Testing Your Fitness In The Real World - My Macchu Picchu Adventure
by Ellie Bishop McKenzie
As many of you know, I love testing my fitness outside the gym. This year’s challenge: Machu Picchu.
If you’ve followed my journey, you know these adventures started small. On my 49th birthday, I wondered—could I do a legless rope climb? I did. The next year, I went bigger: a standing backflip for my 50th birthday. Why? Because my younger brother used to flip effortlessly when we were kids—and I always wished I could. I hired a coach, trained in ninja gyms, sponge pits, trampolines, and finally the floor. It took work, but I nailed it. And that lit a fire.
Since then, every year has brought a new challenge:
51: 51 steps walking on my hands
52: Skydiving (thanks, John!)
53: Time with my dad in his final days
54: Learned to wakeboard
55: Summited Mt. Kilimanjaro—with 7 friends from the gym
That last trip sparked a new goal: helping others test their fitness in the real world, beyond the gym. Machu Picchu was my adventure for 56—and I brought 10 amazing people with me, including my 17-year-old daughter. Sharing this experience with her was a gift of its own.
Day 3 in Peru — The Hike Begins!
June 15
We started early—picked up at 4 AM, then a two-hour bus ride to Mollepata for breakfast. Another hour brought us to Chollaconcha, where the trek began.
The first leg: a steep, 3-hour hike to Saraypampa Camp (3900 meters/12,795 ft). The first 30-60 minutes were brutal—straight uphill at high altitude. But we pushed through, viewing glaciers and valleys, finally following an ancient Inca water channel still used today (7 km/4.35 miles).
By noon, we reached Sky Camp—cozy igloos and a well-earned lunch.
