Three peaks. Situated in three different countries. With a total ascent of 3400m and a time limit of 24 hours! It doesn’t get much tougher than that! Until Joe Schofield upped the stakes and decided to attempt this challenge while carrying a 62.5kg barbell in what will be a world first.

But why? Completing a hike over three peaks is one thing? Attempting all three peaks within a 24-hour period with excess baggage requires a lot of motivation. In Joe's own words he replied that maybe he is just a glutton for punishment, but the reality is that this is a deeply emotional journey for Joe and has a lot of significance for many others, as Joe is literally taking their emotional weight onto his shoulders as well.

What is the Three Peak Challenge?

Unsurprisingly, the Three Peaks Challenge consists of three peaks, the highest peaks in each of the home nations. Scafell Pike is the highest peak in England, coming in at 978m. This is followed by Snowdon at 1085m and finally Ben Nevis in Scotland with a height of 1345m. Joe will be starting at Ben Nevis and working his way south to Scafell Pike before finishing at Snowdon. He has 24 hours of hiking time as well as an allowance of 10 hours travel time.

What Motivated Joe to Do This Uphill Battle?

In 2019 Joe lost his father to a rare form of cancer called NET. Joe relates how his father was an active and outdoors person and someone who would thrive in a challenge such as the Three Peaks. This is the driving force that pushes Joe to complete the Three Peaks Challenge in memory of his father, but he also wants to take it a step further. While he will emotionally be taking his father with him, he also wants to help carry everyone who is facing an uphill battle with cancer and who is unable to do their journey. After a bit of googling Joe discovered that the average weight of all humans was 62.5kg and this is how he got to the point of carrying a 62.5 kg barbell up three peaks. Fittingly, Joe’s challenge is called the Uphill Battle as a nod to both his personal challenge as well as everyone who has been affected by cancer.

Dedicated to a Cause

This Uphill Battle is not just about Joe suffering. He has linked up with Macmillan Cancer Support to help raise money. Macmillan is one of the largest charities in England who provide information and financial support to people affected by cancer. Macmillan supported Joe and his family during his father’s battle with cancer. Joe, who is not one for doing things in half measures, has set a target of raising £25k for Macmillan Cancer Support through personal donations and corporate sponsorship.

Training for the Three Peaks Challenge

Spending some time in the gym and squatting with a barbell on your back is just not going to cut it if you are doing this challenge. Joe’s first goal was to strengthen his tendon and ligaments. This is to bulletproof his body so that it doesn’t break down with injuries due to the demand that is placed on it. It is one thing having your body comfortable carrying its own weight, but Joe has to prepare for an additional 62.5kg. This challenge requires upper body and core strength, in addition to leg strength. Just think how unstable the bar will be when Joe is hiking and shifting his weight from one leg to the other, on uneven terrain, not to mention the bar pressing down onto his back the entire time.

Cardiovascular conditioning is also vital. This, unfortunately, is not as simple as just heading out for a couple of runs. Instead, Joe has had to condition himself to hike up some steep gradients at a pace that allows him to complete the challenge in 24 hours. On top of this he had to start increasing the load that he carries. Starting by strapping weight plates to his chest and building up to carrying the weights on an Olympic bar. Mirafit supplied Joe with the Olympic barbell and thin weight plates to help support his worthy cause. The thin plates make the stacking of the bar easier so that it is more stable when hiking.

Motivation to Succeed

When asked what the hardest part of training is, Joe was quick to answer: Motivation. He relates how at some stages they were doing training hikes up Pen y Fan in 3 to 4 foot deep snow. While the majority of us would be happy getting a hot chocolate and staying indoors, Joe had to motivate himself to not only get out and hike in those conditions, but to be carrying weights with him as well. Joe mentions that he did his dissertation on sports psychology and that the power of self talk helped keep him motivated during these harder periods.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

In preparation for this challenge, Joe consulted professors at Worcester University and was given a reality check in the form of a warning! This challenge comes with serious health risks and could involve death if Joe is not conditioned correctly or if he doesn’t get his hydration and nutritional intake correct. For this reason, Joe has a team consisting of friends as well as his brother. Apart from just being there to provide support for Joe they are also making sure that he does what he needs to at the right time. Whether it is water intake or getting the pace right so that he doesn’t hit the wall but is still on track to complete the challenge. The team will take care of everything that Joe needs so Joe just needs to focus on getting the job done.

How You Can Get Involved

In Joe’s words, “at some stage we will all be affected by cancer.”  While not all of us are able to complete such a physical challenge we can all get involved and show our support to not only Joe and Macmillan, but to anyone going that is facing their own Uphill Battle. Joe’s target of reaching £25k will go a long way to providing the much-needed support and care. Let us show Joe some support and help him reach his target. Every bit helps, from personal donations to having corporate sponsorship. Get in touch with Joe to find out how you can support him.

Instagram: @the.uphill.battle

E-mail: [email protected]

JustGiving: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/uphillbattle

For more content, follow us on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and on our official Mirafit Facebook page.