Run Everest – The Journey

Recently a small team of avid trail runners made their way to Nepal for what’s been called ‘Year 0’ of an exciting new stage race called Run Everest. It was a chance for the event organisers to test the plan, spend tie with their local team and also get feedback from experienced outdoor athletes. One of those lucky enough to join the adventure was Elle Finch, who also is a key member of the For Wild Places team. Read about her time in the Himalayas below!

Tell us more about your recent adventure in Nepal Elle – where, who, when and why?

My running coach, Dave Byrne, organised the event (in collaboration with Take on Nepal). It’s always been a life goal to go trail running in Nepal, and I figured that an expedition to Everest Base Camp would be pretty cool. The event also aligned with my values – it’s a ‘give back’ event. Entry fees covered the schooling of one Nepalese child for a year, facilitated by the charity Friends of Himalayan Children. Also, profits from Run Everest will go towards the cost of training female mountain guides that will eventually be employed by event partner, Take On Nepal.

The team met each other in Kathmandu on the 5th December, and we flew to Lukla on the 6th, where the adventure began. Altogether, we spent 10 nights in the Himalayas, journeying to the following towns:

• Lukla

• Phakting (2,610m)

• Namche Bazar (3,440m)

• Tengbuche (3,860m)

• Dingbuche (4,410m): we spent two nights here, with an acclimatisation day in between

• Lobuche (4,910m): we also spent two nights here, as we went to Everest Base Camp as an out-and-back.

Overall, the adventure was incredible. I was fortunate to be part of a wonderful team, and share memories with some very special people. Everyone had such a positive attitude, and we laughed a lot and all got along really well. It was a small group (7 participants, and 7 guides / porters from Take on Nepal). Next year, the event will be an official stage race, with slightly longer distances each day, so watch this space if you’re keen.

How did you find the conditions for running? It’s winter over there at the moment (right?!) and from the looks of your photos, you were in shorts the whole time!

Surprisingly, I did spend the majority of time in shorts and a t-shirt and managed to get a tan (very unexpected)! Overall, the conditions for running were certainly varied, and quite challenging. Here are some of my thoughts:

Daytime weather: Generally, absolutely beautiful. I left our accommodation most mornings wearing shorts and a t-shirt. It was only the final few days when staying in Dingbuche and Lobuche that I wore more layers (usually just waterproofs). This is because the wind was icy cold, and I didn’t want to risk my temperature dropping. In my hydration pack, I carried merino wool thermals (top and bottom), a polyester long sleeve, waterproofs (pants and top), beanie and a puffer jacket. The mornings were so cold, that I needed to wear these layers to keep warm, and then strip off last minute before we got going. In addition, when we arrived at our new accommodation, the porters generally weren’t there, so I had to strip off anything that got mildly sweaty from the day, have a wet-wipe down (my daily shower) and then put all the layers I carried on, to ensure that I remained warm.

Night time temperatures: Night time was bitterly cold – from Lukla all the way up to Lobuche. I’m very glad I hired a -20 degrees sleeping bag from The North Face – I highly recommend the gear. Every night before bed I would fill my nalgene bottle with boiling water, and then strip down into merino wool thermals and awkwardly shimmy my way into my sleeping bag. One morning I reached for a water bottle next to my bed and it had completely frozen, yet I remained toasty inside. The hardest part of the day was getting dressed in the morning. I’ve never been so organised – the night before I arranged my clothes in reverse order or when I would need them the following morning, place them next to my bed and then get 80% dressed in the morning inside of my sleeping bag.

Terrain: The terrain was very challenging to run on. Down in Lukla, the paths were very rocky, and completely uneven. And the higher we got, the dryer and dustier the conditions became. Terrain from Lobuche to Everest Base Camp was unrunnable. It reminded me of Mordor. In fact, on the way back from Base Camp, me an another participant kept taking wrong turns, so we pretended that we were Sam and Frodo trying to get the ring to Mordor (the scenery was uncanny, and we both happened to be LOTR fans). On the descent from Lobuche to Lukla, we did about 20kms per day, and it was unreal to see how rapidly the environment / terrain changed with more oxygen in the air. It was a lovely embodied learning experience.

