Adam Sweeney on Climbing Everest at 22 & Chasing the Extraordinary

At just 22 years old, Adam Sweeney became one of the youngest Irish people to summit Mount Everest & this week he joins Nathalie to talk us through the entire journey. 

In this episode, they talk about what it really takes to chase a dream most people would never dare to pursue. From months of preparation and life in the death zone, to fear, resilience and why comfort can be the biggest thing holding us back. 

This is a conversation about adventure, mindset and discovering what you’re truly capable of. A story that is truly hard to even comprehend from a young man that already history. 

Follow Adam here: https://www.instagram.com/adamtsweeney 

Follow Nathalie here: https://www.instagram.com/nathalielennon_ 

Subscribe to our YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@shakethegroundpodcast

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Stake the Ground Podcast is brought to you by Amplify Podcast Studio. Today podcast Today Build Podcast.designed Podcast. Welcome back to StakeTheGround, the podcast that's here to inspire you to keep working towards your wildest dreams and build your most unbreakable stuff. I'm your host, Nathalie Lennon, and every week we're diving into the stories of people who dared to do things differently and basically shock the ground within their own lives. This week's guest may just be the one who encompasses the ethos of this podcast more than I could have dreamt of. And it's an absolute honor to have him here in the studio today. At just 22 years old, he became the youngest Irish person ever to summit Mount Everest after a gruelling 47-day expedition. He may correct me on this afterwards, that tested every part of him physically, mentally, and emotionally. But what makes his story so fascinating isn't just reaching the top, it's everything that happened before he got there. From battling self-doubt, raising the money, returning back meters from the summit, and finding the courage to try again. This is going to be a conversation about resilience, fear, ambition, and what happens when you refuse to let your biggest goal stay a dream and quite literally shake the ground. Adam Sweeney, you're very welcome to the podcast.

SPEAKER_01 1:26

Thank you so much for having me. That was a lovely introduction.

SPEAKER_00 1:28

Well, you deserve far more than that, to be honest with you, but it's the most I could fit in my little cue card here. So, Adam, just before we got talking there, you were saying you're only around five weeks back from after summiting Mount Everest.

SPEAKER_01 1:43

Yeah, it's mental. It's mental to think about.

SPEAKER_00 1:46

I just don't even know where to start. Before we dive into things, give us a bit of a background on like how you got into, I suppose, wanting to summit Mount Everest.

SPEAKER_01 1:57

Yeah, so uh basically when I was when I was younger, uh during COVID, I kind of didn't want to sit around and do nothing. So I kind of had an idea to like cycle around the country. But I was like, well, someone's already done that, so I want to do something that someone already hasn't done. So then I added in every mountain in every county I went through. So I did that for my two grannies, they died within the same week. So Solar Centre, who was a local place, uh, were like really good to them. So I said I'd raise a bit of money when I go around and do it. So we did that, and like I just love the mountains ever since. And probably almost I think it was about two or three months before that, there was a lady who actually came into our school. Uh, her name was Jenny Keller. She had been at her school and she had done Everest, and like I remember sitting in the back room being like, Oh my god. So then from then on, like I suppose it kind of grew from there. And I remember emailing her and being like, I want to do Everest next week. And she actually sat down, like listened to me, being like, Oh yeah, I want to do it in like a month, knowing full well that I hadn't done anything before that. But then it kind of grew from there, and yeah, I suppose just kept going higher and higher, and now thankfully we stood on top of the world.

SPEAKER_00 2:55

Oh my like stood on top of the world. Can we take a minute to like appreciate that? It's insane. So that first challenge you did was that cycling and a hike in every county?

SPEAKER_01 3:05

So you cycled all the mountains, so cycle the coast of Ireland, but you're going from mountain to mountain on in each county on the coast.

SPEAKER_00 3:12

How many days did that take you?

SPEAKER_01 3:13

It was meant to take 17 days. I think I was I had 50 years starting in so I think it was 18 days or something like that. So to get all my subject choices, I had to go and do it in 17 days, which I forgot to bring a jack for the first mountain. I was so underprepared, like you know what I mean? So it ended up taking about a month.

SPEAKER_00 3:27

So you were only in fifth year doing that.

SPEAKER_01 3:29

Yeah, yeah, so just the summer forty, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:32

So impressive.

SPEAKER_01 3:33

I wouldn't say that now, it's just getting out and doing something, isn't it? I didn't want to be bored sitting at home like it was either that or work, so I think most people listening are gonna say it's quite impressive.

SPEAKER_00 3:41

I feel it in that during COVID. I think a lot of people grew a love for the outdoors and an appreciation for hiking in Ireland again. But taking on a challenge like that when you're that young and raising money for wonderful causes at the same time, it's really, really inspirational. So then from before doing that that challenge, you had a bit of a thought in the back of your mind like Everest might be a goal someday?

SPEAKER_01 4:03

Yeah, I kind of always have. My mother's always talked about like Shacklin and stuff like that. So we always grew up hearing stories about like Shacklin going across the the Arctic and then also like Tenzin Org and Edmund Hillary, uh they're the first people to summit Everest. So she kind of brought us up on those stories. Now, obviously, we had seen all those dodgy movies as well. Like, so when I was over there, the poor mother was nearly having a panic attack. But uh yeah, no, look, it was it was kind of through that. So, look, we actually have a poster in our toilet uh about the first summit of Everest, so maybe sitting there all the time.

SPEAKER_00 4:32

Maybe played a big part of it, like that's what they say about like you know, vision boards and manifestation and all that. Like if you see it every day, if you have it in front of you, you know the way some people save like quotes as their wallpaper. I'm one of those people, and like if you see this every day, like eventually your thoughts become your reality.

SPEAKER_01 4:49

Yeah, yeah. You kind of think you can do whatever you whatever you can really, like.

SPEAKER_00 4:52

Yeah, exactly. So can you remember the exact moment where you thought, right, Everest, I'm gonna do this.

SPEAKER_01 4:59

Uh so yeah, it was it was after after that cycle, um, I decided to go to South America. So I the highest mountain I'd done before was 1,200 metres over in the UK, and I said, right, next up we'll go do a 7,000 metre peak. Obviously, a crazy jump. Like I remember going over and people are like, Oh, what have you done? I was like, uh 5,000 metres. 1,200 is the highest.

SPEAKER_00 5:18

Like just saying 5,000 so they don't question it. Yeah, yeah, because they were there.

SPEAKER_01 5:22

I was kind of like, Yeah, yeah, it was that, it was that. So I went over and I had uh Everton back in my mind. I said, right, if I get up this, I'm gonna put it out there. Because obviously, like you mentioned before, it's a lot of money and stuff like that. So you need to kind of put it out into socials and stuff and kind of get get a bit of uh awareness towards it.

SPEAKER_00 5:36

Like so after I went over and completed that, uh So that mountain was that the one in Argentina, yeah. And how do you pronounce the name of it?

SPEAKER_01 5:42

Aconcagua. I think I think hopefully I'm getting it right now. Aconcagua, I think it is.

SPEAKER_00 5:49

Aconcagua, okay. So that was in Argentina. That was your first big expedition, really.

SPEAKER_01 5:55

Yeah, yeah, definitely.

SPEAKER_00 5:56

Um because that was the one you mentioned before that it's probably around the same height as Carn Two Hill, is it?

SPEAKER_01 6:01

Yeah, yeah, 1002. I it was Ben Nevis over in the UK, like so it wasn't too high at all.

