach. Work out with a personal trainer, a marathon coach or on my own if resources were limited. But when I am not training I do Pilates 2 or 3 times a week and weights 2 times a week.
Head to Toe: How did you prepare yourself before, during and after for the Explorer's Grand Slam (physically, mentally and emotionally)?
Vanessa: Physically by putting in time for all the training above. I started with Everest and I took it seriously. Because I had no mountaineering experience I waited until I could prove that I could summit another 8,000m or 26,000-foot peak before attempting Everest. I tried on Cho Oyu (world’s 6th highest) in 2010 and an avalanche prevented us from reaching the summit. I went back in 2011 and climbed Cho Oyu and Shishapangma (World’s 6th and 14th highest mountains back-to-back). Doing those two mountains the following year after the avalanche prevented me the year before told me I was ready for Everest the year after that in 2012.
I believe the mental piece is the biggest stumbling block to success in this sport. I love the quote by Ernest Hemingway who opined that there were only three sports “bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.” That kind of says it all. Mental and emotional controls, stability, focus. You must have that along with determination and desire to meet your goal – the summit. Obviously, like in 2010, when Mother Nature steps in with an avalanche, you realize there are some things you cannot control and that this will not be your year to summit. So on the one hand; to do everything I have done in the time I have done it, Mother Nature granted me permission.
Head to Toe: What is it like when you finally reach the summit? What emotions do you feel?
Vanessa: As climbers you a taught that the summit is only halfway and that 85% of deaths happen on the way down due to fatigue, dehydration, oxygen depletion and too much time in the ‘death zone’. So that is always in the back of your mind. The truth is you are exhausted when you are at the top and happy for just a bit of flat land to sit down for a nanosecond. The views are beautiful (if it is not cloudy or dark) but it is very cold and usually windy because of the jet streams. So I would say relief with some anxiety because it is only halfway.
Head to Toe: What is a typical expedition like? Can you describe the journey?
Vanessa: A typical expedition ranges from 2 to 8 weeks. You start with training, then packing lots of gear appropriate for the terrain. Once you land you get to know your teammates and start bonding with them. Then your expedition begins and you begin to acclimatize – a process of climbing a little bit higher every day to enable your body to build millions of red blood cells slowly (the old adage climb high, sleep low). When the weather and timing is right, you make your summit bid.
Head to Toe: What has been your favorite trek? What has been the most memorable? Scenic?
Vanessa: My favorite expedition was probably Everest, which was also the hardest at 29,035 feet (planes fly at 35,000 feet). The most memorable was skiing the last degree (60 nautical miles or 111 km) to the South Pole and visiting the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station while reading Captain Scott by Sir Ranulph Fiennes. It was incredible not only to read about the history of the early polar explorers but then to actually to stand where they stood… that was incredible. For scenic, believe it or not, Kilimanjaro has six different climate zones – cultivated, rainforest, heath, moorland, alpine desert and arctic – winning most diverse by far!
Vanessa: You need to be in top physical condition to climb the summits and when you add The Explorers Grand Slam you are adding endurance. A friend starting out who just completed Mt. Rainer said it quite well – it went along the lines that while he didn’t know exactly how good of shape he was in he had never been through such a mental challenge – not to turn around but just to keep going, putting one foot in front of the other – despite the horrible weather conditions. I think that’s just it. The physical must be there, must be a given – tick that box – because what really differentiates those that make it from those that don’t is the mental determination – the inability to stop, to give up, to turn around.
Head to Toe: What is your typical workout routine? Does your routine change when you are preparing for a trek?
Vanessa: Yes, my workout routine definitely changes when I am preparing for an expedition. I wish I could be in expedition mode all the time but sadly I am not. In expedition mode I am working out easily 3 to 4 hours a day. Because I live in Boston I do not have access to stairs to climb so I would climb tall buildings – up 935 stairs (up and down) over and over again – in a weighted vest. I would run around the Charles River, pull tires on Revere Beach. Work out with a personal trainer, a marathon coach or on my own if resources were limited. But when I am not training I do Pilates 2 or 3 times a week and weights 2 times a week.
Head to Toe: How did you prepare yourself before, during and after for the Explorer's Grand Slam (physically, mentally and emotionally)?
