Former Wales rugby union player, Richard Parks is ready to begin his summit bid of Mount Everest on Friday as part of his 737 Challenge. He hopes to launch his summit bid on the 23rd or 24th May.
Parks is aiming to become the first man to stand on the seven highest summits of the world and all three poles - the North Pole, South Pole and Everest.
"I was told by a climber last year that climbing in the Himalayas is about patience and perseverance," said Parks."And that is one of the truest things I have ever been told. The waiting, the not knowing, the uncertainty is draining.
"The effort of climbing all the way up to 7,100 metres and coming all the way back to 5,300m to then spend three or four days waiting for the window to be right for us to summit has been pretty tough."
Parks has already conquered four of the seven summits and two poles as part of his record-breaking quest.He and Olympic rowing gold medallist Steve Williams have spent exactly one month acclimatising to take on the world's highest peak.They have completed their acclimatisation strategies and preparation up and down the mountain and are now ready for the final push to the summit.
The pair were due to leave on Thursday from base camp to start the first part of their summit bid - the climb through the perilous Khumbu icefall and on to camp two at 6400m.
But a change in weather meant strong winds postponing their departure. Parks said the last push for the summit will be one of the most physically and mentally challenges he has had to endure in his challenge so far.
"I am pretty tired to be honest, physically I feel like I am running up an escalator the wrong way at the moment, but I am also in not bad shape," he admitted. "Although I am tired and worn out, I have not got the famous Khumbu cough and I haven't picked up any lergies at base camp.
"I've got a really good appetite and physically I feel pretty good, I am as ready as I'll ever be. I'm just really looking forward to going up and getting on with it now."I've got a great team climbing with me. We have absolutely awesome Sherpas, probably the best Sherpas on the mountain.
"Passang, the guy I am climbing with summited this week for the 7th time, this will be his 8th summit of Everest. "His brother Mingma is also climbing with us, Monday was his 16th summit so this will be his 17th summit, so I have a great team around me."
Parks took on the challenge after being forced to retire from rugby with a shoulder injury.
"Honestly, I would have never dreamt that I would have spent the last five months living in a tent," he added. "Life is a funny thing, when one door closes, another opens. "You know, I learnt a valuable lesson two years ago, it was 26 May, 2009 when I was told I couldn't play rugby anymore.
"We can't control the cards we are dealt with in life, but we can control how we react to them, and I am very fortunate that over the past two years I have met individuals and companies who have been instrumental in the development of the 737 Challenge."
Parks is aiming to become the first man to stand on the seven highest summits of the world and all three poles - the North Pole, South Pole and Everest.
"I was told by a climber last year that climbing in the Himalayas is about patience and perseverance," said Parks."And that is one of the truest things I have ever been told. The waiting, the not knowing, the uncertainty is draining.
"The effort of climbing all the way up to 7,100 metres and coming all the way back to 5,300m to then spend three or four days waiting for the window to be right for us to summit has been pretty tough."
Parks has already conquered four of the seven summits and two poles as part of his record-breaking quest.He and Olympic rowing gold medallist Steve Williams have spent exactly one month acclimatising to take on the world's highest peak.They have completed their acclimatisation strategies and preparation up and down the mountain and are now ready for the final push to the summit.
The pair were due to leave on Thursday from base camp to start the first part of their summit bid - the climb through the perilous Khumbu icefall and on to camp two at 6400m.
But a change in weather meant strong winds postponing their departure. Parks said the last push for the summit will be one of the most physically and mentally challenges he has had to endure in his challenge so far.
"I am pretty tired to be honest, physically I feel like I am running up an escalator the wrong way at the moment, but I am also in not bad shape," he admitted. "Although I am tired and worn out, I have not got the famous Khumbu cough and I haven't picked up any lergies at base camp.
"I've got a really good appetite and physically I feel pretty good, I am as ready as I'll ever be. I'm just really looking forward to going up and getting on with it now."I've got a great team climbing with me. We have absolutely awesome Sherpas, probably the best Sherpas on the mountain.
"Passang, the guy I am climbing with summited this week for the 7th time, this will be his 8th summit of Everest. "His brother Mingma is also climbing with us, Monday was his 16th summit so this will be his 17th summit, so I have a great team around me."
Parks took on the challenge after being forced to retire from rugby with a shoulder injury.
"Honestly, I would have never dreamt that I would have spent the last five months living in a tent," he added. "Life is a funny thing, when one door closes, another opens. "You know, I learnt a valuable lesson two years ago, it was 26 May, 2009 when I was told I couldn't play rugby anymore.
"We can't control the cards we are dealt with in life, but we can control how we react to them, and I am very fortunate that over the past two years I have met individuals and companies who have been instrumental in the development of the 737 Challenge."
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