SPEAKER_00 6:05

So talk me through that first hike that was extreme. Yeah, like 7,000 metres that we're gonna do.

SPEAKER_01 6:12

Yeah, 6'9, 6'2.

SPEAKER_00 6:13

So what was like that is just crazy. What was the prep like for that? How did you get there? Did you do it with a group?

SPEAKER_01 6:19

Uh yeah, so I went over with an Irish group, so it was actually it's actually nice because you kind of well you didn't know the gang beforehand, but you kind of knew of them and stuff like that. So the prep wasn't anything major. Look, it was just getting out into local hills and stuff like that. I kind of like obviously towards Everest I was way more prepared because I kind of knew what I was doing. But for this one, I was kind of winging it. So I was just going out in the hills for maybe six, seven, eight hours a day, and then kind of doing that twice a week and stuff. But then yeah, I just kind of flew over, and I think the most stressful part for the family was that I was travelling around uh Chile for uh what was it, two weeks by myself. They didn't care about the mountain. They said, right, you're grand there, but uh going around Chile by yourself for two weeks is worse. So kind of did that before and then uh headed over and yeah, kind of gave it a go now. It was way harder than I could have imagined. Like I was just eating wise and stuff like that. Your body is just so not used to like it's so hard to eat up in this at the altitude. So I wasn't eating much for like a week and stuff like that, but uh yeah, learned so much over there.

SPEAKER_00 7:12

How long did it take you to summit that one?

SPEAKER_01 7:15

I'd say it was about 10 days, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:18

So, like literally talking to someone who doesn't have a feckin' clue now, like the most I've done is carrying two hill. Do you have your tent and everything on your back? Do you have someone with you? What was that?

SPEAKER_01 7:28

Uh no, so essentially the the tents are kind of set up uh on the way in. So it's it's kind of nice because they they set them up at the start of the season and then you go up and you sleep in the tent, and then someone might sleep in the tent the next night. So you don't be carrying it the whole time. Now that being said, uh there was points where you did have to carry it up to camp four, I think, because there just wasn't I think it was camp three actually, there wasn't huge facilities up there, so you just have to bring it up.

SPEAKER_00 7:49

But uh and food-wise, you carrying a lot of things?

SPEAKER_01 7:51

Yeah, you're carrying your food and stuff like that, and then you have to carry all your uh your waist down and stuff like that. So that's not the nicest, the nicest part.

SPEAKER_00 7:58

So, what sort of food are you having in those like five days pre-summit?

SPEAKER_01 8:03

Uh I didn't have much at all. But what you're meant to have, yeah. I just every every time I kind of go to high altitude, it's just the food is just horrible. Like, so it's kind of like porridge and stuff like that. Bring your own jellies because you want stuff that you're used to because at the end of it you're not going to be able to eat and stuff. And then, well, I suppose not bananas, but obviously when you're down in base camp, bananas, bits like that. And then once you're up, it's kind of uh it's kind of like carb, just kind of carb loading and stuff like that. But it's it's those ready, it's those ones you put boiling water in, so they're not the nicest meals, but they're not the worst, like anything you can get in, I suppose, for calories when you're not able to stomach much as well. Ah, you'd be buzzing to get a meal in, like, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:37

Okay, right. So that one in Argentina, is that the highest in America? South America, yeah. So when did you do that one?

SPEAKER_01 8:46

God, it must have been four years ago, I'd say.

SPEAKER_00 8:48

Okay, four years ago. So that's maybe 22.

SPEAKER_01 8:50

22, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:52

I'm like, I'm trying to paint myself the timeline of when you said, right, Mount Everest. I'm going to literally get to the peak of the world. Uh so after that one, you did one more in Nepal, am I right?

SPEAKER_01 9:02

Yeah, so it was it was kind of nice now because I put it out on social media and someone contacted me, Jason Black. He's done like K2 and Everest before.

SPEAKER_00 9:10

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 9:10

And it kind of made a reality because you put it out there, but it's so logistically hard to actually get towards Everest.

SPEAKER_00 9:15

Can I go back a step? So when sorry, you put it out there about the one in Nepal?

SPEAKER_01 9:19

No, well, yes, that I want to do Everest. Oh, Everest. So I'd done Act in Calquis, so I was like, right, I I didn't know the next step really. I was planning on doing the different mountain.

SPEAKER_00 9:26

When you put it out there on was it social media?

SPEAKER_01 9:29

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:30

What was the response like? Because and maybe this is me now being someone who probably struggles with people's opinions a little bit. Did you think people would would think you were like crazy?

SPEAKER_01 9:39

Yeah, I think I think everyone at the start, like Irish people aren't very good for putting themselves out there at the start. Like we aren't. But you know, once you put it out there, people don't really care as much. It was really nice. Obviously, you get the odd comms of being like, oh, what are you doing, blah blah blah, but no point listening to that. But the majority of it was really nice, like, and no one was like doubting your anything like that, which is kind of cool.

SPEAKER_00 9:58

Yeah, that's brilliant. Okay, so you put it out there in social media. Um did you say Jason? Jason Black, yeah. Jason Black got in touch, and this was when he said you wanted to do Everest. Yeah, yeah. So how did things go from there?

SPEAKER_01 10:10

Yeah, so he kind of reached out to me and was like, Okay, in 2026, I want to put a team together, an all-Irish team. So the first all-Irish team in 20 years, he was saying. So I was thinking, okay, that's class. Obviously, I want to jump on that. And he said he had a trip out to Nepal doing Amadablum. So that's just really technical over there. So it's not as high as Aconcagra or Everest, but it'd be obviously not as tall as Everest. But uh it'll be a lot more technical. So it's kind of cool.

SPEAKER_00 10:34

Like I read that some people say it's actually more difficult than Everest to summit because it's so technical, even though it's not as high.

SPEAKER_04 10:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:42

After now, I know we're gonna get into everything Everest related. I'm building my way up there, but after doing Everest, would you agree that that one in Nepal is a good one? Sorry, what's the name of it again?

SPEAKER_01 10:51

Uh Amadablum.

SPEAKER_00 10:52

Amadab.

SPEAKER_01 10:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:54

So easy it's so hard.

SPEAKER_01 10:55

I know they're all so difficult. Why do they make them hard, like I?

SPEAKER_00 10:58

So would you say that was more difficult? Hardly.

SPEAKER_01 11:00

Uh I don't think so, because I think just the timeline we were over in Nepal was just mad. Like we were over there for two months. We weren't meant to be that long. Whereas for Amadablum, like the first one we did, that's probably like a two-week trip. So mentally it's definitely not as tough. Uh obviously it can be as scary sometimes because I think there's like a vertical wall at one point you're climbing up and it's about two, three kilometres below you, like in Nepal. In for Am on Amadablum, yeah, it's called the the Yellow Tower. So that's a little that can be a little scary, like, and uh it'll be a lot more like exposed. But like that, look, it wouldn't be as dangerous.

SPEAKER_00 11:30

So when you did that one with this, this was with the team now that Jason put together. Um was that a step in your training towards Everest? Was that everyone's goal on the team?

SPEAKER_01 11:40

Uh it wasn't everyone's goal. It wasn't everyone's goal, but uh a lot of people I think a few people had that in mind. Now we kind of went over and the weather was just diabolical. Like so there was we we did like an acclimatisation peak beforehand. So technically before you can't just go up to 8,000 metres because your body needs to get used to it so you need to go up and come down. So we did uh peak before that, and it took us like 23 hours on the trot to come back down. So we came back down and everyone was wrecked then.

