03/06/2026
This week’s Staff Sends goes to Tom Richardson, our resident expedition expert, who, in his own words, is simply “an old man who went jogging and completed a marathon for the third time.”
What Tom forgot to mention is that he’s currently in the Himalayas at Everest Base Camp, and the marathon in question is the legendary Everest Marathon.
A full 42km, starting at an altitude of 5,364m, this is far from your average marathon. The route follows part of the iconic Everest Base Camp Trek through Sagarmatha National Park, taking runners from Base Camp to Namche Bazaar via a loop near Dingboche.
Alongside the distance, competitors face snow and ice, exposed mountain trails, steep climbs, and the relentless challenge of performing in thin air. At times, every step feels like running into a wall. It’s a course reserved for experienced mountain and trail runners, and one of the toughest marathon routes on Earth.
This year marks Tom’s third Everest Marathon finish. At 71 years young, he’s pretty confident he was the oldest competitor on the start line. As if that wasn’t enough, Tom has also completed the Everest Ultra twice, a gruelling 60km race often referred to as the “hardcore version” of the marathon.
Which seems entirely fitting, because Tom is hardcore.
Tom, you’re an utter legend. 🏔️🏃♂️👏
