16/01/2026
Katie Gwynne started Personal Training at MBS Fitness in September 2024 with a mission to regain her fitness & complete the Overland Track in Tasmania.
After successfully achieving this challenge she next set her lofty sights on climbing to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. The largest freestanding mountain in the world standing at 5895m (19,340ft) it is for good reason it’s known as the ‘Roof of Africa.’⛰️
I had completed this climb back in 2005 for my 30th Birthday so I had an intimate understanding of the undeniable challenge that awaited.
My mind took me back to the brutal effects of altitude which provided all the symptoms of the world’s worst hangover. Nausea, thumping headache, unable to eat , energy levels on empty & to add to the mix an inability to sleep due to your heart trying to jump out of your chest. Then the clock strikes midnight & you muster up whatever is left in you to scale the side of one of the largest volcanos in the world. Where’s the fun in that you might ask?!
The reward lies in conquering the mountain & experiencing the most unimaginably beautiful sunrises as you peer across from Tanzania to Kenya. You can even see the curvature of the earth from the summit, which is extraordinary in itself.
I tried to reassure Katie with the positive elements of the climb without understating the difficulty. We set-up Personal Training 2x week (30min) on trek specific cardio, stability, muscular endurance & strength options. In addition Katie committed herself to long & challenging treks throughout the Perth region to condition herself both physically & mentally.
I received a message from Katie after her Kilimanjaro summit attempt which read: ‘That was the hardest thing I have ever done, but I kept on going because you told me I was ready & I had done the work. Thank you!!!’
As a fitness trainer this is the reason I have woken up at stupid o’clock for the past 30years to help people achieve & succeed.
Congratulations Katie on your incredible achievement. Onward & upward!!🏔️
~ Brett Smith (Lead Trainer)