SPEAKER_00 12:04

What sort of environments are we talking about here?

SPEAKER_01 12:07

You're talking probably minus 30 degrees, maybe.

SPEAKER_00 12:09

Holy lady.

SPEAKER_01 12:10

Yeah, yeah, I know it's not warm like it's not warm.

SPEAKER_00 12:12

Oh my god, minus 30. Yeah. So is any part of your skin out?

SPEAKER_01 12:16

Uh not really. Your face might be out or something like that, but you you try to keep a buff on, but definitely not your hands or your limbs or anything like that, because if you leave them out, they're just they're kind of gone. Like one lad did get frostbite in the team, he had to get airlifted down. But he was he was delighted, he had to get a long line down, they just collect you. And he said, Jeez, I want to get frostbite again to get that down. So like he was buzzing himself going down.

SPEAKER_00 12:35

Was that just in his hands like, or yeah, all over his hands?

SPEAKER_01 12:38

Yeah, yeah, on his hands, so like he kind of took off his glove and they were just black all over his hands, like, oh my god.

SPEAKER_00 12:42

Black?

SPEAKER_01 12:43

Yeah, just his fingers are turned black like. Oh so poor fella like, but uh there he's back normal now, like.

SPEAKER_00 12:48

And this thank God, and this uh first peak you did to acclimatize um and get your body used to it. Can you talk me through how your body feels when you're going into those different altitudes?

SPEAKER_01 13:00

Uh yeah, so it it kind of just feels I don't know, like you never feel good. It's kind of a weird feeling because you know the way obviously if you're doing a race, something you always want to feel good beforehand, but you kind of always feel sick because your body's just so not used to it. Now the Sherpa lads over there, they are flying up the mountain like.

SPEAKER_00 13:16

They're like inhumane.

SPEAKER_01 13:17

Oh, they're and they're nice people ever meet in your life. Like, and they they don't get enough credibility, but like they're mad. You look in these, they're almost running up the hill, and then you're like, oh, this is tough. Like, but uh look, conferences are so nice, you have a good crack with them.

SPEAKER_00 13:29

We're in such a little kind of bubble here, I feel, with like businesses, cities, social media, climbing career ladders. You kind of don't stop to think about like Sherpa's over there in these crazy high mountains doing that every single day. But I think they're happiest because they're away from the madness of cities and social media and everything.

SPEAKER_01 13:47

Yeah, well, like that's their job as well. Like it's it's kind of mad because like you can imagine, like they go into work and they're they're saying goodbye to their families and they're going doing these mad mountains, like, and they're doing it on the regular. But like I find it crazy because over there they don't have as much as what we'd have over here. Yeah. But yet, like, they're the people are just so happy all the time. It's kind of mad, like, because they don't they kind of don't event into stress about it, they're just happy with what they have, the small little things. So it's kind of nice, it's kind of nice seeing it. When you when you look at it, you're kind of like, geez, you know what? I I could probably get less stress of it, you know what I mean.

SPEAKER_00 14:16

It kind of like humble yeah makes you realise that the little things are what matter most. Yeah, exactly. Um it's kind of different, but like when I was in a valley, we went away from the tourist area um and into we did like kind of a tour with it was Intrepid, I went with into like the locals in what other people would see as probably like a really run-down poor village. Yeah. They were the happiest people I came across. Like it's mad. It is, it's mad. Um okay, so when you did Amadablum, is that right?

SPEAKER_04 14:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:46

Um I had it in front of me, guys. But anyway, Amadablum. After that, uh when was that actually? What's the timeline?

SPEAKER_01 14:53

So that was I think I did Atankagua in February and then I went over to Amadablum in November.

SPEAKER_00 14:58

Okay, 2022.

SPEAKER_01 14:59

2022, or yeah, I think in 2022.

SPEAKER_00 15:01

So 2022 to 2026.

SPEAKER_01 15:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:05

What did you do in that time frame to I suppose uh I suppose tell me everything, Adam, from raising the money first off, to then I suppose the fitness side of things before going to do Everest.

SPEAKER_01 15:16

Yeah, I think the fitness side of it was actually probably the easier part of it.

SPEAKER_00 15:20

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 15:21

Like I thought it'd be hard, but it once you enjoy going out and doing uh going on the mountains or whatnot, or doing runs or stuff like that, it's kind of handy.

SPEAKER_00 15:27

And you've built up the tolerance at this stage. You've done two difficult mountains, so you just kind of have to keep that up, keep the body well, keep fuelled.

SPEAKER_01 15:34

Yeah, exactly, exactly. So you and you kind of know what you need to do beforehand. So look, I was lucky enough to get like a nutritionist down with the college, so I'm in college and stuff like that. So I got nutritionists and then free gym membership, which is great, like because you can use a Stairmaster if you don't, if you're not bothered to go drive to the mountains, like, although they are the worst thing in the world.

SPEAKER_00 15:51

Yeah, did you do Staremaster much?

SPEAKER_01 15:53

Yeah, yeah, probably like two or three times a week.

SPEAKER_00 15:55

And how many, like for an hour at a time?

SPEAKER_01 15:57

Yeah, honestly, I wouldn't go more than an hour and a half. I couldn't.

SPEAKER_00 15:59

No, I can't I can't even do half an hour.

SPEAKER_01 16:01

I'm like they're so born. Yeah, they're so born.

SPEAKER_00 16:04

Yeah, I literally can't couldn't tell you the last time I stood on a Stairmaster. Ah, maybe it was like a year ago for five minutes, but I just couldn't be bothered. I'm like, I'd rather be on a mountain than Stairmaster.

SPEAKER_01 16:12

Well, that's it, isn't it? They're so and they are close enough that you're like, ah, look, you know what, I'll just go.

SPEAKER_00 16:16

I know.

SPEAKER_01 16:16

But then sometimes you're like, ah, look, you know what, that 20 minutes extra drive, I'm not gonna bother. Yeah, whereas when you're on the stairmaster, you do anything to get off them. But look at it. It was good mental preparation.

SPEAKER_00 16:25

Yeah, that's what builds the mental resilience you probably need going into like climb to the top of the world.

SPEAKER_01 16:30

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'd much rather do that again than go on the stairmaster.

SPEAKER_00 16:34

Okay, so the fitness side of things you're like chipping away on. Um, when you finished that one in Nepal, did you know at that point my next goal is Everest? Yeah, yeah, the team are all working towards this.

SPEAKER_01 16:46

Yeah, so I think there there wasn't much of us. Uh at that time, there wasn't many in the group.

SPEAKER_00 16:50

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 16:50

So there's only four of us who went over. There a few lads on Amadab and did want to go, but then uh they didn't sum it. So I think that kind of threw the span on the works. Yeah, yeah. So it was like it was only myself and my Sherpa to sum it in the end, which is kind of bittersweet because you're obviously buzzing to get up, but then you come back down to the tent and everyone's kind of they're all like, Oh, congratulations, but you know there's a bit of like a a lower as in like everyone's kind of sad because they didn't get up and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_00 17:14

I'm sorry, uh the man that reached out to you, Jason Black, was he with the group?

SPEAKER_01 17:18

He was, but he had to deal with the frostbite. Oh, so because he was he was leading the group. He actually no, it was a different person, but he had to go with him. Yeah, he had to deal with your man.

