Tyler Andrews is a world class endurance runner whose start on the road has paved the way for success in the mountains. He competed in two Olympic Trials, three World Championships, and found his true passion in the mountains, where he has set countless world records in the Himalaya, Andes, USA, and Africa.

Not just an athlete, Tyler has also been working with athletes of all levels as a coach for more than a decade. 

Tyler joins Sam and Adrian on Episode 23 of the Duffel Shuffle Podcast! The three talk about Tylers blast onto the scene of big mountains. 

- Tyler talks about his background as a professional runner, and how the cancellation of races during COVID launched him into the scene of Fastest Known Times (FKT's). 

- He shares some of his experiences and strategies in the Himalaya, from FKT's on peaks like Manaslu and Ama Dablam, to treks in the Khumbu. 

- With training as a paramount focus, Tyler talks about his own goals and strategies, as well as his business, Chaski, which offers training support to athletes of all levels. 

You can follow Tyler on Instagram, @tylercandrews, and learn more about his big mountain adventures. More on Tyler's training collective, Chaski, can be found online here. Additionally, Tyler's training can be followed on his Substack and you can hear about it and more on his YouTube.

Monica Piris is an expedition doctor who has been working in the Himalaya since before Adrian started climbing there, by one expedition! Together, Monica and Adrian have completed dozens of expeditions, and Monica has established herself as one of the best known high altitude doctor's on the planet. She has been a critical part of countless Everest expeditions, and has worked with hundreds of climbers to reach their goals of climbing the highest peaks in the world. 

Monica joins Sam and Adrian on Episode 22 of the Duffel Shuffle Podcast! The three talk about Monica's career as an expedition doctor.

- Monica shares how she got her start on an early expedition in the Himalaya with Russell Brice. 

- She sheds light on the realities of being an expedition doctor, including the day to day medical value which is primarily basic care. Generally speaking, most of the expedition doctors role is addressing minor altitude, gastrointestinal and upper respiratory illnesses. 

- In collaboration with the expedition leader, Monica talks about the decisions she helps make, from both a medical and logistical perspective. Part of her value is having a clear perspective as she's not on the mountain at higher altitudes. 

You can follow Monica on Instagram, @monica_piris, and learn more about her work through Alpenglow Expeditions' blogs and webpages. 

Follow our podcast on Instagram @duffelshufflepodcast where you can learn more about us and our guests. Visit our website at www.duffelshufflepodcast.com and join our mailing list. The Duffel Shuffle Podcast is supported by Alpenglow Expeditions, an internationally renowned mountain guide service based in Lake Tahoe, California. Visit www.alpenglowexpeditions.com or follow @alpenglowexpeditions on Instagram to learn more.

Nick Russell has been exploring the world by snowboard for more than a decade now. What started as a career competing has transitioned to strictly human powered exploration to some of the worlds highest peaks. Nick's drive comes from being truly passionate about riding his snowboard, and loves travel and exploration just as much as a day in Truckee riding with friends.

Sam and Adrian sit down with Nick to talk about his path to riding professionally:
- The three talk about Nick's career trajectory, from growing up in a skiing family, through competing on his snowboard, and eventually following the footsteps of those before him into the world of human powered exploration.
- Mentors that have played a big role in many professional's lives, including the mentorship of Jeremy Jones, Jim Zellers, Hilaree Nelson, Jim Morrison and others that have shaped Nick's path.
- Nick's recent expedition to Papsura, where he completed the first snowboard descent of the iconic peak as a tribute line to the Hilaree Nelson.

You can learn more about Nick and his career on his Instagram, @nick_russelll and check out his new film 'Papsura: Peak of Evil' on Youtube here.

Follow our podcast on Instagram @duffelshufflepodcast where you can learn more about us and our guests. Visit our website at www.duffelshufflepodcast.com and join our mailing list. The Duffel Shuffle Podcast is supported by Alpenglow Expeditions, an internationally renowned mountain guide service based in Lake Tahoe, California. Visit www.alpenglowexpeditions.com or follow @alpenglowexpeditions on Instagram to learn more.

Sam and Adrian follow up on their conversation started in Episode 15. After discussion high altitude climbing and acclimatization, the two dive into a conversation about pre-acclimatization using hypoxic tents, and the program that Alpenglow Expeditions has established in Rapid Ascent. The program utilizes pre-acclimatization alongside advanced trip logistics to reduce the total expedition time by 25-50%. 

After discussing the three Piolets d'Or winners, and 60 finalists, Sam and Adrian jump into the complicated topic of high altitude climbing. The two share stories of their early experiences with altitude and talk about the basics of acclimatization and what a typical schedule might look at. Finally, they dive into the "aids" that are used for altitude climbing, from Diamox and Dexamethasone to Oxygen. A future episode will discuss the topic of Pre-Acclimatization using hypoxic tents, and what the Rapid Ascent system that Adrian has pioneered looks like.

Adrian and Sam chat about what it means to be a mountain guide. From introducing the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) and International Federation of Mountain Guide Associations (IFMGA) to discussing the decades of guides who came before the AMGA path was the standard, this episode is a great starting point for those curious about the training and business side of the  guiding industry.