Nick Symmonds Everest Attempt

context wrote:

hofst wrote:

Fair....that's quite the free fall.

Just to be clear, to any not aware of it Jerzy Kukuczka wasn't some random guy just falling off a mountain; he was second man ever to summit all 14 8000 meter peaks (second only to Reinhold Messner) and widely regarded as one of the greatest high altitude climbers in history (some regard him as the greatest).Unlike messner, who climbed some of his peaks by the standard routes, Kukuczka's climbs were all either solo, winter ascents, new routes, or a combination of those. A complete and total badass.

Did he do them all without oxygen like Messner?

Yes, it is! However, if you weren't there a month ago you will not have time to summit before the monsoon season starts.

I too have been to the Everest Base Camp. Not that much to see there really. Have climbed some smaller peaks around the area as well. By small I mean "trekking peaks" as they are called.

Just getting to EBC and Kalar Pattar is a feat alone. I'm glad that I did the trekking part independently as it gives you more time to adjust to the altitude. A luxury you don't have with a guided group.

rmess wrote:

Ultra Trail Guy wrote:

There is nothing i could say to convince a bunch of hal higdons flat perfect weathered no backboned roadies that train on tracks and sidewalks in crappy towns in jersey

Thanks for the laugh. Have fun on your next orienteering trot while the men actually run!

Men and road running is the worst comparison i ever seen

I do know mountaineering, and you summed it up perfectly - "a crapshoot".

Just gonna leave this here wrote:

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/grandmothers-climb-up-mt-everest_us_55cb9d93e4b0f1cbf1e736e1

I get your point that reaching base camp is not that hard. And I also am not particularly impressed with anyone that uses oxygen, guides, and fixed ropes to "climb" Mt. Everest. But anyone still moving, and moving well, at 84, is to be commended.

Wasn't Nick supposed to crack 3 hours for the marathon?

Did that ever happen?

This dude is a Dbag in bidness and in life.

Mountain Goats can't break 4:00 wrote:

Ultra Trail Guy wrote:

Kilian Jornet could break 4 in the mile.

Thanks for the Daily Chuckle

What is Jornets mile PB?

Climber Dude wrote:

Did he do them all without oxygen like Messner?

All without oxygen except Everest. But he climbed a new route on Everest not just the same old tourist path.

snow blow wrote:

Why did he use the sub 4 mile a distinction? His mile time is certainly one of his lesser achievements. Why not say only 40 people have run sub 1:43 in the 800 (don't know the actual number, just guessing)? Or World champ medalist?

hes the 33rd fastest 800m runner ever

3:58 two years ago

Sean O'Brien is 3:38/Sub-4 guy (American University, Farm Team, OTC). He is a legit climber and fared much better on American Ninja Warrior than Symmonds---.O'brien finished the whole course.

Very True! lol Best post I've read today

Everest is terribly overrated and the only difficult part is the elevation. If he really wants to do something impressive do K2. The Everest death rate is like 4%, K2 is like 23% (although if he was doing K2 I would make this post about how dumb he is to try that lol)

Nope. He ran the 1/2. Not sure if his time. I think he was injuried.

Has anyone else made a faster transition from pro runner to hobby jogger to straight attention whore than Nick? First he runs a 3:00 marathon and then a half assed 1:27 half and then says he is done competing. At least Ryan Hall did the 7 marathons 7 continent thing before hanging it up. Nick just bypassed slow running up a hill (ultra) and went straight to climbing. Uber lame. Even Lance Armstrong busted out a couple of sub 3:00 marathons. I think he got 2:40 or something. Plus what the F is run gum? There are a million gels and chews that have caffeine. Why do we need gum?

context wrote:

hofst wrote:

Fair....that's quite the free fall.

Just to be clear, to any not aware of it Jerzy Kukuczka wasn't some random guy just falling off a mountain; he was second man ever to summit all 14 8000 meter peaks (second only to Reinhold Messner) and widely regarded as one of the greatest high altitude climbers in history (some regard him as the greatest).Unlike messner, who climbed some of his peaks by the standard routes, Kukuczka's climbs were all either solo, winter ascents, new routes, or a combination of those. A complete and total badass.

Actually, among Polish climbers, almost all of who are true Badasses, Jerzy was regarded as "too crazy". Voytek Kurtyka, equally famous, stopped climbing with him because of the risks he took which Voytek regarded as unnecessary. Kurtyka is still alive and happily climbing warm rocks.