SPEAKER_00 17:26

God, so you were the only one out of that group.

SPEAKER_01 17:28

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So it was kind of it was kind of mad, but look, it's it was nice to get up there anyways.

SPEAKER_00 17:33

Yeah, absolutely. So when you got to the top of uh Amadablum, yeah, was it at that moment you said I'm gonna be able to Everest if I can do this?

SPEAKER_01 17:42

Yeah, you kinda look over and you're like you can see Everest over there, and like yeah, yeah, so it's real cool. Like so you can see it's it doesn't look that much taller. Now I think it's about 2,000 metres taller, like so. Obviously, it's it's a worlds away. But uh yeah, when I got there, I was like, Right, this is definitely possible. We're gonna give this a good go.

SPEAKER_04 17:59

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 17:59

But I remember getting to the top, and I like kind of lay on the floor for a second and looked over, and my Sherpa Pemba was smoking a cigarette. I was like, How are you doing, this man?

SPEAKER_00 18:07

Stop!

SPEAKER_01 18:08

Yeah, yeah, he was so he was just chilling up there, like happy-like gloves on. Uh no, what when the sun comes up, it's not it's not that cold.

SPEAKER_00 18:15

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 18:15

So you're kind of warm enough, so he's taking his gloves off and he was having a cigarette for himself.

SPEAKER_00 18:20

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:22

He was like, What's going on? Why are you why are you so tired, man? I was like, What?

SPEAKER_00 18:25

That is insane. And then from when you sum it to get back down to the camp where the guys were at, how long did that take?

SPEAKER_01 18:32

I'd say probably about six hours.

SPEAKER_00 18:34

Six hours, not so bad.

SPEAKER_01 18:35

Yeah, no, it's not you're just so tired, like it it's not that far distance-wise, but like you're sitting down every now and then just to take a little rest because you're absolutely wrecked. Yeah, it really does take everything out of you.

SPEAKER_00 18:45

Sure.

SPEAKER_01 18:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:46

I literally can't even imagine. So then you get back from the trip in Nepal. How do you go about organizing summitting Everest?

SPEAKER_01 18:56

Uh yeah. So look, I just had to I had to raise the money and and do the training. Uh, luckily, through Jason Black, like he was doing all the organisation. So that was kind of that out of the way. I didn't have to worry about getting permits, stuff like that, obviously flies and stuff. But look, there's three of us in it. Yeah. So it was really nice because you're looking at what they're doing and you're like, right, they're doing this today. Like, I have to go out and do something.

SPEAKER_00 19:17

Yeah, but that's lovely.

SPEAKER_01 19:18

But you have each other to motivate and you kind of need it because when you're by yourself, it's very hard to motivate yourself. You're like, ah look, I'll do it tomorrow. And then tomorrow morning it comes like I'll lie in for a little bit longer. And then it just keeps going on. Like, so it's kind of nice seeing that. But like uh yeah, I remember at some points during it, like the money was such a burden that I genuinely was chatting to like the family one day and said, like, I don't think I can do this, like, because I didn't think I could get I think it was probably 70 grand all in. Like, 70 grand, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:42

Yeah, Adam, I am like apologies for my ignorance to the situation when it comes to like wanting to to climb Mount Everest. Where is that 70 grand going? Is it like gear, fuel, Sherpa? Uh like how why is it so much?

SPEAKER_01 19:58

Yeah, so I think it's 55 grand for the trip, so it's 15 grand before you set foot the mountain.

SPEAKER_00 20:03

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 20:03

So that's a permit.

SPEAKER_00 20:04

And then you've got like to do like Mount Everest.

SPEAKER_01 20:09

Yeah, so if you wanna, if you wanna, if you don't want anything else, then it's 15, it's whatever, it's 15 grand, you have to pay for that. So that's kind of big. Now it's it's gone up in the last few years just because it's so commercialised at the moment. Like so, and look, it's it does so much with the the Nepal over there, like it's huge.

SPEAKER_00 20:26

Absolutely, it's going back into their economy. Yeah, you'd hope so in it. You would hope so. Like it's just I literally didn't have a clue. You know, they're figures I never heard of before. It's not like I've I've not spoken to anyone who's ever taken on Mandaris before. So it's really cool to hear all this, really insightful.

SPEAKER_01 20:41

So 15 for the permit, and then everything beyond that is what Yeah, so you're talking like Sherpa's wages, then you're talking if you're in base camp for like a month and a half, so food, bed and boards, stuff like that, showers, and then also you've got like permit for uh I think another mountain you have to pay, and then also there's like a a cleanup fee, I think it's about three or four thousand. Wow, okay. So yeah, it adds up real quickly. So then that's the 55 grand, and then obviously extra. So if you're paying for extra food over there, then you're paying for flights and on your gear, sure. Yeah, the gear, I know, yeah. That's nice.

SPEAKER_00 21:12

The gear is top class, like you need the best of the best when you're yeah, people think walking is a cheap sport, it's not like no, it's not, even when it comes to running. Yeah, yeah, that's it. Like I always say running is you know the best therapy and it's free. You know, we don't need a gym membership. But then if you're taking on a marathon, it's kind of like, well, you need good runners, you need good gear, you know, sunnies, you need all these things. Yeah, you actually do like so raising the money then, was there when did that start?

SPEAKER_01 21:38

Probably two years ago, I'd say. Two years ago, I kind of put it out there. I was kind of reluctant to do like a GoFundMe, but there's loads of people, like almost family friends that said, Look, we we want to give you a few quid and stuff like that. So that was really nice, and it was such a huge help. And then also through a few companies, which is great, like which is really nice.

SPEAKER_00 21:54

And that's the way to go.

SPEAKER_01 21:55

Like, yeah, it is, it is. So it's it's kind of awkward reaching out to them, but then look, a lot of people. People, especially local companies and stuff like that, were just so nice and yeah, it w it wouldn't have been possible without them.

SPEAKER_00 22:05

No, but that's how you know I look at uh say my partner who we were speaking about is a race car driver and like he can't do his sport without his sponsors. Yeah, yeah. Uh you know, companies have people that they want to back in chasing their dreams, and you were one of those people. Yeah, what a what a dream to be chasing.

SPEAKER_01 22:21

I know, yeah. Well it's nice like because obviously it'd be nice to have 55 grand lying around as a student, but like it's nice that people kind of come on and they they trust you, especially before you do something big, like you know what I mean? Because I hadn't really like obviously Amadablum and Akankagua are a big thing, yeah, but people didn't really know them, so to come on board beforehand is really nice, like.

SPEAKER_00 22:38

So can you tell me what is the altitude or the height of Mount Everest in comparison to the one in Argentina?

SPEAKER_01 22:46

Uh so the one in Argentina is 6962 and then Everest is 8848.

SPEAKER_00 22:51

Holy lord.

SPEAKER_01 22:52

Yeah, I know it's it's crazy. Like someone was like, I was like, how tall is that? Because obviously you can't comprehend it when you come up. Yeah, if if you look at a plane, it's a plane's cruising altitude is Mount Everest. So that's kind of where the summit is. Yeah, so I was like, geez, that's that's high.

SPEAKER_00 23:06

Like that is so high.

SPEAKER_01 23:08

Yeah, yeah, it's mad.

SPEAKER_00 23:09

Okay, so sorry, I'm I keep getting distracted here. So you worked on raising the money for two years. Was there any point along that process where you thought this may not be possible that you need to threw in the towel, or were you like determined this is gonna happen?

