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27th Apr 2013

Feeling âRun Downâ An Everest half marathon

James Horscroft

As our testing at Everest base camp draws to a close, the investigator team is beginning to get itchy feet. With the unthinkably large playground of the Himalayas at our disposal, a vast range of ideas have been batted around for the past two weeks. For me, it marks an excellent opportunity to do something utterly ridiculous for charity.

So this is what Iâve come up with. A half marathon, entirely above 4000m, in a onesie. I will begin at Base Camp (5364m) and scramble the rocks, ice and ridges to Gorak Shep (5140m) and continue alongside the Khumbu Glacier to Lobuche (4910m). From here, Iâll traverse the Dughla Pass, head down the hill and into the valley. The final leg will involve passing through the village of Pheriche (4240m) and across the Pheriche Pass, before almost turning back on myself to head into the neighbouring valley. The final 2 miles will coincide with a gruelling 200m ascent to Dingboche (4410m), which marks the finish line.

Based on the exercise I have done at this altitude, this is going to be awful. The bike tests have felt like nothing short of suffocation, long walks have rendered me an reasonably inanimate, and even the short walk up the hill from the mess tent to the lab leaves me breathless. For this reason, Iâm not planning on smashing any personal bests. My target time will be 3 hours, but to be honest, if I finish it without any major stops/injuries, Iâll be pretty chuffed.

With over £1000 raised for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust already, Iâm pretty determined. CF is a debilitating hereditory disease, typified by a build-up of mucus on the lungs which leads to high susceptibility to infection, chronic hypoxia and other problems. As a result, CF patients often end up in critical care. My intention is that running a half marathon at this altitude may give me a tiny glimpse into what it feels like to suffer from CF for a short period of time.

I would be thrilled if I could raise over £1500 for this worthy cause, and over the moon if I could reach £2000. If you would like to donate, please go to:
www.justgiving.com/unbelievabletrekkers1

Thanks.

James Horscroft
XE2 Investigator, Everest base camp

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