SGPT Interviews Mount Kilimanjaro climber Niklas Girman

SGPT: Tell us about yourself? Where are you from and where do you train?

NG: Hello Coach Brad, I come from Germany and grew up in Hamburg in the north.
After University I moved more and more south. Right now I live together with my family in Lichtenstein since eleven years.
Six years ago I developed an active lifestyle together with my wife.
During the COVID time we went out to the mountains to hike at least twice a week with the whole family in order to get the children not getting crazy staying all time at home – our youngest son was 2.5 years old at that time.
In summer 2020 we went to do our first way of Saint James – the Camino Portugese. It was a bit experimental during Covid times and with three small children from 2 to 5 years old at that time, walking 220 km in two weeks. We had a stroller that the children could get some rest sometimes. In fact we arrived so fast at the end in Santiago de Compostela that we went on hiking to Finisterra – another 90 km in the same time.
After this experience we started to attend hiking events with our children of 30km first, later also 50 and actually 60km with the kids. My wife and me go for 100 km and more. We do this events very regularly. At all this kind of events partitioners are usually very open to see children and they get a lot of of recognition and cheering!
We all attended a few Goruck events in the south of Germany, too.
There is a nice photo of the Goruck owner Jason together with our children, he bought ice cream for our children . He is smiling – right before we all had to do 50 push-ups, 50 squads and 50 burpees…😎

SGPT: Did you have an athletic background growing up?

NG: Not really athletic.
School sport in Germany is most of the times soccer, active games and some running and not so important as sports as in highschools in the states.
I did Judo since I was six years old and it went well for me also at tournaments. I liked the Bushido way of thinking later. But around 1985-1990 there was not much Information about this.
Later with sixteen I stopped.
My brother and father did Judo, too but we were not that kind of extreme active family.

SGPT: How did you train for the ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro?

NG: I did not really train for the Kilimanjaro.
We do hikes very often with the whole family. Right now we have nice winter with snow in the mountains around us and we go out and hike anyway also through high snow.
My wife and me just came back from the island Mallorca where we hiked the GR 221 trail. 135 km with a lot elevation. Planned were five days, we did it in three days and so we continued with the next trail the GR 222.
The Kilimanjaro was also a test to try out my gear for my next big event this year: the Marathon Des Sables in April. Running and walking 250km through the Sahara desert in Marokko.

SGPT: Tell us about the event? Where was it and how was the course?
NG: The Mount Kilimanjaro is in Tanzania and has a height of 5895 meters. It’s the highest mountain in Afrika.
There are small camps after each 10 km and about 1000 meters of hight gain where you normally stay, sleep and adapt to the thinner air. The tours usually takes 6 to 11 days and there are different routes you can choose.
I did it with a guide and three porters – the porters I did not need – but it is obligatory in Tansania to give more local people payed work.
My plan was to do this whole hike – it is not mountain climbing – in under 48 hours. There are not really many other people to try something alike. So I was alone with the guide😉 – he was chosen because he was the only one willing to support this plan.
The incline of the first 30 km and 3000 meters of hight gain felt easy. The last 1200 meter of hight till the summit were more steep and harder – also because it was during the night and I had no time to adapt to the altitude.
From the basecamp till the summit we went in 18:20 hours, back down till the basecamp in 14:00 hours. This includes eating and short rest times.

SGPT: What was the hardest part of the event?
NG: I felt the thinner air because of the hight from the moment I arrived at the basecamp. Later it rose to a pressure on the chest as if you train with a narrow fitting plate carrier on – you want to take full breaths but you can’t.

SGPT: What kind of trail shoes/boots did you use for the event? For training?
NG: I wore trail running shoes and crampons later in the snow at the top of the mountain. It was a good choice.

SGPT: You also completed SEALFIT Kokoro. Tell us about that event and how it helped you with your climb of Kilimanjaro?