SPEAKER_01 23:23

Uh I think there is days where you're like, yeah, this isn't gonna happen, but lucky I was lucky enough with like kind of the people around me that were like, we can make this happen, let's let's try and make it happen. So it wasn't really just me in it. So if I was like, Oh, I can't do this, they'd be like, Well, we're gonna we're gonna figure it out. Like, so it's nice having the family support and and friends and all that. But yeah, of course, during it, and then you're thinking, What am I doing? Like, this is absolutely mad going over and doing this.

SPEAKER_00 23:43

Because it's so dangerous, right?

SPEAKER_01 23:44

Yeah, yeah. I think it's a it's actually not as bad as you think. I think it's a 2% debt rate. Is that yeah, yeah, not at all?

SPEAKER_00 23:50

I don't know, is that the right response to like a debt rate statement? But like I did actually think it was much higher than that.

SPEAKER_01 23:54

Yeah, yeah, it's gotten a lot safer in the last few years. Like, okay. So I always say to people, like, if you get 98% in your test, you're buzzing with that. So you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00 24:01

Like, it's so true. Focus on the 98% and not the two percent. Um so when it comes to the training, over those two years, you're working on raising the money. You are are you finished college at this stage?

SPEAKER_01 24:14

No, unfortunately not, no.

SPEAKER_00 24:15

So you're still in college, you're working on raising money to be the youngest in Ireland to summit Mount Everest, and you're trying to get in hours and hours of training to keep on top of it.

SPEAKER_01 24:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 24:25

Was that a bit of a hectic time?

SPEAKER_01 24:27

I think I kind of gave college a bit of a back seat there, to be honest with you. I wouldn't say the results were kind of showing anything crazy. But uh, yeah, it was kind of it was fairly hectic, like. But then again, yeah, I just love going doing the training, and it was nice because there's so much to do in Ireland, like, there actually is. There's so much so going doing like carantol and stuff like that, it's it's unreal.

SPEAKER_00 24:46

Like, yeah, I've only done it once now, but I remember when we got back, I was like, I just couldn't talk to anyone for the rest of the day. I was so tired. That walk in is brittle. Yeah, it is. What is it? Like three kilometres before you even start.

SPEAKER_01 24:57

Oh stop, I know it's on a man, it's just flat.

SPEAKER_00 24:59

Like they should have a little like a tuk tuk service or something.

SPEAKER_01 25:02

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:02

Let's bring you that far. Um, okay, so when you get to, you know, you've raised the money, it's going to happen. You get your permit, we're doing it. We are going to hike Mount Everest. First of all, I suppose how did you feel? Were you excited?

SPEAKER_01 25:18

Yeah, but I couldn't wait. Like, sure. It's a dream. It's kind of a dream, a dream come true. Like, yeah. You know what I mean? You're you're you've prepared two or three years for this, and now it's like, oh my god, it's actually happened. I got paid the money. But it almost doesn't feel real, like.

SPEAKER_00 25:30

And when you knew you had raised enough to go and take on Mount Everest, did you know at that point that you were going to be the youngest in Ireland to ever take it on?

SPEAKER_01 25:39

Yeah, so that was kind of what was going on beforehand. So like I was kind of putting that out there to people. But uh, yeah, so I kind of I kind of knew before, look, I think I paid the the last grand towards the trip the day before we left. Like, okay. So it's kind of like that. Like, so I kind of knew like I your man Jason was very good to us and said, Yeah, look, don't worry about it. So, look, at that two years beforehand, I kind of knew for two or three years that we were gonna do it. Like, so I had a lot of time to mentally prepare, but uh yeah, that was kind of a cool little add bonus.

SPEAKER_00 26:06

Yeah, absolutely. What was the age before that?

SPEAKER_01 26:09

Twenty-six. Oh wow, so in a few years, I know what you're saying.

SPEAKER_00 26:12

There's no I feel like no one's going to take that off you for a long time.

SPEAKER_01 26:16

I hope they do. I actually genuinely do like it. Yeah, yeah, it'd be kind of cool. It'd be cool if someone younger was like, I want to be there. I'd be like, right, let's let's get this sorted.

SPEAKER_00 26:23

Like, well, look, with the way the endurance world is going and fitness world is going, it's probably gonna happen at some point. Yeah, yeah. I don't see it being in the next couple of years. I think that's gonna be your title for for quite a long time. Um, so when you get to, I suppose, Mount Everest and beginning that hike, and you look up, can you see it from where you are when you started?

SPEAKER_01 26:43

No, you can't from when you start.

SPEAKER_00 26:44

Okay, so you can't really be intimidated by the look of it because you can't do it.

SPEAKER_01 26:46

No, no, it was kind of nice because we were walking in with a family who were doing Everest Base Camp and then there was people doing other mountains. Yeah. So it kind of took your mind away from the task that was ahead.

SPEAKER_00 26:54

Everest base camp. I suppose I've come across, you know, a lot of people on socials who have taken on that challenge. Um to get to there, how did you find that?

SPEAKER_01 27:03

Yeah, not bad, not bad. We kind of took it handy because we were like, right, there's no point in stressing yourselves already. Yeah. So look, the weather's nice, you're kind of chilling. I think it's about 65k over eight days, I think it is, to get there.

SPEAKER_00 27:14

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 27:14

So it's just the elevation. So I think you go from about 3,000 to 5,500. But like that, you're taking it slow, like, and then there's rest days in there as well.

SPEAKER_00 27:22

Okay. And what's the temperature change between when you start to base camp?

SPEAKER_01 27:27

Uh actually, not crazy to be honest with you. Not too bad now. In the night time, it's a lot colder up in base camp. It's probably minus 10, minus 15, maybe. Maybe. I don't know. I could be wrong in saying that to be honest with you. I should know. I was there for two months.

SPEAKER_00 27:39

Yeah, but I'm sure it's all kind of meshing into one at this point because it was such a long, you know, adventure for you. Um when it comes to, I suppose, beyond base camp then, how did that journey go? Was there many people going from base camp onwards? Was it just the was it four of you you said?

SPEAKER_01 27:57

Yeah, there's four of us. Okay. So one from each province, so it was kind of cool. Like, was it? Yeah, yeah, it was kind of cool. That's right. So we were all buzzing with that. We only realised that when we got over. Someone texted me and said, Oh Jesus, you're one from each province.

SPEAKER_00 28:06

And at this point, there's hype starting to build on social media as well.

SPEAKER_01 28:11

Yeah, definitely, definitely. So you're trying to kind of it was handy because I had my sister back home doing my socials. So I just sent her.

SPEAKER_00 28:17

I spotted it.

SPEAKER_01 28:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 28:18

And uh Katie, I would know, like, I would say well enough. Now we haven't seen each other in a long time, and we keep on saying we're gonna meet up for a run, but then life takes over. Um, but I'd always see her Instagram posts, she's slaying it um with her business as well.

SPEAKER_02 28:31

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 28:31

But when she shared that, I was like, No way is Katie Sweeney's brother. I'm not sure I even knew she had a brother because we wouldn't have spoken about that family that way. I was like, no way is he gonna be the youngest person to sum up my device. And instantly my thought was her family must be so worried. They must be so worried, they must be panicking. But were they?