Altitude: The altitude was very humbling. Whilst we did an acclimatisation day in Dingbuche, and summited a 5000m peak on this day, it doesn’t fully prepare you for living at altitude for a number of days. After Dingbuche, we stayed at Lobuche, which was the final village before going to EBC. At Lobuche there was only 70% oxygen, so walking and talking at the same time became almost impossible. Steep descents felt very hard (much harder than usual), and I found that headaches came on very quickly, and were very hard to get rid of. The entire team were very happy to leave Lobuche, and return lower down the valley.

Wind: The team were very lucky, and there was only a couple of days when we had really bad wind. The wind was generally icy cold, and having enough layers became crucial (including wind proof gloves).

Did you do any particular training sessions / plans to get ready for the trip? if so, how effective do you think they were, and what would you do differently next time?

Ha, no. I actually started doing some calf raises about a week before, which I should have commenced much sooner.  I generally like keeping fit, so I didn’t do anything specific beyond my usually running and strength. I assume that you can go to altitude gyms, but I’m honestly not sure how well they prepare you for the actual conditions (e.g. altitude mixed with dust, wind, terrain, etc.). The most effective thing you can do is fuel and hydrate your body appropriately when on expedition. You can do all the training, but if you under-eat or under-hydrate when at altitude, all of that is for nothing.

It was quite astounding how much energy you burn when at altitude. Having a decent breakfast, lunch and dal bhat for dinner was crucial. The higher up you go, the less you feel like eating, but you just need to either force yourself, or drink your calories (e.g. lemonade). It’s also not possible to drink too much water – I was aiming for about 3L a day, which is way more than I usually drink.

Describe how it felt to be surrounded by the world’s most majestic mountains, Everest and Ama Dablan.

It was absolutely breathtaking (both metaphorically and literally) to be surrounded by the worlds tallest and majestic mountains. The scale of everything was absolutely immense and, even after being there, still can’t fathom it. 
I got my first glimpse of Mount Everest on day 2, and from thereonin, saw Everest almost every day. It was pretty epic sitting in Tengbuche, drinking my morning coffee, looking out the window at Everest and Ama Dablam. I felt very small and temporary, knowing that the mountains have existed long before me, and will continue to exist long after me. I felt very privileged to have this experience, and for the Himalayas to let me be there and treading in the mountains shadows.

I also learnt of some new mountains that have also captured my attention and heart – I loved the look of both Nuptse and Lobuche. I also met a lady in Tengbuche, who was on her way back from an Island Peak summit, which also looked like a pretty epic mountain.  I’m surprised with my newfound ability to be able to identify mountains, and they all have an incredible uniqueness to them.

How was the Nepalese hospitality, from the hardworking porters to the tea-houses you stayed in along the way?

The Nepalese hospitality was absolutely ace. Our trip would not have been possible if it weren’t for the porters. Because of them, I was able to run in the Himalayas, carrying minimal gear. What was very humbling is that the porters arrived soon after we did (having not much of a head start, and also stopping for lunch on the way).

The tea houses were basic accommodation, but had everything I needed, including good Nepali food, hot drinks, a warm heater and a bed. The higher up we went, the more average the amenities were, which is to be expected. The water (including the toilets) freeze, which was interesting (and an assault on the nose) to experience. Everyone we came across seemed to effortlessly greet us with smiles, ‘namaste’ and wanted us to have an incredible time.

Has this experience changed you, or your perspective? If so, how?

The trip was certainly an adventure of a lifetime. Whilst I’d love to say that I’ve come back enlightened, I don’t think that I work that way. Instead, I’ve returned from my adventure feeling re-motivated to get back into training, and to continue to select events / races that align with my values and provide me with unique experiences and scenery to explore.

I also find travel to poorer countries to be really humbling – it puts my life into perspective, and it’s a nice reminder of how lucky I have it. So that’s also another win for me.

Anything final to add?

For anyone thinking of going to Everest Base Camp – I highly encourage you to embrace the adventure. The team at Take on Nepal were incredible, and couldn’t recommend them highly enough. Regardless of where you choose to explore in Nepal, I’d recommend reaching out to Take on Nepal, as they’ll give you an incredible experience.

I’d also like to recognise the incredible team at Take on Nepal and say a very big thank you to them all (as this adventure would not have been possible without them):

• Gyanu Rai

• Ravi Rai

• Ambir Rai

• Sanu Tamang

• Mingmar Lama

• Asha Tamang

• Dinesh Tamang

Thank you for taking the time to share your reflections and experience with us Elle!

If you’d like to see more photos from Elle’s time in Nepal, you can follow her on instagram at @elle_finch