Ex-marine from Cambridgeshire completes 'world's longest triathlon' with Mount Everest climb
Mitch Hutchcraft covered more than 8,000 miles from England to Nepal
An ex-marine from Cambridgeshire who has finished what his team claim as 'the world's longest triathlon' believes his late father helped drive him "through hell".
Mitch Hutchcraft from Ramsey left from Dover in September last year en route to Nepal across 240 days.
Since then, he's completed a swim across the English Channel, cycled more than 12,000km through Europe and Asia, ran 900km to the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu and trekked 360km to Mount Everest base camp.
Mitch, 31, then began his climb to the summit of Mt Everest, which he completed on Sunday.
"You have to be unshakeable when you're in the face of adversity," he said.
"One of the main characteristics is having the ability whenever things get tough, if you can smile and always think whatever happens, it could be worse."
Mitch lost his dad aged 20, one of the main reasons to join the Royal Marines where he served for six years before leaving in 2021.
After leaving the Royal Marines to pursue new challenges, he's decided to raise money from his latest feat for SAVSIM, a non-profit organisation centred around wildlife conservation, dedicated to providing mental health support to veterans and others suffering from PTSD and similar issues.
"When they're (family) not there anymore, you hope they are still there watching and just the thought of proving him right, that's enough to drive me through hell," he said.
"I've been chased by dogs, knocked off my bike, I could have been killed, as long as you can look at the glass half full, that's the attitude you need for this."
Before this challenge, Mitch has rowed 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean and cycled 5,000 kilometres in North America.
But speaking to his team after reaching the summit of Mt Everest, he said it's "the most difficult thing I've ever done.
"But I couldn't be happier and more proud of finishing this epic adventure.”