NG: Yes! You were a coach at many Kokoro events too, but before I did it.
My class was Kokoro 59.
Six years ago I saw the Discovery documentary SEAL Class 234 in the sauna at my home and thought that this was cool.
Thoughts start to circle when you are forty or more years old. The maybes and ifs come to your mind.
Someday after I saw some videos about the Sealfit Kokoro and I thought that this would be possible to do – being to old for BUDs or the German Kampfschwimmer – but it scared me also!
I felt lazy at that period of my life and in fact – I was.
I started to train and eat different.
The interesting thing about Kokoro was that looking back the whole development you make to reach this level of fitness till you are really ready to attend the event was more important than the event itself.
During preparation I started to read books from former SF guys, David Goggins, Jocko Willink, Mark Devine and so many others.
I got to know wonderful people on this way who did Kokoro before and who were willing to help with their knowledge and support.
So I got to know you, too.
To prepare for surf torture in the cold Pacific Ocean – something you have to go through at Kokoro – I did a Wim Hof training with ice baths and a special breathing technique – and recently I became a Wim Hof instructor myself….
I signed in for Kokoro in March 2020 but one week before the event there was the shutdown for flights to the US from Europe.
In April 2022 I finally joined Kokoro 59 with the normal attrition rate of 40%.
I went in this event with the mindset that either I will secure Kokoro or they have to carry me out on a stretcher – f… I trained three years for this!
As a group we helped each other out a lot and grew together like a family in this short time of 52 hours.
I am proud to say that we are still in contact with each other.
The development I took in preparation for the Kokoro event certainly helped also for the Kilimanjaro.
There are the big fives from Mark Devine I learned by heart for the Kokoro: Box breathing, positive self talk, setting microgoals, visualization of your goal before the event and focus on others. There is so much wisdom in this!
When you do a sport event like a Kokoro, a Goruck Heavy or an Ultramarathon through the night you will automatically develop grind – and this will help you so much the next time when you are in a similar situation or things get hard in life.

SGPT: Did you use double socks or body glide on your feet to prevent blisters? How did you prepare your feet?

NG: Yes foot care is key. My wife and me did an everesting hiking event going 8900 meters up in under 36 hours and a 110 mile nonstop hike in 2024. To get big blisters could be a knockout at such an event.
I tried out a lot in the past. Actually I use a combination of Injinji Liner Toe Socks with hiking wool socks over them. Tape the toes a good as possible before. Know your hotspots and treat them accordingly. I started to use Squirrel’s Nutbutter directly before putting on the socks.

SGPT: What is one thing you wish you would have done to get ready for the ascent of Mt. Kilimanjaro?

NG: Not really.
I went Ultralight – so I thought.
But at the end a third in my backpack was unused.
Otherwise: two is one and one is none!
Be prepared in the nature for the worst.

SGPT: Any tips for up-and-coming athletes that want to do a big mountain peak?

NG: Get information, prepare for it as good as possible what you are going to go through.
Know your gear and how to use it. Try it in total darkness, too.
Have a spare headlamp ALWAYS!
To have an emergency blanket is light and can save a life once – maybe yours!

SGPT: What good book are you reading now? Are you listening to any good podcasts or audio books you can share?

NG: I just finished to read The way of Ronin from Tu Lam.
I hear Jocko‘s and Shawn Ryan podcasts on a regular base and seek new information about bike riding and running the MDS.
I like Jesse Itzlers videos of planning the year. Having a big calendar with your goals always in front of you helps defining and fulfilling your dreams. At the end of the year you can be proud of what you have achieved – you have only this one life to live – go for it.

SGPT: Many thanks for the interview Niklas. We greatly appreciate you sharing your knowledge and impressive ascent on Mount Kilimanjaro.

NG: Thank you very much for inviting me to this interview.
If anyone has a question feel free to contact me. You find me if you google my name.

SGPT: Tell us about yourself? Where are you from and where do you train?

NG:

SGPT: Did you have an athletic background growing up?

NG:

SGPT: How did you train for the ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro?

NG:

SGPT: Tell us about the event? Where was it and how was the course?

NG:

SGPT: What was the hardest part of the event?

NG:

SGPT: You also completed SEALFIT Kokoro. Tell us about that event and how it helped you with your climb of Kilimanjaro?

NG:

SGPT: What kind of trail shoes/boots did you use for the event? For training?

NG:

SGPT: Did you use double socks or body glide on your feet to prevent blisters? How did you prepare your feet?

NG:

SGPT: What is one thing you wish you would have done to get ready for the ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro?

NG:

SGPT: Any tips for up-and-coming athletes that want to do a big mountain peak?

NG:

SGPT: What good book are you reading now? Are you listening to any good podcasts or audio books you can share?

NG:

SGPT: Many thanks for the interview Niklas. We greatly appreciate you sharing your knowledge and impressive ascent on Mount Kilimanjaro.

NG:

About the Author:

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