First is Tshering Sherpa who climbed with me to the summit. Here he is sitting on it, it was about a 20 foot long by 1 foot wide perch. I took pictures with three cameras, but had a wardrobe malfunction with my main one, so don't hold your breath for any great pictures from me from the summit.
What's been in my mind all day was how hard it was to climb Mt. Everest with bottled oxygen? I can only compare to other experiences so here are the hardest physical days of my life:
1. Italy 2015 24 Hour World Championships - terrible magnesium cramps
2. 2014 North Coast 24 hour run - I seriously could not walk for three hours after it was over
3. 2008 Casual Route on the Diamond on Longs Peak with Clay Meier - 20:15 car to car, super long mountain day, took a 20 foot pendulum fall.
4. 2002 Mt. Massive and Mt. Elbert in the same day solo - age 16, about 15.5 hours
5. 2009 double marathon (52.4 miles) fun run of Cape Cod May 9th - first ultra run at age 23
6. 2010 Wonderland Trail run solo (93 miles 31:32) - first real trail ultra run
7. 2006 Ellingwood ArĂȘte on Crestone Needle with John Inman - first technical mountain route, and first I lead, I have to look up the time but we finished in a hail storm after dark, and I really suffered leading the 5.7 at 14,000 feet.
8. 2013 Chicago Marathon - hit the wall, hard to explain this one, but I've never felt so empty, I felt like a zombie while running.
9. Mt. Everest with oxygen 2016 - obviously more to come about this
10. 2012 Devils Tower with Steve Bonneau and Ryan Stickle - I really struggled on the last pitch, dehydrated, not in great climbing shape.
11. 2009 Longs Peak Kiener's with Josh Zeigler - we took the 5.8 version by accident, ended up starting and finishing in the dark, 15 hours or so, but good weather.
The list gets pretty dense after this with lots of 10+ hour days and painful races. Also, I'm writing this on my phone at Everest basecamp so I might change my mind back at sea level in the states. Worth noting, I have to cry from the pain to make the top five, maybe even top eight but I can't remember for those three.
Regardless! amazing feat .
ReplyDeleteWOW-Congratulations on joining the tiny group of Giants. You are one of the few, and inspirational for the remainder of us to push beyond what might seem impossible! Congratulations!!
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