Patty Alcivar is originally from Barranquilla, Colombia and considers herself an all around athlete. Leaving an abusive home at the age of 15 and working after school and paying rent are only some of the obstacles she has overcame and what has made her a “fighter” in life. Patty was an accomplished Amateur Boxer winning 2 NYC Golden Gloves, USA National & International Gold Medalist and now the NYS Title holder as a Pro Boxer. She has also completed 25 Marathons including 2 Boston. Her passion for Mountain Climbing is what gives her clarity and her goal of climbing the 7 Summits of the World is her Dream. Upon completion, She hopes to build a foundation for women of all ages and inspire them to seek the great outdoors.
We just love following your journey on the quest to complete the Seven Summits. Your first summit, Kilimanjaro, was completed in 2.5 days! What motivated you to reach the summit so quickly?
Kilimanjaro is typically climbed in 6-12 days in order to ensure proper acclimating and a successful summit. The guides often use the term “Pole, Pole” meaning slow and steady. As a pro boxer & competitive runner, I am used to pushing way above my comfort zone. The pace was extremely slow for the first hour when we started in the rain forest. We were suppose to hit the first hut/checkpoint in 6 hours. I felt great and took off while my guide tried to keep up. We made the first check point in almost 3 hours. I was restless and told the guide that based on my pace, I wanted to attempt a summit. He said he had never met anyone as fast and strong so he agreed. I was fortunate and did not get any altitude sickness and completed the entire climb in 2.5 days!
You will be heading to Aconcagua in December, your second of the great Seven Summits. What does your training look like, in the gym and on the trails?
I am all set for My 2nd of 7 Summits this December 14th for Aconcagua in Argentina which is almost 23,000ft high. I was taught by my boxing coach at a very young age that It is better to over prepare. I take training very seriously which is part of the reason I have done well in all my expeditions thus far. Everything I am currently doing is with Aconcagua in mind. I pretty much hike with a weighted pack every weekend for 6-12hrs at a time, I run 5 times a week and strength train 3 times a week as well as throw a few swims in there. Additionally, I have scheduled a few tune-up mountains to enhance my skills like Rainier, Chimborazo and Pico De Orizaba and see what I need to work on.
How did you become involved in mountaineering, and how has it positively impacted your life?
I starting hiking when I was going to school in Asheville, NC. I was very alone and a friend took men on my first hike to Mount Mitchell (one of the highest peaks in the Northeast). The experience of the challenge and,beauty was incredible and I started hiking on my own weekly. Once I moved back to NYC, I was craving to be out in Nature. My boss knew I loved the outdoors and for my birthday 2 years ago, gave me a gift to climb Mount Superior. It was my first time mountaineering, using crampons and an ice axe but I made it to the summit 12,000ft and I was completely hooked! The guide said he had never had a client with zero experience summit such a challenging mountain on their first try. I knew that the mountains were in my blood. I was,deeply moved by the challenge and beauty of alpine climbing. Mountaineering at that level has given me so much hope and confidence to keep believing in myself and dreams while inspiring others to do the same.
Who do you look up to? How do they inspire you?
I am inspired by anyone that has overcome major obstacles and accomplished their dreams while remaining humble and helping others. I was definitely moved by the movie Meru and the incredible resilience of the team.
What are some of the most memorable stories and achievements from your adventures?
My most memorable and inspirational adventure thus far is definitely my first Ecuador Expedition last year. I first went in July 2016 and failed to summit by 500ft, Chimborazo, 20,702 ft (technically the tallest mountain in the world when measured from the center of the earth). I went back 5 months later and became the first female boxer to summit Chimborazo!
What have been some of the obstacles in your adventures? What did they teach you?
The constant obstacle faced in mountaineering is Mother Nature. The harsh weather conditions have taught me so much about being patient which definitely is not my strength. To respect Mother Nature and the extreme weather and to over prepare and plan carefully and focus.
We at This Adventure Life want our readers to live life fearlessly in the pursuit of living their ideal life. What would your advice be for someone who wants to live fearlessly and pursue their wildest dreams?
My boxing coach once said to me ” I can teach you how to,throw a jab, a hook and an uppercut. I can train you to have better stamina and conditioning, but the one thing you cannot teach anyone is heart…you either have it or you don’t.” I believe extreme mountaineering is the same. Being Fearless is not something you teach, you either have it or you don’t. Skills you can learn, but for the mountains or anything in life, Passion is a must.
You are striving to summit Everest in 2019. How are you mentally and physically preparing for this endeavor? What do you hope to accomplish in summiting the world’s highest mountain?
I have my heart set on Everest 2019. I have been mentally and physically preparing for it I believe all my life. I have felt since I was a very young girl that one as destined for something as big as Everest. I keep learning new things about myself and the mountains with each expedition experience, so I will keep training, reading and climbing to be property prepared. Upon completion, I hope to build an outdoor foundation for women of all ages, speak, motivate and set another goal!
Visit her website: www.patriciaalcivar.com
Follow her on Instagram: @pattyboxer12
At This Adventure Life we celebrate the lives and stories of the people who live life fearlessly. #livefearlessly