What is Everesting?
Hells 500 are the creators and custodians of the everesting concept. It’s a fiendishly simple concept, and a fiendishly difficult ride to complete. Pick any climb, anywhere in the world and ride repeat after grinding repeat until you have notched up 8,848m. In one ride.
No time restriction, no distance requirement, no sleep allowed. This approach is all about finding the boundaries of what is possible in a single ride.
On Friday 29th May six brave (and quite frankly insane) Bluecoats Members (along with six other crazy souls) took on the challenge of Cycling 230 miles up and down Boxhill in order to acheive the height of Mount Everest.
The group started their mission at 5am Friday morning and cycled night and day to reach the peak of Mount Everest at 6am Saturday morning. The cyclists were only allowed to stop for food and drink and ended up being the largest group in the UK to ever complete! What a bl**dy amazing achievement.
Sadly, despite their great attempt, two of the six Bluecoats Members did not make the finish… Member Colin Young started but quickly had to pull out due to sickness and Member Dean Orgill made an immense effort but had no choice but to retire after his knees were causing great issues. Never the less – they are definitely still soldiers in our eyes for even attempting to take on this huge challenge.
The four incredibly tough Members to complete were Russell Johnson, Alan Fairbairn, Tim Backhouse and Sally Weston.
“Probably the hardest thing we have ever done. We are now listed as a Hells 500 cyclists on the Everesting website (only 470 have ever completed this in the WORLD). We can now purchase the Cycling Hells 500 kit and maybe a tattoo of the droplets that represent our blood sweat and tears on the right calf to let other cyclists know we are Everesters and have buried ourselves physically!”
Russ Johnson
We are incredibly proud of the guys for their phenomenal acheivment – please join us in congratulating them and wishing them a speedy recovery from those aching bones!