SPEAKER_01 28:50

Yeah, they were okay. They were the poor mother, she didn't sleep for like a month. That's when I was over there. But like it's it's only really six days when you're leaving base camp that you don't have Wi-Fi. So that's the only stressful part for them, really. So it's not too bad throughout, but uh there was some sort of tracker, yeah. But that that went down at one that went down, so I was like, geez, what's supposed to have to happen? And so when the lads had a tracker, now he only bought it over there, so he wasn't very well used to it. Like, so it went down at some point, but uh yeah, that kept him going for yeah, I think so, because that was the first attempt. That's when they had the tracker like.

SPEAKER_00 29:21

Right. You may talk us through this, the first attempt, going from base camp to try and make your way to the summit of Mount Everest. How many stops are there? Like, what's that process like?

SPEAKER_01 29:31

Yeah, it's it's kind of crazy. Well, like so so we went in with the plan of getting up early. Okay. Because we knew there was gonna be a lot of cues of people. So we we went in probably two or three weeks before the big crowd comes in, and next thing we kind of so the ice fall is a huge, is a huge hurdle. Essentially it's the most dangerous part. The ice fall? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 29:51

So it's it isn't the death zone. No, no, no. This is something else. Okay, right.

SPEAKER_01 29:54

Yeah. So the ice fall is just a massive uh river moving ice. I think it moves about a meter a day, but there's huge kind of ice towers, so saracs and there's crevasses and stuff like that. That's what's just insane.

SPEAKER_00 30:05

Like I just didn't know any of this.

SPEAKER_01 30:07

Yeah, you know, you know where you've seen like people go across the ladders. Yeah. That'll be in the ice fall and stuff like that. Yeah, yeah. So there was a massive sarak.

SPEAKER_00 30:14

And you had no experience doing anything like that before.

SPEAKER_01 30:16

Uh no, so you do with a train over there. Okay. So I don't I don't know the ropes and stuff like that. I just hadn't crossed the ladder. Yeah. Because in the other one over in Nepal, you kind of get to do a lower rope work, so that was sound like.

SPEAKER_00 30:25

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:26

But uh, yeah, we went in there with you're just so chill about it. Like this, yeah, I know, yeah, yeah. It's it's kind of mad now. Yeah. But uh, we went in early and they were like, Oh yeah, the ice fall isn't gonna open until a huge ice tower falls. So that was just in the way.

SPEAKER_00 30:41

So we're So they were they could see that this ice tower was going to fall.

SPEAKER_01 30:44

Yeah, well, so they thought they said it's too dangerous to put in a route until it falls. So, like two or three weeks pass, and we have been sitting there the entire time thinking, Are we gonna go? Yeah, yeah. So that was probably the hardest part because you're like, is this ever gonna open? This is the most expensive trip to Everest Base Camp ever.

SPEAKER_00 31:01

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_01 31:02

Yeah, yeah, it was it was real annoying, like real annoying.

SPEAKER_00 31:04

So sorry, is this beyond base camp?

SPEAKER_01 31:07

Yeah, so it's but you they're not gonna send you up because it's probably like a three-hour walk from base camp. Okay, right. So, like you need to go from base camp to camp one, but it was in between base camp and camp one.

SPEAKER_00 31:18

How many camps are there before you get to Everest?

SPEAKER_01 31:20

There's four.

SPEAKER_00 31:21

So you are at Everest Base Camp for two to three weeks.

SPEAKER_01 31:25

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Waiting, like.

SPEAKER_00 31:26

Every day waiting to get the go-ahead. Oh, so what are is there quite a few services there?

SPEAKER_01 31:30

Yeah, well, yeah, like so you know, you're getting food and stuff, and then you're sleeping, and then you're sleeping okay, the altitude isn't affecting you. Yeah, it's not too bad now. There's sometimes sometimes you get headaches and stuff like that. You're trying to get as much water in as possible. But we we learned to go with a chess over there, I'll tell you that. Like, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00 31:45

Were you losing hope at that stage, Adam?

SPEAKER_01 31:47

Yeah, a little bit. I think everyone was. I think kind of you're you're talking to homie like, oh, this just never gonna happen. And then oh, everyone's like, this is never gonna happen because you're they're waiting for this to open. And then eventually some fella went in and put in a route, essentially. So some fella just took it upon himself and went in and just set up a route, like a Sherpa or Yeah, yeah, he was a Sherpa from a different group. He was like, Right, I'm sick of waiting, I'm going in. So we set up a route. Uh now that big ice tower didn't fall yet.

SPEAKER_00 32:13

Okay, and has it fallen?

SPEAKER_01 32:14

Uh I don't know if it hasn't fallen since. It definitely were over there. But uh, so we had to get past that. So that was a bit of a scary one. Like you're you're sitting in your tent every night, there's avalanches behind you in the icefall. Oh my god. So you're just like, please just don't let it be me in the in this like.

SPEAKER_00 32:27

Oh my god, that must have been terrifying.

SPEAKER_01 32:29

Yeah, you kind of get used to it. It's kind of weird because the first few days you're like, oh my god, there's um there's a what an avalanche happening behind me. And then by like the whatever, the second or third week, you're like, oh, that's fine, another avalanche.

SPEAKER_00 32:39

Do the Sherpers kind of know where the avalanche is gonna be?

SPEAKER_01 32:43

No, you can't really predict it.

SPEAKER_00 32:44

So it's literally pure risking your life if you decide to sleep.

SPEAKER_01 32:48

Yeah, it's no, this so it'll never reach in base camp. Okay, okay. So it's fine, but it's just going through the area that you're going from base camp to camp one.

SPEAKER_00 32:55

So even when you're moving from base camp to camp one, there's a chance you could get taken out by an avalanche.

SPEAKER_01 33:01

Yeah, but at that point you're like, Well, look, if I get taken out, if I get taken out, yeah, what can I do? It's like a plane, like, you know, go over the plane. When it falls, it falls.

SPEAKER_00 33:07

Yeah, that is just you've accepted all of these factors when you've made the decision to do it.

SPEAKER_01 33:12

Well, you kind of have to, don't you? Like, yeah. It's kind of weird, people are like, Are you scared? You're like, not really, like I know what can happen, but then again, you never really think it's gonna happen to you, do you?

SPEAKER_00 33:19

Of course. Um, and yeah, yeah, we won't even go into anything else beyond that. It didn't happen to you, that's the main thing. So then you finally made it to camp one after base camp. How long did it take you to go from there to camp? Did you say five?

SPEAKER_01 33:35

Uh camp four.

SPEAKER_00 33:36

Camp four, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 33:37

Uh so yeah, so we went up to we went up to camp one uh through the icefall, and then we went to camp two. Okay. And then you sleep there night, and then we went back down, and then you start going again. Just it's like that rotation.

SPEAKER_00 33:47

Oh, to adjust to the altitude. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 33:49

So we went up once and then went back down. Uh actually, it wasn't too bad. It's so hot up there. It's like 40 degrees Celsius up there. Hot! Because it's just in the during the day, the sun's coming down, there's there's mountains all around you. Okay, it's just beating down, it's reflecting off the snow and stuff. So it's so hot. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So it is very hot.

SPEAKER_00 34:06

Like I feel like so. I was telling you before we started recording, I studied earth science, yeah. I feel like I should have known this sort of stuff. Did have a clue. I just presumed at this point it is freezing all of the time.

SPEAKER_01 34:16

I know, yeah, a lot of people do.

SPEAKER_00 34:17

Because it is snow.

