SHACKLETON CHALLENGES FOUNDATIONS
Expedition Preparation Programme
Challenges Foundations is a world-class expedition preparation programme designed to inspire, prepare and equip Shackleton’s clients for the Challenge. The programme is delivered via a combination of personal consultations, online webinars and unique experiences by Shackleton’s expert performance partners in endurance, expeditions and extremes.
Shackleton has partnered with global institutions Loughborough University and Royal Geographic Society, alongside industry leaders Science in Sport to deliver a unique and impactful preparedness experience.
The Foundations Team
Max Thorpe - Head of Development
Max designed and developed the Foundations programme and has directed its delivery for over 2 years, preparing hundreds of clients towards setting and achieving ambitious expedition and life goals.
Max is a world record-breaking athlete and the protagonist of an unlikely comeback story. His experiences have taken him to the very edge when in 2017 he and his teammate were hit by a devastating rogue wave during a race to row across the Atlantic Ocean. The resulting capsize, fire and rescue is widely regarded as some of the most perilous sequence of events in the history of ocean sport. Two years later he returned to win the race and set a new world record for the fastest pairs crossing in history.
Prior to joining Shackleton, Max ran his own consulting business focused on helping individuals and teams from boat, boardroom and beyond to tackle the critical challenges of preparedness for extreme and uncertain environments.
Gus Barton - Head of Training
Gus is one of the world’s leading expedition and endurance coaches. He founded Endurance Ready in 2015 to help people thrive in extreme environments. Over the past 8 years, Gus has delivered over 10,000 hours of 1-2-1 personal training and performance coaching and enabled over 300 clients to achieve success in expeditions and adventures, including multiple world records across oceans, deserts, polar and mountains.
Gus provides a personal consultation and physical training programme to all clients. His services can also be engaged in a deeper capacity to design bespoke day-to-day training, round-the- clock consultation, and monthly progress tracking.
Rhodri Lewis - Head of Equipment
Rhodri is a leading expedition equipment expert who consults, tests and procures apparel and functional gear for operating in the extremes. During his time living in Norway, he worked closely on equipment testing and development with some onf the world’s best polar guides, Military Special Forces and record-breaking explorers.
Rhodri provides clients with a personal kit package containing every item they require for the Challenge, all of highest quality available. He then familiarises clients, via a personal consultation, with the features and function of all their equipment and apparel in the context of their specific Challenge demands and environment.
Steve Harris - Head of Physiology & Testing
Steve is a performance and physiology specialist who has leads Shackleton’s athlete testing experiences at Loughborough University. Steve supports across all environments, and has taken part in expeditions with Shackleton in our Norwegian HQ, Finse. His primary focus at Loughborough is optimising elite athletes' performance, including physiological responses to extreme stimuli such as altitude, temperature, and humidity.
Steve earned his degree in Sport and Exercise Science from the University of Bath, followed by a Master's in Physiology at Loughborough University. He has played a key role in delivering comprehensive physiology testing and tailored training programs to elite athletes across disciplines for the university and beyond.
Foundations Partners
Loughborough Sport
Loughborough Sport is globally recognised as a leader and pioneers in athletic performance, consistently producing and training elite athletes and driving cutting-edge research in sports science.
Shackleton’s Elite Athlete Performance Day is based out of Loughborough’s Elite Athlete Centre, where clients are immersed in this extraordinary high-performance environment, rubbing shoulders with some of the world’s best athletes while receiving the same top-class treatment.
This experience not only enhances clients understanding of their own physiological profile and potential but also provides expert guidance to Shackleton’s Head of Training to optimise the programme. Testing on the day includes:
Strength & Conditioning: 10-Point Functional Performance Profiling
Performance Physiology: Testing your aerobic & anaerobic thresholds, VO2 Max, and fuel
utilisation
Environmental Stimulus: Assessing your responses to extreme altitudes, temperatures, and
humidities
Science in Sport (SIS)
Science in Sport (SiS) is a global leader in performance nutrition, specialising in scientifically formulated products for energy, hydration, and recovery since 1992. SiS supports elite athletes and over 150 professional sports teams with evidence-based, rigorously tested nutrition solutions. Their commitment to research and innovation ensures the highest standards in sports performance.
Shackleton are the exclusive expedition partner of Science in Sport, working together to push the limits of human endurance and performance in the world’s extreme environments.
SiS experts deliver foundational and advanced knowledge to clients to help them understand how food impacts their ability to perform in both training and the extremes.
Royal Geographic Society
The Royal Geographical Society (RGS) is an iconic insinuation and world leader in exploration past, present and futures, having supported legendary expeditions such as those of Shackleton himself. The RGS represents unparalleled expertise, historical archives, and a global network of explorers.
The offer a unique experience at the RGS: an evening exploring Antarctic expedition archives, with a drinks reception in the Society’s Reading Room, where you’ll view historic artifacts from expeditions that reached the South Pole over 100 years ago. This event allows you to immerse yourself in the history of exploration and follow in the footsteps of Shackleton.
