Uphill Athlete Podcast

In this discussion, Everest expert Alan Arnette and coach Martin Zhor delve into the fascinating trends of the 2025 climbing season. They explore the impact of drones on safety and waste, while addressing the challenges of illness in climbers. With new technologies like xenon gas on the rise, they analyze the ethics and risks of rapid ascent aids. The duo emphasizes long-term preparation over mere summits and discusses shifting demographics influencing Everest expeditions. Predictions for 2026 touch on potential regulations and emerging trends in high-altitude climbing.

In this episode of the Uphill Athlete Podcast, host Alyssa Clark interviews ultra runner, podcaster and coach, Joe Corcione about his journey from addiction to endurance sports. Joe shares how running became his path to sobriety and self-belief, emphasizing the importance of learning and growth over results. They dive into identity, self-worth, and how chasing performance for external validation can backfire. Joe discusses the value of embracing failure as a tool for progress and highlights how process-oriented goals foster longevity in sport and life. The conversation is a powerful reminder that becoming someone you’re proud of matters more than any finish line.Learn more about Joe @joecorcione or @everydayultra.If you'd like to check out our special offer for podcast listeners visit: uphillathlete.com/letsgoYou can also write to us at coach@uphillathlete.com

Peter Metcalf, a legendary climber and founder of Black Diamond Equipment, shares his thrilling journey from a young climber to an industry leader. He discusses the values of trust and calculated risk that shaped his business philosophy. Peter vividly recounts early ascents in Alaska and the challenges faced on Denali. He explains how he revitalized Chouinard Equipment into Black Diamond, emphasizing cultural authenticity and collaboration. Moreover, he offers insights on leadership, intuition in decision-making, and the parallels between alpinism and entrepreneurship.

In this episode of the Uphill Athlete Podcast, host Steve House and guest, Coach Martin Zohr, explore the physical and mental challenges of climbing Aconcagua, the highest peak outside of Asia. They discuss the importance of structured training, including building a strong aerobic base, muscular endurance, and back-to-back long hikes with heavy packs. They touch on the effects of extreme altitude, logistical considerations like acclimatization and route choice, and the necessity of individualizing training plans. The conversation also highlights the value of subjective feedback in monitoring fatigue and readiness. Aconcagua is a tough yet rewarding climb that requires patience, preparation, and respect for the mountain’s demands.If you'd like to check out our special offer for podcast listeners visit: uphillathlete.com/letsgoYou can also write to us at coach@uphillathlete.com

Ultra-running coach and legend Zach Bitter joins the Uphill Athlete Podcast to discuss the mental and physical strategies behind his record-breaking performances in 100-mile races. Host Alyssa Clark chats with Zach about his evolution in the sport, from his early trail running days to mastering fast courses like Desert Solstice. Zach dives deep into managing monotony, training with rate of perceived exertion (RPE), and how mountain races like San Diego 100 contributed to his speed-focused events. He also reflects on career longevity, transitioning from traditional sponsorship, and his growing interest in multi-day ultras. This episode is packed with insights for endurance athletes, whether you’re training for a summit or chasing distance records.If you'd like to check out our special offer for podcast listeners visit: uphillathlete.com/letsgoYou can also write to us at coach@uphillathlete.com

In the first episode of Voice of the Mountains Season 2, journalist, author and athlete Alex Hutchinson reflects on his journey from writing the acclaimed book Endure to navigating the uncertainty of future pursuits. He and host Steve House explore the tension between exploration and mastery, the “effort paradox” that makes hard pursuits meaningful, and how personal values shape decisions in sport and life. Alex shares how his own changes in direction, from physics to journalism and from external validation to intrinsic fulfillment. They discuss how athletic experiences can teach resilience which transers to all avenues of life, and help us push beyond perceived limits. The conversation offers rich insights into motivation, purpose, and the science behind our desire to do hard things.You can find more about Alex Hutchinson on his website, alexhutchinson.net.If you'd like to check out our special offer for podcast listeners visit: uphillathlete.com/letsgoYou can also write to us at coach@uphillathlete.com

In this episode of the Uphill Athlete Podcast, host Alyssa Clark chats with alpinist, climber, and trail runner, Vitaliy Musiyenko about the powerful lessons endurance athletes can learn from each other. Vitaliy shares his inspiring journey from an unhealthy teen to a top alpinist, emphasizing the value of mentorship, ego-checking, and relentless curiosity. He dives into the physical and mental demands of the Goliath Traverse and how it sparked his deep dive into endurance training. They also discuss the crossover between climbing and trail running, from pacing strategies to mountain safety, and how these skills are essential to success and longevity in the mountains. The episode wraps with a reflection on failure, growth, and the importance of keeping longevity and safety at the forefront of all mountain pursuits.If you'd like to check out our special offer for podcast listeners visit: uphillathlete.com/letsgoYou can also write to us at coach@uphillathlete.com 

In this discussion, Alyssa Leib, an in-house registered dietitian for Uphill Athlete, shares vital nutrition strategies for mountain athletes focusing on recovery. She emphasizes the risks of under-eating and outlines the importance of calorie, carbohydrate, and protein intake for optimal performance. Alyssa also reveals the benefits of milk before bed for muscle repair and suggests magnesium supplements for better sleep. Lastly, she highlights antioxidant-rich foods like tart cherry juice, underscoring the crucial link between nutrition, recovery, and restful sleep.

In this podcast episode, Lukas Furtenbach, founder of Furtenbach Adventures, and Steve House discuss Lukas’ work in high-altitude expedition mountaineering. They discuss the development of hypoxic pre-acclimatization techniques and how technologies like xenon gas are being used to reduce expedition durations. The conversation addresses the ethical debates around these technologies, commercialization of Everest, and the reasons behind Lukas’ decision to utilize xenon gas in a ground breaking expedition beginning in May. This is part two in the Uphill Athlete podcast series surrounding the discussion of the use of xenon in mountaineering.

Dr. Peter Hackett, a board-certified emergency physician and high-altitude medicine pioneer, dives into the controversial use of xenon gas for enhancing climbers' performance. He discusses its historical significance and potential to stimulate erythropoietin while raising concerns about safety and lack of convincing evidence. The conversation emphasizes the need for controlled research, citing the risks of unsupervised use. Dr. Hackett also underscores the importance of balancing scientific rigor with experiential insight in the climbing community.