Peaks for PKD Blog
May 28, 2026

Training Update: The Final Weeks Before the National Three Peaks Challenge | Peaks for PKD

Support Eric's 3 Peaks Challenge!

 

Yorksh_02.pngLess than a month from now, Eric Hampel will stand at the base of the first mountain in the U.K. National Three Peaks Challenge and begin one of the toughest endurance tests of his life.

Three peaks. Three countries. Twenty-four hours.

And after months of training, preparation, and long days on the trail, Eric says the challenge is finally starting to feel real.

“It feels surreal that the challenge is less than a month away,” he says. “I feel nervous but excited. I feel physically ready, but you never know until the day of.”

For Eric, this journey has never been just about climbing mountains. It’s about living with polycystic kidney disease (PKD), supporting the wider PKD community, and helping raise funds for research and patient supports through Peaks for PKD II. It’s also deeply personal. His mother and aunt have both undergone kidney transplants because of PKD, and his grandfather passed away far too young after living with the disease.

Yorksh_01.pngAs the June challenge approaches, Eric recently completed one of his biggest training milestones yet: the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, a demanding 40 km hike completed in 11.5 hours alongside a team of co-workers in England.

“It was the longest single-day hike I’ve ever undertaken,” Eric says. “Three peaks, each about 700 metres tall. Finishing it while still having some reserves of energy and enthusiasm made me feel that the National Three Peaks is achievable.”

That doesn’t mean it was easy.

The Yorkshire challenge tested not only endurance, but mental resilience. Hours of hiking, steep ascents, rocky terrain, and the relentless reality of continuing to move when your legs are already tired.

Yorksh_04.png“There was one section on the way up Ingleborough, the final peak, that was a very steep scramble,” Eric recalls. “That was certainly the most technically challenging portion, and we were really thankful it was a dry day. In the rain, it would have been treacherous.”

But the hardest part wasn’t necessarily the climbing itself.

“Honestly, the distance was the hardest part. Staying positive and motivated for a 12-hour slog is never easy. The promise of a cold beer in a cozy English pub at the end certainly helped in the final few kilometres.”

Moments like that made the challenge feel human and real. Not just an athletic achievement, but a shared experience.

“It was fantastic doing it with co-workers. We all kept each other motivated and had lots of laughs along the way. Often I train solo, so this was a really fun change.”

Yorksh_03.pngHe describes hikers swapping snacks on the trail “like a bunch of public school children,” taking turns leading the group on steep sections, and encouraging each other through the difficult stretches. That spirit of teamwork will continue next month when Eric reunites with Owen, a friend from Canada whom he first met while climbing Mount Kilimanjaro during his previous Peaks for PKD challenge.

“It feels great to have someone to do the challenge with,” Eric says. “He’s a great climber and will certainly push me.”

One image from the Yorkshire hike has stayed with him in particular.

“The moment that most stuck with me was seeing the iconic viaduct in the distance, then watching it disappear behind hills for over two hours of hiking until we finally turned a corner and it was suddenly right before us. It really put into perspective the distances we were covering during the day.”

Yorksh_07.pngThat sense of scale is difficult to communicate unless you’ve lived it yourself. And that’s one reason Eric has been sharing his training journey publicly.

“These challenges aren’t just something you decide to do overnight,” he says. “Preparation is everything. Not just physical preparation, but the right gear, the right food, and the right plan.” During the Yorkshire hike, his group passed another hiker who was badly struggling because he didn’t have the proper footwear.

“No one in our group of 15 had issues like that because we were prepared.”

Now, with the National Three Peaks Challenge rapidly approaching, Eric says his focus has narrowed to one key word: preparation.

Yorksh_08.png“The next month will be all about preparation. One or two smaller training hikes, plus running and gym work to maintain my fitness, new hiking socks, and making sure I have the right food for the 24-hour challenge.”

The one thing he’s still most nervous about?

“The pace of the ascent. To complete the challenge within 24 hours requires a demanding pace both up and down the mountains.”

And yet, despite the nerves, the reason behind the challenge never leaves him.

Eric wears a #ENDPKD bracelet every day, including during his climbs.

Yorksh_06.png“When my legs are tired or I’m deep into a long climb, I look at it and think about my family and everyone in the PKD community who deals with this disease every day.”

That motivation matters because PKD remains one of the most common life-threatening genetic diseases, yet treatment options are still limited. Many people with PKD eventually face dialysis, transplant, aneurysms, chronic pain, or kidney failure.

“There’s a really exciting pipeline of potential treatments right now,” Eric says. “I hope my efforts can help make a difference in expediting this research.”

For him, the climbs are meaningful. But the fundraising is what gives them purpose.

“While undertaking these challenges is fun, what really drives me is knowing I’m doing them to raise awareness and funds for the PKD community.”

As challenge weekend gets closer, Eric hopes people following his journey feel both the excitement and the meaning behind it.

Yorksh_05.png“I hope people feel the excitement and nervousness of taking on such a big challenge, but also the fulfillment of doing something to support the wider PKD community.”

And if someone is considering donating?

“I would strongly encourage them to do so. PKD is far more common than people realize, and right now there are very few treatment options despite the massive impact it has on families. Donations to fund lifesaving research make a huge difference.”

In less than a month, Eric will begin climbing the highest peaks in Scotland, England, and Wales within a single 24-hour period.

Three peaks. One purpose.

And a whole community climbing with him in spirit.

 

Support Eric's 3 Peaks Challenge!

 

PKD patient Eric Hampel is taking on the U.K. National Three Peaks Challenge this June, climbing the highest mountains in Scotland, England, and Wales within 24 hours to raise funds and awareness for polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Inspired by his family’s experience with PKD and his own diagnosis, Eric is using his training and the challenge itself to support PKD research and patient programs in Canada and the U.K. Through regular training updates, he’s sharing the reality of preparing for a demanding endurance challenge while fundraising toward a future without PKD. This is Eric’s second climbing challenge to benefit people affected by PKD; in October 2024 he successfully summited Mt. Kilimanjaro.

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