As the second half of the mother/daughter team, Teresa Henderson is one inspiring lady! Mum of 8 and a keen skier, she is looking forward to doing something for herself and taking on this epic challenge with her eldest daughter Katie.
What is your reason for taking on such an gruelling challenge?
I am always keen for a challenge, the most recent one has been raising my rather large family of 8 kids! Now that they are becoming more independent I am really excited about taking a little time to do something different and for such an amazing cause. My friend suggested that this might be right up my street so it is mostly because of her!
Have you ever done anything like this before?
I have never taken on such a physical challenge; it will be a real test of my fitness and my mental strength! I absolutely love the mountains and am always ready to trek as far as it takes to find the best powder to ski down, but have only ever climbed for a couple of hours at a time at most!
What scares you about the event?
The knowledge that each day is going to be long, very demanding physically, and the next day I will have to get up and do it all over again. I am also nervous that there may be extreme weather conditions to cope with, usually the weather in the Alps is kind in March but it can surprise you, having the right kit will be important. What I am most scared of is the cornering as I climb up. I know how it feels to balance precariously on a steep slope on one foot, hoping the skin beneath my ski will grip the snow, with my other foot in the air behind me as I turn the corner to continue my long slow zigzag up the mountain. One wrong move and several hours of trekking up can be undone in an instant, not to mention the potential for injury!
What does your current training look like?
My training starts in earnest on 1st October, it has been a long summer and a busy month sorting out the family. Now that everyone is in more of a routine I will still need to fit training in between work and family commitments, that will be a challenge in itself! However, I have 2 trips to the Alps planned before the event, on both of those I shall be spending as much of my time walking uphill on my skis as skiing down on them!
Nutrition will be key during this challenge, how are you approaching that?
I shall be pleased to have the excuse to consume some extra calories during the event, and while training I shall make sure I keep my energy levels up with a healthy diet!
Have you been to this part of the Alps before?
I skied in Verbier once as a student, I am looking forward to seeing it again although I cannot remember much about the skiing, it was a very different type of trip!
What are you most looking forward to?
I am most looking forward to taking on this challenge with my eldest daughter who is an epic physical achiever and someone I have not had the chance to spend enough time with over the last few years, this adventure should sort that out! I am really looking forward to having a reason to raise money for a fantastic cause, cancer touches all of our lives.
Everest in the Alps 2020 is now open for booking so if you fancy joining Teresa, get in touch to find out more!
