A
group of 25 Mt Kilimanjaro trekkers who started to climb the mountains
early this week with the aim of reaching Uhuru Peak (5,895 metres) in
three days, had surprisingly managed to make to the highest summits of
the mountain which are Gilman’s point (5,681 mts ASL) and Uhuru Peak
within 48 hours while wearing shoes and shorts only.
In an exclusive interviews with The Guardian on Sunday at Marangu
gate mid this week during the down hilling of their expedition from the
Roof of Africa, Linda Koeman from Holland recalls.
It was around 5.30 a.m. on January 28, 2014 after a breath taking
one and half hour fast walk from Gilman’s point that she managed to
reach Uhuru Peak, only in shoes and shorts.
“For some seconds I totally forgot that I came along with my
friend, then some 15 minutes or so later turning I saw him coming
towards me in a second group and it downed on me he has made it. We both
made it,” Koeman further recalled.
She recollected that was the culmination of ‘two day Mt
Kilimanjaro climb’ as they had planned to reach the highest summits in
three days instead of usual six days through the famous Marangu route
that to her still seems like a dream.
“Reaching Uhuru Peak within two days instead of our planned three
days while in only shoes and shorts through the Marangu Route as the
summit is full of ‘ice’ particularly on top, to me it was a dream come
true but the actual climb is a long episode that one need to grow very
old to forget,” she noted.
“I liked challenges since I was too young, I used to train sports
so I’m physically fit, though I couldn’t have managed to make it to
Uhuru without using the techniques that I obtained from Wim Hof methods
of breathing that makes human body to multiply red cells in a human body
that increases in his/her immune system hence reducing the risks of
hypothermia and Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), she added.
“That’s why I come to scale Mt Kilimanjaro though I didn’t climb
any high mountain in my life and I appreciate myself that I made it to
the Uhuru Peak with the ‘great assistance’ from Joseph Marandu alias
‘Photo’ in a Chief Tour Guide with ZARA Tanzania Adventures in
collaboration with his counterparts” Ms Koeman explained.
For his part, Mr Wim Hof who is also globally famously known as
“Ice man’ explained that, the goal of the expedition that was being
organized and hosted by the Kilimanjaro-based tourism company - ZARA
Tanzania Adventures (ZARA Tours Company), is also to establish a
spectacular Guinness World Record: ‘The Fastest Ascent by A Group in
Shorts of The Largest Free Standing Volcano in the World.
The key to this challenge is to maintain control of the body under
extreme conditions as the freezing temperature at the summit can range
between 18-26 centigrade and reaching the summit at nearly six thousand
meters in only 3 days (instead of the usual 6) does not give the body
time to acclimatize.” he further explained.
Mr Hof who is also the group leader of the expedition went on
explaining that, in the first day they scales Mt Kilimanjaro from
Marangu Gate up to 3,800 mts, the following day they scaled the mountain
up to 4,700 mts, and the third day they scaled up to the top of Mt.
Kilimanjaro, and come ascending back to Spring Lands hotel that hosts
their expedition.
He added that the crew will have to maintain control over mind and
body while dealing with the major risks of hypothermia and Acute
Mountain Sickness (AMS).
Mr Hof who is also the holder of 23 World records including
climbing the World’s highest mountain, Mt Everest with empty chest, run
Marathon beyond the Poler Cycle and swimming under the Ice (after making
holes) among many others insisted that, everybody has the ability to
reach for more than that which they thought themselves capable of, and
now it’s time to show it scientifically.
According to Mr Wim Hof, he has scientifically proven that he can
influence his immune system - a remarkable and yet inexplicable medical
finding.
“However, these capabilities are not unique to me and in fact; I
have achieved similar encouraging results with many patients with
auto-immune disease of the joints such as Arthritis and Rheumatism, as
well as nerves and muscles such as ALS and Myasthenia Gravis, “he
pointed out during the interviews.
He added that science is mystified by the performances and
capabilities of him; and many scientists across the world have
investigated him and all of them have documented remarkable findings
such as his ability to influence his autonomic nervous system, which
regulates the heart rate, blood pressure, blood circulation and much
more.
Commenting on the Wim Hof scientific body control methods that
helps to make people to multiply their respective red cells by a
specific breathing exercise coupled with proper mind sets, that one of
the climbers Mr Henk Vanden Bergh from Netherlands explained that, the
project’s goal is to show that anyone can accomplish such an
extraordinary world record.
“It just takes great motivation and mind-body control as Wim Hof
has proven that he can influence his immune system, a remarkable and yet
inexplicable medical finding,” he explained.
He added that given the global interest for this challenge, an
international documentary will be made so that everyone will be able to
follow closely the crew’s journey on Mount Kilimanjaro. Wim Hof has been
working with documentary makers from the BBC, Discovery Channel and
National Geographic for quite some time.
“The latest documentary on his extraordinary performances in
Iceland was a great success. And the entire journey is being filmed for a
full-length feature documentary on how to stay ‘In Control on
Kilimanjaro,” Mr Vanden Bergh pointed out.
“That is the motto and perhaps the most crucial aspect of the
challenge showing that a group of average non-athletic working people
can do what Wim Hof can do. Wim often says: "What I am capable of,
anyone can do.” And he has shown it with so many people, he commented.
One can achieve far more than one thinks possible. It just takes
the right mindset, as the Wim Hof Method shows. This challenge is all
about getting that message out to the rest of the world: the
extraordinary is within everyone!”
The Managing Director of ZARA Tanzania Adventures Ms. Zainab Ansell explained:
“We are very happy to hold such a unique group in our company, and
it is our hope that apart from advertizing different tourism destination
of our country including Mt Kilimanjaro that will improve sustainable
tourism in World, they will also instruct our people with many health
exercises for the better future.”
SOURCE:
GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY
0 comments:
Post a Comment