Vanessa: Physically by putting in time for all the training above. I started with Everest and I took it seriously. Because I had no mountaineering experience I waited until I could prove that I could summit another 8,000m or 26,000-foot peak before attempting Everest. I tried on Cho Oyu (world’s 6th highest) in 2010 and an avalanche prevented us from reaching the summit. I went back in 2011 and climbed Cho Oyu and Shishapangma (World’s 6th and 14th highest mountains back-to-back). Doing those two mountains the following year after the avalanche prevented me the year before told me I was ready for Everest the year after that in 2012.
I believe the mental piece is the biggest stumbling block to success in this sport. I love the quote by Ernest Hemingway who opined that there were only three sports “bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.” That kind of says it all. Mental and emotional controls, stability, focus. You must have that along with determination and desire to meet your goal – the summit. Obviously, like in 2010, when Mother Nature steps in with an avalanche, you realize there are some things you cannot control and that this will not be your year to summit. So on the one hand; to do everything I have done in the time I have done it, Mother Nature granted me permission.
Head to Toe: What is it like when you finally reach the summit? What emotions do you feel?
Vanessa: As climbers you a taught that the summit is only halfway and that 85% of deaths happen on the way down due to fatigue, dehydration, oxygen depletion and too much time in the ‘death zone’. So that is always in the back of your mind. The truth is you are exhausted when you are at the top and happy for just a bit of flat land to sit down for a nanosecond. The views are beautiful (if it is not cloudy or dark) but it is very cold and usually windy because of the jet streams. So I would say relief with some anxiety because it is only halfway.
Head to Toe: What is a typical expedition like? Can you describe the journey?
Vanessa: A typical expedition ranges from 2 to 8 weeks. You start with training, then packing lots of gear appropriate for the terrain. Once you land you get to know your teammates and start bonding with them. Then your expedition begins and you begin to acclimatize – a process of climbing a little bit higher every day to enable your body to build millions of red blood cells slowly (the old adage climb high, sleep low). When the weather and timing is right, you make your summit bid.
Head to Toe: What has been your favorite trek? What has been the most memorable? Scenic?
Vanessa: My favorite expedition was probably Everest, which was also the hardest at 29,035 feet (planes fly at 35,000 feet). The most memorable was skiing the last degree (60 nautical miles or 111 km) to the South Pole and visiting the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station while reading Captain Scott by Sir Ranulph Fiennes. It was incredible not only to read about the history of the early polar explorers but then to actually to stand where they stood… that was incredible. For scenic, believe it or not, Kilimanjaro has six different climate zones – cultivated, rainforest, heath, moorland, alpine desert and arctic – winning most diverse by far!
Head to Toe: What kind of feedback have you gotten from family and friends when telling them your plans to participate in the Seven Summits challenge and Explorer's Grand Slam?
Vanessa: Most couldn’t believe I was doing this because it was so different from anything I had ever done before. But that is my point. And I think it fits in very well with what we are seeing today when people lose their jobs or have to up-skill, re-train, or do something different. That’s ok. It is change and not everyone is comfortable with change. But we are flexible, intelligent people. What we need is to channel some motivation, some inspiration. Because everyone needs a purpose. Fulfilling that purpose – through a series of goal setting, for example, can get you back on track. That and a little dose of self-belief.
Head to Toe: What's next for you?
Vanessa: I am currently documenting my expeditions and have just finished a guest lecturing session at Boston College. I am planning my next expedition for the Spring but right now it is between The Boston Marathon (something entirely new) or going back to the Himalayas.
Want to learn more about Vanessa?
www.vobonline.com
http://www.facebook.com/obrienv
https://twitter.com/vobonline
Vanessa: Most couldn’t believe I was doing this because it was so different from anything I had ever done before. But that is my point. And I think it fits in very well with what we are seeing today when people lose their jobs or have to up-skill, re-train, or do something different. That’s ok. It is change and not everyone is comfortable with change. But we are flexible, intelligent people. What we need is to channel some motivation, some inspiration. Because everyone needs a purpose. Fulfilling that purpose – through a series of goal setting, for example, can get you back on track. That and a little dose of self-belief.
Head to Toe: What's next for you?
Vanessa: I am currently documenting my expeditions and have just finished a guest lecturing session at Boston College. I am planning my next expedition for the Spring but right now it is between The Boston Marathon (something entirely new) or going back to the Himalayas.
Want to learn more about Vanessa?
www.vobonline.com
http://www.facebook.com/obrienv
https://twitter.com/vobonline