Mount Your Own Everest — Everesting in Cycling
The sweltering heat made the droplets of sweat dripping in my eyes as I struggled to keep pedaling on a hill in an endurance test I took on myself. Mount Everest may seem like a far-flung and inaccessible territory, but by completing the cycling challenge equivalent in distance to Mount Everest, I could get the joy equal to biking on Everest itself.
This dare is known as the “Everesting challenge.” I was ardent to complete it and get my name on the “Hall of Fame.”
Everesting challenge is fiendishly simple — Cycling on a hill, any hill, up and down in a loop till you complete the climbing distance of Mount Everest i.e., 29,029 ft. in one go without sleeping.
The challenge may seem deceptively simple. But it can push even professional cyclists beyond their limits. Descending and ascending on the same hill is an uphill task in its literal sense that can test both your physical and mental endurance.
The professional cyclist and former world champion, Emma Pooley, after making the world record on Everesting said, “Never ever ever again.”
Similarly, another American Cyclist Ruth Joyce Winder stated,
“I will never Everest again.”
She also added, “It was a pretty fun five-hour ride followed by a pretty miserable seven and a half hour ride.”
Such an enduring challenge often goes unnoticed, with no media coverage, no cheering crowds, no air horn or flag signals to announce the commencement of the challenge. If luckily you got friends, they can cheer you up or feed you with snacks.
If it’s such a difficult task, one often wonders why bother?
It’s the beauty of such a feat that it gives an adrenaline rush to adventurous souls and pro-athletes. The sense of satisfaction and joy of completing a seemingly impossible task is beyond measure. Moreover, the cyclists get to be a part of the Hell 500 club (makers of Everesting), enter their name in the Hall of Fame, and wear prestigious and symbolistic grey striped jerseys.
How Did it Start?
Andy Van Bergen, a Melbourne-based Cyclist started the Everesting challenge in June 2014 along with his wife. After getting inspired by George Mallory, who cycled Mount Donna up and down 10 times. George Mallory was the grandson of the British mountaineer who took part in the Mount Everest Expedition several times.
Andy connected with 65 cyclists all over the globe to complete the Everesting challenge. He created the Hell 500 club where Everesting rules were set, and they keep track of all the successful entrants of the challenge.
Everesting saw a surge in popularity after the Pandemic when thousands of enthusiastic cyclists completed their cycling adventure and filled their social media with proud moments.
Rules Of Everesting
The rules of Everesting are regulated to keep uniformity in the challenge all over the globe, and it is what makes Everesting a Herculean task.
- You can’t sleep during the challenge, but there is no time limit. So, it all boils down to how soon you can finish in one go without sleep.
- Follow one route to ascend and descend the hill.
- Only elevation gain is counted; descend doesn’t count.
- Eating, drinking, and resting breaks are allowed.
- You must reach the peak of the hill every time.
- You must complete your descent after finishing the challenge and go back home.
- You can only take approved devices to record and track your progress on Strava.
Emma Pooley in her Instagram feed also revealed a secret, “But if I *were* to do another one. I’d do it a bit differently.”
Preparing For the Worth-Remembering Day
Even the pro-cyclists such as Emma Pooley and Ruth Joyce Winder can’t stress enough about strategic planning before undertaking the challenge. The success of this adventurous expedition depends on planning rather than going unprepared with mismanaged gears and accessories.
Careful Selection of Route and Training
Select your route carefully that has minimal crowd, smooth road, and is somewhere close to home. It will save your time getting to the hill to start your challenge. Everesting can be a lonely challenge. The best friend over there can be the greenery around because the plain terrain attracts boredom which can quickly turn into misery, self-doubt, and negative thoughts.
Additionally, training is also essential for preparing your body for the task and getting your muscles habitual to avoid pain and cramped calves.
Set Up a Base Camp
Set up a base camp with all necessary gears, medicines, equipment, emergency treatment options, bicycle repairing, and loads of food. You should also have extra batteries, lighting, or anything essential that you may require in case of an emergency.
Steady Pace
At the beginning of the challenge, when you are energized and excited, you may feel the adrenaline rush to cycle at a faster pace. But remember! It’s a marathon, not a sprint. If you start at a faster pace, your energy will burn out sooner. Keep your energy saved for the harder parts of the continuous loop. Your steady pace can only be determined by you where your body doesn’t start aching at the very start.
Ride with Your Cycling Buddies
Everesting makes you feel alone, isolated, and cut off from the world. Boredom and monotonous pedaling will soon invite self-doubt and a sense of fatigue. Friends or supporters can help you cope up with your fears. They can ride a few miles with you to accompany you, lift your mood, and crack a few jokes along the way. They will entertain and engage you in a positive conversation and help you get your dream adventure accomplished.
Fuel Your Body with Right Snacks
You have got a long day ahead of bicycling. Continuous riding will soon de-energize and dehydrate you as a result of calories burned. So, take enough water bottles and snacks with you till you reach base camp. Don’t take anything heavy to eat; it will make you feel drowsy. Many Everesters are known to have hallucinations, vomiting, or endless crying due to heavy electrolyte mix in their drinks or eating something their body is not familiar with.
Mind Over Body
After a few laps, it all becomes a mind game. The positive attitude and the eyes on the rewarding satisfaction is the only thing that will keep you going forward. Your willpower should exceed your body power to take you to the finish line.
Emma Pooley said, “Not everybody gets to choose how they suffer.”
There is a reason you choose to suffer from the hardships of the task.
Don’t forget your ultimate reason for choosing Everesting as it brings you the glory and sense of achievement that you won’t get anywhere else.
