Researcher climbs Kilimanjaro
Fitness trainer Carsten supports her in the preparations
2023-02-03
Carsten Bruhn, coach of university sports, supports Professor Berta Martín-López in the preparations for the ascent of Kilimanjaro.
While dealing with cancer treatment, Prof. Dr. Berta Martín-López climbed Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world. She transformed her challenge into a contribution to sustainable development in the region through a fundraising campaign for Tanzanian cancer patients. Her personal engagement follows the scientific engagement in a research project about the impact of nature on people’s wellbeing. This is more than only a story. That’s why she invited Carsten Bruhn from Leuphana’s Hochschulsport, who trained her in the previous year, and her PhD Student Milena Gross, with whom she shared not only a tent for a week but also an experience of a lifetime at the roof of Africa.
It was at the second meeting that Berta revealed to coach Carsten her plan to climb Kilimanjaro. Carsten Bruhn studies sports at Leuphana and has consulted his professor for altitude training. In the small gym af the university sports Berta could not be equipped with oxygen masks or similar. So Carsten prepared a beginner's whole body training with isolated movements and fascia training. Over the months, the two have seen great advances, but also great setbacks. Different methods have been developed for different conditions. Carsten had never seen anyone train so hard and was surprised that she kept smiling.
The entire report "The Value of Nature" can be found here.