In January this year, Wim Hof ran a half Marathon (21 km) above the polar circle in Finland. He wore only a pair of shorts and no shoes. The ground (snow) temperature was 35 below. In a few months time, he’ll try something similar on Everest’s north side. The expedition, led by Dutch Werner de Jong, will try to set a new world record as Wim attempts to climb parts of Everest wearing only shorts. This is not your regular stunt. Wim already has 9 world records, and has trained hard for many years to withstand cold, much like some monks do in Tibet.
Wim can actually regulate his core heat to control the temperature of his skin. Something of a medical enigma, Wim is able to withstand cold that could kill or seriously injure other people.
This post is dedicated to my friend with Dutch ancestry, Nathan. Oh, and his dog, Mr Henry Hudson.
Can I just say the man is completely out of his mind!?
I watched the Discovery series entitled “Beyond the Limit” which stated 5 people died last climbing season. The cold is only a fraction of the challenge associated with Everest. I wish him the best but fear the worst.