721 Challenge - Long Covid Battle

As most people know I am a sucker for a challenge. Last year, just weeks before the pandemic took hold, I committed to my latest challenge: climbing the 7 summits, skiing to both the north and south pole, and rowing the Atlantic Ocean. I'm doing this not only because I needed a new challenge, but also to draw attention to the impact climate change is having on the planet and raise vital funds for the international conservation charity World Land Trust. The ultimate objective of 721 Challenge is to create a 4,000-hectare nature reserve in Guatemala which will be protected for generations to come.

Back in March 2021, I contracted the dreaded COVID-19 and whilst I'm fortunate enough to be on the road to recovery, my battle with Long Covid has without question been the greatest challenge of my life, bar none. While the majority of people who succumb to COVID make a full recovery in just a few weeks, there is a significant minority who do not recover and continue to experience debilitating systems for months after contracting the virus. The symptoms include fatigue, brain fog, tachycardia, and breathlessness. Another common symptom of Long COVID: post-exertional malaise, which simply means you feel completely wiped out after physical activity – not ideal for an endurance athlete. 

While it is difficult to calculate the proportion of people with covid who will develop Long Covid, 10% is a conservative estimate. In the UK, it is currently estimated that over 1 million people suffer from Long COVID, many of whom are unable to return to work and carry out normal day-to-day activities.

From personal experience, I can emphasise with anyone suffering from Long COVID. Having contracted COVID during the first wave, I could be described as one of the pioneers. After spending several months unable to work or exercise, the seriousness of my situation began to sink in. I was committed to a huge endurance challenge and the momentum of the project was accelerating.

Through nothing more than pure stubbornness, and an unwillingness to accept defeat, I used the little energy I had to drive the project forward while knowing deep down I was in no fit state to do anything other than rest in bed or watch dross TV on the sofa. At this stage, even a short walk was beyond my capability. Every time I tried heading out of the house, I’d quickly be overcome by dizzy spells and need to lie down on the nearest piece of flat ground. Goodness knows what people must have thought seeing this 6’3” giant passed out on the pavement. 

In an attempt to understand what was happening to my body, I began monitoring my heart rate and immediately realised it was enormously elevated, frequently reaching 160 bpm while simply standing up. Looking back, the period between April and September 2020 was without question the most challenging period of my life. My emotions would swing from frustration and anger to desperation and despair. As someone who is naturally positive and optimistic, being in such a dark place mentally was new territory for me. It was remarkably humbling and taught me to feel genuine compassion for my fellow humans who are struggling with their own ill health. Interestingly, during this entire time, not once did I give up on my 721 Challenge dream. As the months passed with no notable improvement, I quickly realised I needed to focus every drop of energy I had on my recovery. Getting well was my new goal and I approached it in the same way I approach an expedition. I broke it down into small goals and became obsessed with marginal gains. Acupuncture, Wim Hof, CBT and bucket loads of supplements. You name it, I tried it in my pursuit to get well.

By the end of 2020, my strategy began to pay off. The fatigue and brain fog lifted. My daily step count of just 500 steps per day, became 1,000, then 5,000 and then 10,000. I resumed training on the rowing machine. My first sessions lasted exactly 1 minute. It seems laughable looking back, but that 60-second row was a huge milestone on my road to recovery. As time passed, I was able to increase the length of my training sessions in 5-minute increments and I’m now putting in 2hr shifts on the torturous device called a rowing machine. 

In terms of making a full recovery, I appreciate I’ve still got a metaphorical Everest to climb, but having climbed that mountain once, I’m confident I can do it again. When I look to the future, I feel a genuine sense of optimism. Seeing first-hand the UK beginning to come out of lockdown along with my own rapid progress I have a good feeling about the months ahead.

My 721 Challenge plans are now in full flow. With the 7 summits completed, 2 poles in planning and the Atlantic Row coming up very soon in December it's a very exciting time and I thank you so much for your participation and contributions to my posts here on LinkedIn.

The success of 721 Challenge is completely reliant on generous support from individuals and businesses alike. With this in mind, I would like to invite you to follow the 721 Challenge Journey on our other social media channels on Facebook and also Instagram Here you will be able to see all the most recent developments as things progress.

As you will know, social media is such a powerful platform to reach out to others. My overriding mission is to tackle climate change in partnership with The World Land Trust and the more followers, likes and shares we have on our posts, the more awareness we can raise to help preserve vital, threatened, primary rainforest in Guatemala.

I can't thank you enough for your support to date and I thank you in advance for helping the 721 Challenge move forward and grow.