In today’s episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Renee—one of my amazing clients living in Montana at the time of her successful summit, now living in Alaska. Even if Kilimanjaro isn’t on your radar, you’ll find plenty of motivation and training nuggets here for anyone who’s ever felt overwhelmed by a big, iconic hike. Renee was 40 when she tackled the 19,341-foot summit of Mount Kilimanjaro and later braved a demanding Alaskan backpacking trip.

I’m Marcus Shapiro, hiking strength and conditioning coach and founder of FitForTrips.com. Join me as I sit down with Renee to explore how she conquered these epic adventures—and how her lessons can help you reach your own hiking goals.

Renee spent four years eyeing Kilimanjaro’s high-altitude summit. When a 20-mile test hike in the Tetons with 4,200 feet of elevation gain showed her she needed a structured training plan, she reached out for my coaching support. You’ll hear how we set her weekly goals, stayed in sync with Sunday-night check-ins, and used strategies like stair climbing to maximize her success. From building confidence to protecting her knees, the payoff was huge—and the summit itself turned out to be far easier than she’d ever imagined.

Stay tuned to the end because, after Kilimanjaro, Renee tapped me again for an Alaskan backpacking adventure. Her experience—and testimonial—on that trip is just as powerful, proving that with the right training, no trail is too big to tackle.

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