Yuichiro and Gota Miura: Everest 2008

Yuichiro and Gota Miura Departs for Final Conditioning and Training at Qomolangma ABC (Advanced Base Camp; 6400m) in Anticipation for Miura Qomolangma 2008

Project: Only six months left to the launch of Miura Qomolangma 2008 Project, Team Miura is on their final training to the start. Yuichiro Miura (Age 75) and Gota Miura (Age 38) will conduct their final training and conditioning at the Qomolangma’s Advanced Base Camp (6400m) and its higher Camp for 1 month from October 10th, 2007.

Immediately after the summiting of Mt Everest at age 70 years and 7 months in 2003, Yuichiro Miura has drawn up his next adventure of summiting Mt Everest (Qomolangma) from the Chinese side at age 75, challenging the limit of human capacity and ability. However, soon after his return, he had suffered serious arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) and arterial fibrillation (irregular shaking of arteries) due to aging and severe physical activities from climbing the Everest. These symptoms are not rare, as one in every four elderly experience them, in which their risks can be minimized with appropriate medication under normal living circumstances. However, under a severe condition in high altitudes over 8000m where the oxygen concentration level is extremely low, the risks of arrhythmia and arterial fibrillation are tremendously high and difficult to control. Thus, Yuichiro decided to undergo an arrhythmia operation (Catheter Abberation) last December and went on a training expedition to Island Peak in the Himalayas this spring to examine his health progress. Unfortunately, his arrhythmia was again observed in a high altitude condition, hence, Yuichiro underwent his second arrhythmia operation this June soon after his return. Both operations were operated by the team headed by Doctor Iesaka, the world pioneer of arrhythmia treatment, and Doctor Uno of Tsuchiura Kyodo General Hospital, and Doctor Kobayashi and Doctor Koyama of Nippon Medical School. With a close observation and treatment, and with continual training, Yuichiro’s physical ability and health had recovered to the point where he was at when he summited Everest at age 70, results observed after physical fitness test conducted at National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya this late September.

Gota Miura’s detailed report on this subject is as follows:

Gota Miura’s Report on Physical Fitness Test at National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya (September 24th & 25th, 2007)

Yuichiro and Gota Miura underwent a two-day physical fitness test at National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya under the supervision of Professor Masayoshi Yamamoto on September 24th and 25th.

Kanoya’s physical fitness tests have been conducted every year since year 2000, and aim to observe Yuichiro’s long-term physical changes caused by aging.

The main objectives of this time physical test were to examine how the two Catheter Abberation operations have influenced Yuichiro’s physical fitness, and to compare his current fitness level to his fitness level observed immediately before departing to Everest expedition in 2003.

It was observed that the Volume O2 Maximum (VO2Max) was most influenced physical fitness value by the two Catheter Abberation operations. VO2Max is an indicator of an individual’s aerobic capacity, thus determining its endurance level.

In 2003 before the summit of Mt Everest, Yuichiro’s VO2Max was 32.08ml/kg/min. This amount exceeded the average VO2 Max value of the age 70’s, which is 27.7ml/kg/min, and his estimated age equivalent to the VO2Max value at the time was age 56. However, due to his arrhythmia and arterial fibrillation observed soon after the summit, his VO2Max decreased to 27.9ml/kg/min, a 16% decrease in aerobic capacity, equating to the average amount of his age 74. This result was explained as due to Yuichiro’s heavy load activity that limited his cardiac output (blood outflow from the heart), triggering arterial fibrillation.

Yet, after undergoing two operations, Yuichiro’s arterial fibrillation was almost fully controlled, and he was freed from the medication, which he was on for more than a year to control the heart rate and the rhythm.

As a result, his VO2Max valued up to 32.7ml/kg/min, a higher mark than the value in 2003 before the Everest summit and more than 17% increase from the value observed in 2006.

This number indicates that his fitness level is in age 50’s.

According to Dr. Iesaka and Dr. Uno who had operated on Yuichiro in both operations, this result was due to the improvements on Yuichiro’s cardiac output, as it had increased 20% since the operations.

Moreover, Yuichiro’s value for back strength and vertical jump showed a small but significant increase. This increase may have resulted from this summer’s two-week training camp that involved stretching, muscle training, and mountain climbing in Salt Lake City.

However, Prof. Yamamoto advised that Yuichiro’s leg extension and reduction values need to be improved considering maintaining leg muscle strength required for long climbing activities. Concentration in training on leg muscles will be anticipated.

In conclusion, physical fitness test showed significant increase in overall fitness, which is an astonishing outcome considering the fact that Yuichiro has aged 5 years since 2003.

With the success of arrhythmia operations, the safety level of mountain climbing activities can be said to have increased and the necessary physical fitness is attained for Yuichiro’s next challenge. The summit of Everest that seemed so far to reach until last year is alas in clear view.

Our main objectives now, are to reach ABC as safely and with less strain as possible in this final training expedition, and closely observe and maintain Yuichiro’s physical strength and fitness during his remaining period for acclimatization to the X Day in 2008, a valuable quest for ultimate physiological anti-aging.

Expedition Schedule:

2007 MIURA ABC Training Expedition Schedule

Period ：07.Oct.10 ～ Nov.１3

Team Members： Yuichiro Miura, Gota Miura, Kazuya Igarashi

Day Date Team Activity Altitude

1 Oct. 10 Narita - Kuangchou - Katmandu

2 11 Preparation in Katmandu

3 12 Preparation in Katmandu

4 13 Preparation in Katmandu

5 14 Katmandu - Rasa 3,800m

6 15 Acclimatization in Rasa Temple Village

7 16 Acclimatization in Rasa Temple Village

8 17 Rasa - Shigatse 3,800m

9 18 Shigatse - Shigarl 4,200m

10 19 Shigarl - BC 5,200m

11 20 BC Shigarl 4,200m

12 21 Acclimatization in Shigarl

13 22 Acclimatization in Shigarl

14 23 Shigarl - BC 5,200m

15 24 Rest at BC

16 25 Acclimatization at BC

17 26 BC-C１ 5,500m

18 27 C1-C２ 6,000m

19 28 C２-ABC-C２ 6,400m(ABC）

20 29 C２-BC 5,100m

21 30 Rest at BC

22 31 Rest at BC

23 Nov.1 BC-C１ 5,500m

24 2 C1C２ 6,000m

25 3 C２ABC 6,400m

26 4 ABC

27 5 ABC (Reserve Day)

28 6 ABC (Reserve Day)

29 7 ABC-BC 5,200m

30 8 BC  Zanmu

31 9 Zanmu  Katmandu

32 10 Wrap-up in Katmandu

33 11 Wrap-up in Katmandu

34 12 Wrap-up in Katmandu

35 13 Kuangchou  Narita

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