Tim Sprinkle

Upwardly Mobile: Q&A with Kilimanjaro Speed Ascent Record-holder Sean Burch

Trail Runner
July 2006

Sean Burch is guilty. Guilty, by his own admission, of being an over achiever.

It wasn't enough to climb Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen in 2003. He also had to set the world record for high altitude rope jumping while he was on the 26,181-foot summit. And at the 2004 North Pole Marathon, he didn't just complete the notoriously brutal course; he won the race in record time.

In June 2005 the Washington, DC-based fitness trainer did it again. He set a new Mount Kilimanjaro speed ascent record when he screamed up more than 15,000 vertical feet over 21.1 miles to Africa's highest summit (elev. 19,340 feet) in 5 hours, 28 minutes, and 48 seconds.

Oddly, Burch, 35, doesn't really consider himself a runner. He credits his success to a fitness program of his own creation called "Hyperfitness." Based heavily on cross training, cardio exercise, and martial arts-Burch holds a fourth-degree black belt in Shotokan Karate-this unique regimen has propelled him on high-altitude climbs around the world.

“Burch's ascent of Kilimanjaro captured the essence of athletics,” says Will Harlan, editor of Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine, which named Burch its “2005 Adventure Athlete of the Year.” “He went to the edge, and he came back with more than a world record, he brought back a deeper knowledge of himself and the mountain. I guess that's what touched us most about Burch's run: it was, above all, about transcendence.”

Burch chatted with Trail Runner about his Kilimanjaro speed ascent and the training program that got him there.

Why run up Kilimanjaro?
I like challenges and unique new adventures. I had never been to Kilimanjaro before --never been to Africa before -- so when this opportunity (to visit Africa as a representative of the World Wildlife Fund) came up… I went for it. It was a great way to help publicize the WWF's programs and also see if I could beat the speed ascent record.

What was the run like?
Extremely tough. I had to deal with everything. It was raining when I started off, then sleeting, then cloudy, then the sun came out, then a huge sandstorm hit, then the alpine environment. I puked when I got to the top.

How was the trip different from climbs you've done in the past?
It was totally different from mountaineering; there was basically no gear, so it was essentially just trail running. But you still have that high altitude so you have to really be careful and know how your body's going to react to it.

Was it difficult to prepare, since you live down near sea level?
It was, but I was up on Kilimanjaro for eight days, running and conditioning.

How do you stay motivated in such a hectic, urban environment like Washington, DC?
It's tough, but it goes back to goals. I never want to go out the door to train without having a goal in mind. It's all mental; you can do it, but how do you train your mind to do it?

How has trail running fit into your overall fitness program?
Before I just did tons and tons of cross training. I didn't really train for the North Pole Marathon very much, but after I decided to go to Kilimanjaro I started running a lot more to prepare my legs. It's really added to my program and I think it's safe to say that without that preparation I wouldn't have been able to break the record.

What's next on your calendar?
Antarctica (TK-when? No date is set yet. He's focusing on book publicity at the moment.); hopefully open up some more eyes concerning the environment and global warming. My first goal is to run a marathon at the South Pole and then climb the highest peak on the continent, Mount Vinson Massif.