The Canadian Iron-Man champion returns from a long awaited trip
to Mt. Everest base camp with mother and brother

PORTLAND, OR——Canadian Ironman champion Jasper Blake returned November 23rd from a three-week trip to Mt. Everest base camp, where he stayed in Sherpa tea huts with his mother, Pip; brother, Oliver; and twelve others. The group also traveled to Kalapathar, which offers the best views of Everest and boasts an altitude of over 5,000 meters.

Blake and his family talked about taking the trip to the base camp for 20 years, but plans were postponed when his mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a disease affecting the nervous system.

“When MS became part of her life, that dream kind of got attached to a hitching post in the back of her brain,” said Blake. “We talked about getting her there, but it mostly became fun conversation; I'm not sure if the intention was really there.”

Though Blake has endured intense and rigorous training for his Iron-man competitions throughout his entire life, he admits that he severely underestimated how tough it would be.

“It was one of the most epic challenges I think any of us have or will ever do,” Blake said. “We had long hard days of six to eight hours and climbed from 9,000 feet to over 18,000 feet. I wouldn't have made it if I hadn't been fit, and I was thankful for that.”

Though the daily distances were difficult, Blake literally went the extra mile and hiked in the afternoon after his long treks. “A few of us would venture off for a speed hike to see how high we could get. We would take our guide’s altitude watch and go up a few more hundred meters, usually at a running pace, then rip down.”

Seeing his mother reach the base camp was truly incredible for Blake and the group. “We had a mission and everyone wanted it to succeed,” he said. “There were no egos—we just worked things out.”

In addition to spending time at the Mt. Everest base camp and Kalapathar, the group visited Kathmandu, where, Blake says, “there was traffic with no apparent rules, animals everywhere and extreme poverty.” Besides accomplishing his family’s longtime goal of reaching base camp, Blake gained a new perspective about himself.

“I found the best part about the trip was that I was able to strip off all the nonsense that I deal with at home. There was no background noise, no egos, no alternate agendas, no need for material garbage. You strip away all the nonsense and rediscover what's at your core. I would argue that [this experience] was not really life changing, but that I rediscovered my true nature, which was always there. This was the best part for me and I can't wait to do it again.”

Blake’s trip to the Himalayas came immediately after his Ironman race in Hawaii this past October, which did not go as he had hoped. Though he says he was completely prepared for the race, Blake was forced to drop out after making a judgment error during the bike segment of the race. “I simply went out too hard—it exceeded what I was able to sustain for longer than a few hours. I was trying to get to the lead group and it backfired.”

Despite this setback, Blake plans on resuming his training for the 2008 Canadian and Kona Ironman races. He also hopes to begin coaching other athletes.

For more information, contact Emily Kahn at emily.kahn@gleukos.com or (503) 380-8455.