After the Channel I ran the London Marathon. I have always been a garbage runner. Small dogs and toddlers pass me. It was a slow journey from Greenwich to the Mall on April 23, 2017, but he eventually crossed the finish line in 5 hours and 27 minutes.
And I embarked on my greatest adventure yet: climbing Mount Everest. I was a middle-aged woman who knew nothing about mountaineering. I had never worn a harness or tied myself to a rope. I started climbing mountains all over the UK (Scafell Pike, Snowdon, Ben Nevis) and then all over the world. It took three attempts to climb Everest. The first one was unsuccessful. A few weeks before I was scheduled to leave for Nepal in 2020, the mountain was closed due to the coronavirus. I finally reached the summit in 2021, but was unable to summit due to ill health. I also realized I wasn’t fit enough so I moved back to London and joined a high altitude gym. On May 14, 2022, I finally reached the top on my third attempt. I was 51 years old. And when I did, this unsporty, artistic girl became the first woman to complete the Sea Street Summit Challenge: swim the English Channel, run a road marathon, and climb Mount Everest. Ta.
Grief inspired me. It doesn’t replace the grief of not being able to have a baby or losing a loved one. However, continuing these adventures has enriched my life experiences infinitely. I also met many new people who became my substitute family. And I’m healthier than ever.
The secret to success is finding joy
To tell you the truth, I never liked exercise, and I still don’t. I will always be an unlikeable athlete. But while every stroke and step from the ocean to the top was tough, it also gave me the opportunity to indulge in things that bring me pure joy. First and foremost, all the food, booze and box sets I consumed without feeling guilty post-workout. But it also allowed me to take on other endurance challenges that I feel are more suited to and that I aspire to.
While I was hiking uphill for hours with my backpack on, I started listening to episodes of my favorite radio show. desert island disc. The show’s castaway guests became my companions on my journey to the top of the world, and their wisdom and music energized me. From Emma Thompson to Edmund Hillary, Maya Angelou to Louis Armstrong. With over 3,000 episodes, it’s an Everest listening challenge and I’ll probably be the first person to watch the entire BBC archive. It was the perfect adventure to supplement my mountain training. Knowing what makes you happy is the key to good health. Maybe you’ll find your favorite sport. I did not do it. But exercising has made it easier for me to do the things I love, like eating and listening to people’s life stories and music. And what grief has taught me is that if you prioritize your joy, it’s hard not to feel happy.
Life gets better when you move every day
Having completed the Sea, Street and Summit challenges, people inevitably ask, “What’s next?” Lately I’ve been interested in doing micro-adventures. I recently set myself the challenge of swimming in 50 new locations, including pools, ponds, lakes, and lidos. Just 10 minutes of swimming is enough. I also walk a different National Trail every year. In 2023, the Cleveland Way was born, and it was amazing. This year we are going to the Norfolk Coast Path.
My movement philosophy is simple. “Move your body every day.” To achieve this, I will continue to live an adventurous life. One of the most important things I learned was that exercise benefits the mind as well as the body, and that accomplishing great endurance challenges requires both physical and mental components. That’s it. The sadness of life has made me mentally tough. But I had to work hard on the physical side, it didn’t come naturally. And now I move my body every day. Not only because I want to be able to walk up stairs and touch my toes when I’m 100 years old, but also because of how much it’s helped my mental health.
Save Me from the Waves: An Adventure from Sea to Summit by Jessica Hepburn (£17.99, Aurum) on sale now
