The Climb of a Lifetime: My Journey to Conquer “Everest” in the Lake District.
As I write this, It is just over one week away and I will I be taking part in a challenge that once seemed insurmountable (even before the surgery!), I’m filled with a mix of excitement, fear, and profound gratitude. On the 12th September, I’ll begin a 48-hour hike, hoping to reach the equivalent height of Mount Everest—8,848 meters—by ascending and descending a mountain in the Lake District 9.2 times. It’s a test of endurance, willpower, and sheer determination. But for me, it’s much more than that. It’s a testament to resilience, my recovery, and the power of belief. Belief in myself and a higher purpose.
A little over two years ago, the idea of undertaking such a challenge would have been unthinkable. I was recovering from major surgery, a procedure to remove a benign bone tumor from my pelvis. The surgery left me physically and emotionally broken. While in hospital, a person, with good intentions, told me that I’d have to scale back my “physical” activity and expectations. That I’d need to adjust to a “new normal,” a life where walking would be possible but not to expect that I would be able to climb Mount Everest. That was the moment that the seed was planted. One month into my recovery I remember posting on social media:
Something within me refused to accept that. While my body was healing, my mind was busy setting goals—big ones. I found myself researching challenges, reading stories of others who had defied the odds. Things happen for a reason and the Apex Challenge popped up on my social media and the rest is history. I made sure that it was clear in my head, that It wasn’t about proving anyone wrong; it was about proving something to myself.
As the date for the challenge draws nearer, I’ve been reflecting on the journey that has brought me here. It’s been a path marked by pain, patience, and perseverance. There were days when walking 3 miles on flat ground felt like I had climbed a mountain, and moments when the frustration of slow progress nearly made me throw in the towel. But each small victory—each step further than the last, each moment of strength and perseverance —built the foundation for this climb.
The journey has been as much about mental preparation as it has been about physical training. I’ve learned that challenges like this one are not conquered in a single moment of success, but in the accumulation of countless small decisions to keep going, to push a little further and harder, to believe that your best days are still ahead of you. Something that I say to myself daily:
“Better Each day” - Even if it’s only a little bit better in one area of your life.
As I prepare to take on this challenge, I’m mindful of managing my expectations. I know that completing it will not be easy; there will be moments of doubt, extreme fatigue, and most definitely pain. But I also know that whatever the outcome, the journey itself has been invaluable. Whether I reach the summit once, twice, or all 9.2 times, I will have done something remarkable. I will have shown up for myself, faced my all my challenges and obstacles, and refused to let them define me.
The significance of this challenge lies not just in the physical accomplishment, but in the personal growth it represents. It’s a reminder that our limits are often self-imposed, and that with patience, persistence, and self-compassion, we can push beyond them. It’s about acknowledging where we’ve come from, appreciating the progress we’ve made, and recognising that the true measure of success is not in the number of summits reached, but in the courage to start the climb.
So, as I lace up my Vivobarefoots and prepare for the journey ahead, I carry with me the lessons learned along the way: that strength is not just physical, that resilience is born from adversity, and that the only way to truly know our limits is to challenge them. Whatever happens on that mountain, I know I will come away stronger, wiser, and more connected to the person I’ve become through this journey.
To anyone facing their own mountain, I say this: don’t let anyone tell you what you can’t do. The path may be steep, and the summit may seem distant, but every step you take is a victory in itself. Embrace the journey, honour your progress, and trust in your ability to rise to the challenge—whatever it may be.
With Love, Nathan.