It all started with a concept that Peter Fairhurst, 47, discovered on YouTube: Everesting. The principle is simple: ascend (and descend) an ascent of his choice, as many times as necessary to reach an elevation equivalent to the altitude of Everest, i.e. 8.848 meters. This activity, normally practiced by cyclists, then interests the Franco-British.
It must be said that this 2018 champion of France in aquathlon (discipline consisting in linking swimming and running without stopping the stopwatch) is a follower of sporting adventures: Sand Marathon, the ascent in one day of Mount Damavand in Iran, a trail in the Himalayas … “My professional job is quite stressful, so I need to have an activity nearby for my balance”, He explains.
However, the coronavirus health crisis led to the cancellation of all competitions. He then came up with the idea of finding a challenge to achieve in Chartres to get out of confinement. “The only place where there is a drop is the steps to the cathedral, so why not do an Everesting!”
“We are entering a form of trance”
Peter then begins physical preparation: in addition to stationary cycling on his home trainer – 2,020 km for eight weeks -, He goes out three to four times a week for an hour to go up and down, and complete it all with physical exercises to strengthen your legs (jumps, lunges, burpees…).
Arrives on D-Day: overnight from Friday May 22 to Saturday May 23, 1 a.m., Peter attacks the 345 ascents and descents of the Saint-Nicolas mound by running.
“I expected a lot more weariness and I didn’t have one, he is still surprised. I had brought an MP3 player to listen to a lot of music, but after the 3rd – 4th hour I hardly listened to it. ”
We go into a form of trance, hypnosis or meditation, and time flies very quickly.
“I have eaten very little”
“We also become much more sensitive to changes around us “, he continues. It crosses at the beginning of night owls, cats, as well as an otter! “At 5 a.m., all the birds start to sing the crate. I saw the sun rise around 6 a.m. At the same time, you have to stay focused so as not to trip or climb or descend. ”
To stay focused, you also need to eat: Peter has put a supply bag on the steps with an explanatory sheet so as not to be stolen.
“I had taken a lot with me but I ate very little during the day.“He uses it when he wants to, knowing that it can be dangerous to force yourself. “By cons I drank a lot, 10 to 15 liters, I alternated between still water, sparkling water, sodas.”
Almost 22 hours of effort
The steps and the hours pass by. “I really wasn’t sure about the challenge”Admits Peter. “It was my wife who, when I passed the 200 rehearsals, contacted friends and shopkeepers to tell them to go see me.” In the evening, the solo adventure turns into a human adventure, where many people support him.
“At the end I was aware that I was going to finish”. Running or walking. Throughout the course, he only stopped twice, 10 and 5 minutes. “The rest of the time I was in continuous movement. For example, I walked up the steps rather than running. The danger at the end was that my legs would not start again if I ever took a break.”
Saturday, around 11:30 p.m., after about 22 hours of effort, Peter rose to his challenge: cover 127 km and climb an elevation of 8,938 meters, more than Everest!
Another challenge in mind
If he is relieved to have finished, the exhilaration of the feat does not happen until the following days: “It was rather a delayed joy, a feeling of satisfaction and the great pleasure of being the first to do Everesting in Chartres”. A practice which he hopes to have made known to the inhabitants of the city.
But happiness was accompanied by some pain in the legs: “dFor the night of Sunday to Monday, it took me a quarter of an hour to get out of bed and go to the bathroom”, He admits, amused.
When asked if he wants to repeat such a feat elsewhere, he thinks for a few seconds before answering: “Not in running, because it hits your knees, but on a bike, yes.”He also has another challenge in mind: the 10,000m vertical drop on a bike.
If I walked 8,000 meters, I should get there by bike!
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