22/05/2025
It's a bit of a common misconception that an Everesting is a purely physical effort. Don't get me wrong - this is one of the toughest activities you are likely to encounter - however even a perfectly executed training plan can only get you so far.
You see, there's this point affectionately know amongst Everesters as 'the death zone' that kicks in around the ~6,000m mark of an attempt. You've generally reached this point through physical training, but the final crest (our 'Hillary's Step') requires mental resilience.
That's because at 6,000m you are a long way into an Everesting, but you still have a lot of climbing to go! It takes true mental grit to accept that, not panic, and continue climbing.
You’ve got to choose to keep climbing. Lap after lap. Doubt creeps in. The climb starts whispering excuses. But this is where Everesting really begins - not when you start, but when your body says stop and your brain says: nope, not yet.
Getting to 6,000m is pure strength. Getting to 8,848m is something else entirely.
