Facts about Mera Peak

WHAT WE’RE DOING FOR THESE KIDS IS JUST A PEBBLE IN THE OCEAN, BUT WE’RE HOPING THE RIPPLE EFFECT WILL CHANGE LIVES

• At 6,476m, it is best known as Nepal’s highest trekking peak

ing to inspire people to push themselves to achieve their own goals as well. “It’s very easy to read about something like what I’m doing and think you could never do that. But that’s no reason not to try.”

You don’t even have to have extreme adventure goals like him, he says. “Just because I’ve managed to put myself into the position where I’m able to do these things, doesn’t mean that someone else’s mountain or Marathon des Sables can’t be a 1k run or a first- time gym membership. You don’t have to go to the same lengths — but it’s important to realise that being tired, unfit, obese and diabetic are all perfectly controllable factors.”

As for improving mental resilience, there’s only one way to do that, says Tom. “Test yourself. For some people, that could mean running a marathon and gradually increasing their distances. For others, it could mean just getting out for a run. It’s all in the decision- making process. You have to continually put yourself in a tough position — it’s the only way to develop yourself. And then hopefully you’ll become the person you want to be.” • JOM Roberts and Sen Tenzing made the first successful ascent of Mera Peak on 20 May, 1953 — and the route they used is still the standard one used by trekkers • Frenchmen Marcel Jolly, G Baus and L Honills are credited with ascending the true summit when they climbed Mera North in 1975