Latest posts for the topic "Reinhold Messner"

Reinhold Messner

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 23:55:27 GMT

Last night I was privileged to attend, with my son, a lecture, by Reinhold Messner. This came about as a result of a word from Ise, that Messner was coming to the Kendal Mountain Festival. We had planned to attend that, but then found out that Messner was doing the same at the Dundee Mountain Festival.

So thank you for that Ise. Most of you will have heard the name, but Reinhold Messner was the first person to climb Everest without the assistance of oxygen. He then proceeded to do the same with all the worlds 8000m peaks.

One of the points that he made was that on many of the challenges, there were failures, sometimes multiple. He also made the point that he did not espouse extreme sport, it just happened in his case that the outcomes were extreme.

The accompanying film and still sequences were simply stunning, on a colossal scale.

My son had carried out an interview with Messner, and written a full page article. He did the same with other world renowned climbers, including Doug Scott, the first Briton to climb Everest, and Tomaz Humar, who Messner has called the world's greatest high altitude climber.

Afterwards, we chatted to Reinhold Messner, he was very friendly, and personable. He lives with his family in South Tirol, and is a regular skier. He has a good outlook on sustainability issues, and a good way of explaining how we can achieve and maximise our personal goals.

If you get the chance to go and see the man, do it. I found it to be very inspiring.

Oh, he is 64 years old, and still has a resting pulse rate of 45!

Re:Reinhold Messner

Mon, 1 Dec 2008 12:22:12 GMT

Resting of 45.. I have some catching up to do! :lol:

Edit:Or some slowing down come to think of it...

Re:Reinhold Messner

Mon, 1 Dec 2008 13:37:25 GMT

I managed the low 50's, but only after running 80 miles a week average, for many months.

On the other hand, I did a steepish walking pitch, earlier this summer, and checked out at 164. That is far too high.

Re:Reinhold Messner

Mon, 1 Dec 2008 13:41:05 GMT

Last time I checked I was floating around late50's early 60's ... post skiing every day for 3 months mind :wink:

Re:Reinhold Messner

Mon, 1 Dec 2008 17:26:47 GMT

I routinely measure my BP and pulse, due to my job and lifestyle.

It is frightening on a Monday morning!!!

Settles down by Thursday :D

A week in the mountains even with partying makes a huge difference I have noticed.

Re:Reinhold Messner

Mon, 1 Dec 2008 17:36:04 GMT

tino_11

A week in the mountains even with partying makes a huge difference I have noticed.

I think it takes a wee bit more than a week, tino! A year might make a difference, so we unlikely to achieve much by skiing alone.

I did discuss pulse levels with Reinhold Messner. Due to the outstanding nature of his achievements, he works closely with physiological institutions. He said that his low count was not genetic, and entirely due to training.

He also said that there are training-induced counts in modern athletes of 28!

Re:Reinhold Messner

Mon, 1 Dec 2008 18:19:26 GMT

Maybe I was unclear, I am not talking about pulse, but with a very stressful job and completely non stop lifestyle, a week of exercise and fresh air can make a significant difference quickly in BP. Obviously it rises again as soon as you get back to your old routine, but just the reduction in stress alone can help. I work in vascular medicine, I know there are no quick fixes )

Re:Reinhold Messner

Mon, 1 Dec 2008 19:50:08 GMT

tino_11 wrote:Maybe I was unclear, I am not talking about pulse, but with a very stressful job and completely non stop lifestyle, a week of exercise and fresh air can make a significant difference quickly in BP. Obviously it rises again as soon as you get back to your old routine, but just the reduction in stress alone can help. I work in vascular medicine, I know there are no quick fixes )

I will know who to contact then the next bit of CPD I have to do on vascular. :lol:

Re:Reinhold Messner

Wed, 3 Dec 2008 13:36:08 GMT

I would have loved to have attended that lecture. Mountaineers have my utmost respect, especially someone like Reinhold Messner. It was the achievements of the early mountaineers that beggars belief. I've just finished reading "Ghosts of Everest" which details the first serious British attempt on Everest, and the subsequent loss of Mallory & Irvine on their summit bid in 1924.It would be nice to believe that they topped out but it is certainly very thought provoking stuff.

Re:Reinhold Messner

Thu, 4 Dec 2008 23:33:39 GMT

Hi greycat,

Messner put a view on the Mallory/Irvine attempt. Mallory had been seen through the cloud by an observer. His body, when it was found, had fallen from a higher point. Higher still, there was a 25 metre sheer wall, that in Messner's view was of the highest difficulty for modern equipped climbers. Indeed most climbers had used the Chinese-installed ladders.

The point that Messner put was that the equipment used by Mallory was of it's time, and included Tweed jacket, and more importantly, nailed boots.

Since the presentation, my son has pursued the point, and it would appear that the general view among the climbing fraternity, is that if you don't get back safely, it doesn't count. Seems a trifle harsh, but that is the view.

Messner did say that Mallory and Irvine had made one of the greatest strides in climbing, in that they were the first of the high alpine climbers.

I mentioned Messner setting up a series of climbing museums. He recently bought at auction the binoculars belonging to Mallory, they were found besde the body.

As a final point, Kodak have said that in the event that the Kodak camera is found, they would be able to retrieve evidence of reaching the summit, should it be there.

Re:Reinhold Messner

Fri, 5 Dec 2008 06:09:56 GMT

Dave Mac wrote:
Since the presentation, my son has pursued the point, and it would appear that the general view among the climbing fraternity, is that if you don't get back safely, it doesn't count. Seems a trifle harsh, but that is the view.

Mortlock talks about this in his book "The Adventure Alternative", he distinguishes between adventure and misadventure and talks about outcomes but preparation is equally important. It's recognised that not being suitably equipped or prepared can lead to misadventure and a number of inquiries following incidents have highlighted the need to ensure your group is suitably equipped and prepared for the challenge. Generally those who ignore this and take themselves or others into the mountains without suitable preparation or equipment are recognised for the reckless behaviour they exhibit.

Re:Reinhold Messner

Fri, 5 Dec 2008 12:57:26 GMT

45 = Coma
28 = Dead

:lol:

Gadzooks!

I have a resting rate of 52 but then again I am training for my next marathon.

Re:Reinhold Messner

Fri, 5 Dec 2008 21:17:44 GMT

Hirsty wrote:45 = Coma
28 = Dead

:lol:

Don't matter diddly
When,where,
Or how
You die.
Important thing is,
Don't take it personal.

Jim Dodge

Reinhold Messner

Fri, 5 Dec 2008 21:19:45 GMT

Hirsty, what time you looking at running?

Reinhold Messner

Sat, 6 Dec 2008 16:52:52 GMT

Hi Dave, the circumstantial info (gleened from the items found on Mallory's body) suggests that he and Irvine were descending when Mallory fell, most likely in the dark.(his glasses were found in his pocket) The conspiracy theorists claim that the abscence of the foto of his wife meant that he placed it on the summit as he stated he would.

Irvines body (thought to be Mallorys, was allegedly sighted on 2 seperate occassions some 200m higher on the mountain.

Whatever actually happened, it's still a awe-inspiring and tragic storey of human endeavour.

Maybe one day the Kodak camera will be found and it's storey revealed.