I've posted updates on the World Tri a couple of times in the past, but it has been awhile since I checked in on the progress of Charlie Wittmack, the man who kicked off this adventure last summer. The World Tri is exactly that, a massive triathlon that began when Charlie swam across the English Channel last August. From there, he got on his bike and rode from France to India, which he completed a few months back, before flying home to enjoy some down time, and much needed recovering, before returning to India to complete the final leg of his triathlon on foot.
In late January, Charlie did indeed return and he is now somewhere out on the road, traveling alone, as he works on completing the final leg of the journey, which will eventually see him attempting to climb Everest this spring. The finish line for the World Tri is on the summit, and he hopes to successfully top out on that mountain for a second time in his life. Unfortunately, there haven't been any updates to his blog since he started the next phase of his journey, so hopefully all is well and Charlie is making the progress he expects.
That blog has revealed that this has not been an easy journey for Wittmack however. In one entry, he talks about lying in bed in Tibet, completely exhausted mentally, physically, and financially. He says that he had suffered cerebral edema a few days prior, and had lost the sight in his right eye, which put him at the end of his rope. At that point, he just wanted to be home, and thankfully he was not long after.
Once home, he was given the opportunity to heal and recover nicely with his friends and family. But eventually it was time to get back on the road, and that's where he is right now, making his way towards his final challenge, which will be Everest. If everything goes as planned, in a few short weeks he'll be joining the hundreds of other climbers who will be making their way to Base Camp on the North and South Sides of the mountain, hoping for an opportunity to stand at the top of the world. Most of those climbers will come the old fashioned way however, catching a flight into Kathmandu. Charlie will be making the journey on foot. Lets hope he isn't exhausted and spent before he ever gets a crack at the mountain.