SPEAKER_01 34:18

Yeah, it is, but it is real warm during the day, and that's kind of you're you're you're meant to move, especially during the icefall at night. Yeah, because everything's frozen. Whereas during the day, like it the especially icefall is like a river, it's just flowing down. So you go through that at night and you're just praying that nothing happens. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_00 34:33

And your family are at home praying as well.

SPEAKER_01 34:34

Yeah, well, you don't tell them the thing, like there was a share one of the lads telling us before, and he said, Okay, there's one section during the ice fall where we have to run because this thing might fall, and you're like, What? And so you're like, All right, I won't tell anyone back home that.

SPEAKER_00 34:45

So you tell them after, like, and did you actually have to run?

SPEAKER_01 34:47

Yes, you had to run for about a hundred metres, and you are bet running for a hundred metres.

SPEAKER_00 34:51

You're literally running for your life.

SPEAKER_01 34:53

Yeah, yeah. But then again, Shaluk, nothing really happened. So I guess we weren't we're just running for the crack at that point. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 34:59

Um was the banter good between everyone at this stage, or is it all quite serious?

SPEAKER_01 35:03

Not at all. Not at all. Yeah. You see, like in fairness, Irish people like they're real good with the having the crack. Yeah. Like the the stuff we were saying to each other was absolutely shocking, you know what I mean? The jiving that was going on, but it was needed because you'd wake up and be like, oh, it's not open again. So like having the lads there, like taking taking the piss out and stuff like that was great.

SPEAKER_00 35:21

Yeah. Okay, so you've gone uh camp one, camp two, back down.

SPEAKER_01 35:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 35:26

Now camp two, stay there. So you're kind of doing this process between three and four.

SPEAKER_01 35:30

So we just do we just did it once, so up to camp two, and then we came back down uh the next day, and then we were like, right, we better go for the summit. Because at this point we were kind of falling. So you go you go from camp two back down to base camp and then you kind of plan around the weather.

SPEAKER_00 35:44

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 35:45

So there was there's jet streams up at the top ever, so you kind of have to avoid them. So we were looking at that and that pushes back another little bit. Okay. But uh then we decided, right, we'll go a day before when we think everyone else is gonna go. Okay. Just to kind of get away from the crowds. Um, so yeah, we we left at that point. We got to.

SPEAKER_00 36:00

Were you nervous then, Adam?

SPEAKER_01 36:01

Yeah, I think I think being on the phone to everyone kind of saying good luck to your friends and family was kind of like a big shock. Yeah. Because you're kind of like, oh, yeah, this is real now. Like, yeah. And you're trying to hold together hold it together for them, but you're like, you're about to go and do something that you know is very risky.

SPEAKER_00 36:14

Like, yeah, you're about to, you know, climb the highest mountain in the world.

SPEAKER_01 36:18

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 36:19

Um were you emotional then saying goodbye to them?

SPEAKER_01 36:21

Yeah, definitely, definitely. I think everyone was saying goodbye to their family. And then like I was getting sick. Then we when we were just about to leave, I think it was just the nerves, like, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 36:28

So you're just about to leave it like, oh, this is actually happening, like that that was probably, or correct me if I'm wrong, the one moment where all of this hit you.

SPEAKER_01 36:37

Yeah, I think it was. And I don't think I think you kind of lock in once you go up, so you're kind of fine, but then once you're saying goodbye, you kinda you sit in your tent that night and you kinda realise what you have ahead of you. Yeah. Like, this is gonna be so hard. Why am I doing this?

SPEAKER_00 36:48

Was there a moment there where you thought maybe I won't do it?

SPEAKER_01 36:50

Nah, not that. Nah.

SPEAKER_00 36:52

Not that you determined you're this far.

SPEAKER_01 36:53

Yeah, you have to. You have to go and give it a go.

SPEAKER_00 36:55

Like, yeah. Okay, so can you talk me through what happened then? I know there's something called the death zone, yeah. Which I want to hear about, and then I know you had to like turn back.

unknown 37:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 37:05

So talk us through that.

SPEAKER_01 37:06

Yeah, so we went up from base camp straight up to camp two, uh, and that's where we were gonna start our action up there. So we got up there, uh, it took it took us ages. Like, it it's it's it is a good trek. Okay. So you escaped camp one, they kind of took that down, and we slept there for a night with the next day. We were going to go. And then we got the news that like uh the guy Jason was wasn't gonna be able to go. Okay, and there was a ligament off the bone. So that was like a really tough night. Like, because everyone kind of sitting there and be like, Are you sure you can't go in? He's like, Look, I've been up there before. I know that my body's not gonna be able to go.

SPEAKER_00 37:35

Have you been up there once before?

SPEAKER_01 37:36

Yeah, so we'd done it from the north side and then he had led groups up the other side.

SPEAKER_00 37:39

Okay, oh my god, and he's probably kind of a rock kind of holding all you guys together.

SPEAKER_01 37:43

Ah, yeah, he's an absolute beef. Yeah, it's ridiculous the things he's done. You're you listen to the stories, I mean you're like, What are you talking about? And he just goes back to eating a soup or whatnot.

SPEAKER_00 37:51

He's just built differently, though.

SPEAKER_01 37:52

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 37:53

But I do think some people in this world are built for challenges like this. Yeah. You are clearly one of them.

SPEAKER_01 37:58

Well, look, we'll see about that. Hopefully, we will be.

SPEAKER_00 38:00

Clearly, you are. I mean, sorry, to give people a bit of context, how long is it since you came back?

SPEAKER_02 38:06

Five weeks.

SPEAKER_00 38:07

Five weeks. Since then, when did you run the Waterford Marathon?

SPEAKER_01 38:11

Probably three weeks ago.

SPEAKER_00 38:13

I think there's very few people that are going to summer Mount Everest, and then three weeks later.

SPEAKER_01 38:16

No, it wasn't quick. It wasn't quick, like.

SPEAKER_00 38:18

But still, it doesn't matter, you did it. Yeah. So sorry, going back a few steps anyway. Um, so Jason can't do it, you get the word, he's injured. What happens then?

SPEAKER_01 38:28

Yeah, so he's so it's kind of a good thing because he's looking at the weather and stuff. It's not a good thing, obviously, but at the time we're all everyone's kind of raging, he's annoyed because he has to go down, we're like annoyed because he has to go down. And then he said he was very lonely going down. So the next morning the three of us headed off. Uh so we were going up to camp three that night.

SPEAKER_00 38:44

Did you have a Sherpa with you?

SPEAKER_01 38:45

Yeah, okay. Yeah, yeah. So there's the three lads, and then there was three Sherpa's with us.

SPEAKER_00 38:49

Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 38:49

So they were they were classic, they're unreal. So we we hopped into auction at that point, which is we were buzzing about. We were meant to start a bit later on, but we didn't have time to do rotations because the mountain was closed for so long.

SPEAKER_00 39:00

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 39:00

So we hopped on a bit earlier. Okay. So that was kind of nice.

SPEAKER_00 39:03

So So what who talk me through that. I'm so confused. Like the oxygen.

SPEAKER_01 39:07

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 39:08

So are do you have a tank on you then?

SPEAKER_01 39:09

Yeah, it's not now, it's not full flow in life.

SPEAKER_00 39:11

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 39:12

Like it's kind of just oxygen assist.

SPEAKER_00 39:14

And you're wearing a mask all the time.

SPEAKER_01 39:16

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, so it's kind of annoying. So because like it the moisture kind of builds up on your face, it's horrible at some point.

