Conquering Kilimanjaro

Vision, High quality nutritional supplements
take climber to the top

 John, July 27, 2008

 
At 68, Joe Spangler may not be as spry as he was in his younger years. But he has no intention of spending his spare time idling in a rocking chair. His ambitions are much loftier - like tackling some of the world's tallest mountains.

Two years ago, Joe embarked on a no-holds-barred mission to climb mountains. He took his first giant step last December, scaling Africa's tallest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro. He reached the 19,340-foot summit on Christmas Eve, 2007.

A tenacious "push-it-to-the-limit" spirit, hard work and perserverence helped Joe reach the top. He also got some assistance from his wife, Sheryl, a strong believer in the power of visualizing success. Sheryl gave Joe a crash course on the art of crafting a vision shortly before his climb.

Armed with a notepad on an eight-hour flight to Africa via Amsterdam, the determined climber from Tulalip, WA, penned his vision of a successful journey up Kilimanjaro.

"I just leaned back, closed my eyes and went through every step of the trip. I wrote it all down; the smell, the feel, the touch - I envisioned exactly what it would be like." Joe's vision unfolded just as he had seen it in his mind's eye, making him a true believer in the power of vision.

"Standing on the summit, I realize that all the hard work was worth it," he wrote. "It's cold and the ground is crunchy under my boots. I am tired, but I have worked harder in training. Up. Up. Then, a yell comes from above - we made it! I am standing in front of the sign, 'Uhuru Peak. Congratulations, you are now here.'"

  Super Support from a Unique Source

Joe refers to his vision work as a mental "crutch" that helped him successfully scale Kilimanjaro. His other crutch, this one physical in nature, was the use of high quality nutritional supplements. Sheryl introduced Joe to Oxyfresh Nutritionals, specifically Foundation Formula, Soy SproutPlex, Primorye^® and Lifeshots™.

Two years ago, Joe was in no condition to climb a mountian. He had worked as a carpenter and considered himself able-bodied enough. "I quickly discovered I was not in the shape I thought," he recalls. "Really, my training started from ground zero," Joe says.

With these nutritional supplements, Joe noticed an increase in energy and stamina right away. His rigorous schedule included two-hour training sessions five days a week. He divided his time between lifting weights and cardio exercie. "The recovery I get from these products is incredible," he says.

"The nutritionals work...I can't be without them," adds Joe, who initially dropped 30 pounds and has gained a portion back, all as muscle.

On the Mountain

Oxyfresh Nutritionals played a critical role during the Kilimanjaro climb. Joe's climbing party took the more challenging course up the mountain, hiking for six days, including a 16-hour hike on the final day.

"My gosh, did I have achy legs!" Joe says. When they reached the base camp on the final day of the descent, he had considerable discomfort in his knees so he took four Soy SproutPlex. During the final four-hour hike to the main gate the next morning, the rest of his party was complaining of being stiff and sore.

"But I didn't have any problem - I came right down," he says. "These prodcuts are incredible!"

Looking Ahead

With Kilimanjaro under his belt, Joe is looking forward to his next cliimb: Mount Elbrus, Europe's tallest mountain at 18,510 feet. His plans are to scale that peak in mid-July, shortly after turning 69.

Joe's ambitions certainly don't stop there. He is on a mission to climb the tallest mountain on each of the seven continents, ending with the granddaddy of them all, Mount Everest with a summit of 29,028. If all goes as planned, he will reach the Everest peak when he is 72 years old, breaking two world records: Oldest person to climb Everest and oldest person to climb the highest summits on all seven continents.

Joe is confident he has the physical and mental toughness to push himself to the limit and conquer the mountains.

"Age means nothing," he says. "It's the way you feel inside. I look in the mirror and see an old guy staring back at me...and I don't feel that way."