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Ain’t no mountain high enough

MAR FM support a climb for a good cause

MAR FM and our subsidiary company Sovereign FM, are always on the look out for opportunities to support good causes and get involved with local community events, when and wherever possible.

So, when Sovereign were approached by Adrian, the associate of one of their clients, who was planning to climb to the base camp of Mount Everest to raise money for Dementia Support, they were more than happy to come on board as a sponsor.

Following a successful completion of this incredible challenge, we caught up with Adrian to find out more about his motivation to undertake this unusual experience, for a charity of great personal significance to him.

Q&A

What made you decide to take on this particular challenge?

I have always been in awe of Everest, ever since I was a young lad. Having been given the green light from my wife to make the 2 and a half week trip, I made arrangements with my company, transferring some unused leave that Covid-19 had prevented me from taking the previous year. Once these arrangements were made, the next step was to establish the best time of year to make the trip and book the dates.

Do you have any experience in completing these kinds of challenges, or was this your first one?

No specific experience, however, I did do quite a lot of walking and cycling training in the months leading up to the event, in the hope it would be sufficient for the trip.

What did you do to prepare for this event?

I trained most weekends and a lot of weekday evenings in the 3 months prior to the trip, to try and get some good miles in my legs. This also included frequent walks across the south downs and a couple of trips to the Brecon Beacons in South Wales.

What was the most memorable event/incident of your trip?

The whole experience was memorable, but the capital, Kathmandu, was truly an eye opener. I’ve never seen a city like it before. They experienced a serious earthquake in 2015, resulting in a large number of the buildings still being held up by wooden supports. Most people don’t have access to the luxuries that we enjoy in everyday life here in the UK, but despite this, the people were warm and welcoming.

There was also the 30 minute flight to Lukla airport in the mountains, which was equal parts amazing and horrifying, due to a landing runway no longer than a football pitch! Search for ‘landings at Lukla airport for a taste of this experience.

Lastly, I would have to say the views which become more beautiful the higher we climbed, culminating in the ultimate glacial vista, when we reached the base camp.

It is a challenging trip, what was the most difficult part?

I would have to say the altitude. It was particularly tough over 13-14000ft and made walking for 6-7 hours a day very difficult. By the time we reached the base camp (17,598 ft), I think our legs were on autopilot! The altitude also affected our sleep, leading to increased sleep deprivation the further we climbed – this made the trek a little bit more difficult with each passing day.

Why did you select Dementia Support to raise money for?

It’s a cause very close to my heart, having lost both my mum and mother in law to this cruel illness in the last few years. I felt I needed to do something for the amazing people that work in these dementia care homes.

How does it feel to have achieved this challenge?

It feels amazing, reaching the base camp felt like winning the world cup for me, knowing how hard I had worked to get there, to say I was buzzing for days afterwards is an understatement. I still can’t stop thinking about the trip and the people we met and trekked with even now, a few months later.

What things should someone consider before taking on this challenge?

You don’t need to be an athlete, but definitely train to be in the best shape you can be. As long as you are able to walk for 5 or 6 hours a day you should be okay and practicing uphill walking is a great advantage as your legs take a pounding.

It gets extremely cold at night, even inside, so you’ll need a good sleeping bag that will keep you warm, even at -20.

Be ready to rough it in the Tea houses, as these are very basic – I think we went around 6 days without a shower and I won’t even mention the toilets…

Are you planning on taking part in any other challenges in the future?

I would definitely consider it, I’ve not decided what or when that could be and I’ll have to clear it with the wife first!

Adrian was successful in raising £2600 for Dementia support, way in excess of his original target of £1000. We are pleased to have had the opportunity to contribute towards his incredible journey and to support a wonderful cause at the same time.

View Adrian’s just giving page here.