The so-called "Everesting" challenge has been growing in popularity amongst endurance athletes in recent years. The original idea sprung from the cycling community, with the goal of riding enough vertical feet to accumulate the same elevation gain as it would take to reach the summit of Everest. That's 8848 meters (29,029 feet) for those keeping track at home. Oh, and to make these challenges just a bit more difficult, to make it official, a rider would have to accomplish this feat without stopping. In other words, it is a true test of endurance, which has since spilled over to runners, triathletes, and other outdoor athletes as well.
The latest world-class athlete to take on an Everesting challenge is none other than Rebecca Rusch. As one of the premiere endurance mountain bike riders and adventure athletes on the planet, Rebecca wanted to set a big goal for herself heading into the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend here in the U.S. To that end, she has announced the Giddy-Up for Good Challenge, during which she will attempt to ride her bike to the equivalent height of the tallest mountain on the planet. The goal is to raise funds and awareness for COVID-19 relief through Rebecca's very own Be Good foundation. Proceeds from the event will go to the CDC Foundation, World Bicycle Relief, and People for Bikes.
The Giddy-Up for Good Challenge will officially get underway at 12:01 AM MDT on Saturday, May 23 and will end at 11:59 PM MDT on Monday, May 25, which is the time that Rebecca will begin her own personal challenge. The rest of us can join in by attempting our own "Everesting" climb, or there are a number of smaller-yet still challenging-goals to run or ride a more moderate vertical gain. Those include the Mashed Potato (4842m/15,885 ft), the Twice Baked Potato (3228m/10,590ft), or the Baked Potato (1614m/5295ft).
The rules are simple. Choose a single climb and run or ride up and down it until you've achieved your goal. That climb can be of any length, but you have to stick to the same one until you're finished. You'll just do it over and over again until you've reached the "elevation" that you've set for yourself. For more information, check out the Rules+Ethics document on the Giddy-Up for Good website, along with the FAQ. You'll also have to join the Strava group for the ride or run to officially record your stats and information.
Participants will be eligible to win a number of great prices, not to mention gain bragging rights, and helping to raise money for a great cause. You'll find everything you need to know about the event here.
Good luck!