SPEAKER_00 39:21

Yeah, I say your skin gets so damaged by it like. Uh your skin's great now. You'd love.

SPEAKER_01 39:27

Oh, I wouldn't say that now. I'm burnt, I'm burnt, that's what I am.

SPEAKER_00 39:30

Well, because we're recording this mid-heat wave, guys. So listen, you're not the only one that's somewhere that's not. Um so then you start the oxygen. This is after camp two, on your way to summit. This what this is what you're hoping to do at this stage.

SPEAKER_01 39:45

Yeah, so we're all kind of feeling good going to camp three. So you're going up to the next one. So everyone was kind of feeling good. We got up to camp three, poor Aina, which is one of the lads, he had been getting sick for like the last five days, every every every hour or something like that. And he just would get sick, keep going. He was an a he's an absolute beast up there. So we got up to camp three, slept the night, and then we were going into death the death zone the next day.

SPEAKER_00 40:06

Right. The death zone.

SPEAKER_01 40:08

Yeah, it's got a nice name to it.

SPEAKER_00 40:10

Beautiful, very exciting.

SPEAKER_01 40:11

Isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 40:12

Why is it called the death zone?

SPEAKER_01 40:14

Uh so essentially, like you can't live up there. So your body's eating itself. Uh yeah, yeah, yeah. So it's 30% oxygen, I think, okay. Of what is a sea level up there. But yeah, so you can't eat food, you can't sleep, your body just is just doesn't know what to do. So you feel literally horrible the entire time.

SPEAKER_00 40:30

So even if you try to sleep, you can't. Well, you obviously have the oxygen mask on all the time at the stage.

SPEAKER_01 40:35

So you're you're getting bits and bits and bobs like.

SPEAKER_00 40:38

Like what explain the feeling in your body. It's so hard, I think, for us lay people who just do a bit of hiking in the Wicklow Mountains to understand what your body feels like at this point.

SPEAKER_01 40:47

Yeah, I don't know. I don't know. I kinda don't know how to describe it. Like, it's it's almost like you're you're constantly like dizzy, so you're lightheaded.

SPEAKER_00 40:53

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 40:53

But you don't feel like you're dizzy, but like it's just kind of that's kind of what's going on in your head. You're not thinking too much, like, and yeah, you're just you're getting up and you're walking, which is probably the best thing ever.

SPEAKER_00 41:01

Like at this point, you're also like, I just want to get there. Just want to get there. Absolutely. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 41:06

You're thinking about home, you're like, I can't wait to go home. Yeah, I can't wait to go home to the sunshine or the rain or whatever, maybe mommy's dinner. Yeah, exactly. Chicken dinner, and now take it from the roll as well.

SPEAKER_00 41:15

Like Love it. Um, okay, so then did did all three of you make it up from there?

SPEAKER_01 41:21

Yeah, so yeah, so we we got up to camp four. Uh we were sleeping the night and we said, right, we'll go for it. So you get up there, and about three hours later we were going for some push, because like that you don't want to stay in the dead zone at all because your body is dying as you're up there.

SPEAKER_00 41:34

So we got up there and the way you say that so calmly shocks me, like because your body is just dying as you're up there. But anyway, we move.

SPEAKER_01 41:43

That's all you can do up there, really, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 41:44

Like, yeah, true.

SPEAKER_01 41:45

Uh so yeah, we c we went off that night um with the hopes of like someone like I think probably nine in the morning or something like that. So eight hours later, uh the call was kind of made like we just weren't going anywhere, that we had to go back down. Because of the weather, yeah, because it was really it was really snowy and look, people were kind of feeling it a little bit. So that was one of the hardest calls ever because there's people going by us. Um, I think the weather was good enough to do it. Okay, the call was made that we had to go down. Okay. Uh, which was devastating.

SPEAKER_00 42:13

So you're seeing people pass you and they're going to sum it.

SPEAKER_01 42:16

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 42:16

And you're deciding to go back down. Who makes this call?

SPEAKER_01 42:19

Uh yeah, kind of everyone collectively. So you kind of come as a group and like you speak to sheriffs, you're like, look, you've done this before, like, what do you what do you think? And they're like, Okay, it's not safe and you're like, Well, look, you're the Sherpa's. Yeah. At the end of the day, you don't want to put their lives at risk as well as your own.

SPEAKER_00 42:30

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 42:31

So you made that call.

SPEAKER_00 42:32

Like, you try to sum it how many hours into the attempt are you?

SPEAKER_01 42:37

Eight hours. So, like, it puts in perspective, like, we walked 800 metres in eight hours, like. So, like, yeah, two laps of track, like it's mad.

SPEAKER_00 42:44

Sorry, eight hundred metres.

SPEAKER_01 42:46

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 42:47

It's crazy like in eight hours?

SPEAKER_01 42:48

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 42:49

100 metres.

SPEAKER_01 42:50

Yeah, you're you're going that slow up there, like, so you can't really move, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 42:53

Oh my god, I mean, obviously, I knew it wouldn't be fast and you'd be going slow.

SPEAKER_01 42:57

Yeah, you wouldn't think it's that slow.

SPEAKER_00 42:58

That's is that the sheer incline?

SPEAKER_01 43:00

Yeah, it's just sure, it's pure vertical. Like, everyone.

SPEAKER_00 43:02

Are you using anything in particular to help you get up there, or are you literally just You're using an ascender?

SPEAKER_01 43:08

So essentially what it is, it's like a it's a device that attached onto a rope and you slide up so you're not only using your legs, you're using your arms as well.

SPEAKER_00 43:15

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 43:15

So that's kind of a welcome break, but they have ropes put in place, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 43:18

And you're going up.

SPEAKER_01 43:19

Yeah, okay. So that was fairly devastating. Um I it was very quiet on the way back down to the tent.

SPEAKER_00 43:25

Yeah, so eight hours up, how long back down?

SPEAKER_01 43:27

Probably two, probably two, something like that, so it wasn't too bad. But uh no one was talking to each other, everyone was kind of like, right, this is it, this is over. Like uh because no like that, like no one goes again because you're like, there's no point saying the dead zone. So we kind of crawl back into our tents and so where your tents are, is that in the dead zone? Yeah, well it's j I think it's about fifty meters below it. Something like that.

SPEAKER_00 43:48

Okay, so you come back down, failed attempt at summitting Mount Everest. Yeah, you are back 50 meters or so below the dead zone where your body literally, as you said, eat. Itself.

SPEAKER_01 44:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 44:01

When do you get the chance to summon again?

SPEAKER_01 44:03

Yeah, so well we didn't think we would. Um now there was a 24-year-old Sharper, here's our lead guide.

SPEAKER_02 44:08

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 44:09

And he was like, We're gonna do, we're gonna do it, but like we needed we need extra auction. So this is where Jason came in, so handy because he was down below, he could organise extra auction. Then people had to come up because some of the Sherpers weren't feeling up for us, so they didn't want to go for a second attempt, and you're like, Yeah, no bother. So then another Sherper kind of came up and stuff like that, and uh then they said, Right, let's let's go again. At one point we thought that it would only be one of us that'll be able to go, and that was one of the other lads' sharp, and we said, look, just go for it, but there's no point not trying. But yeah, we kind of said realistically we're not gonna get this because we're all so fatigued.

SPEAKER_00 44:40

Like, how long did you spend uh uh uh when you came down from that failed attempt to sum it? How long did you all spend at that point, 50 metres below death zone, before you made the decision to all go again, before everything fell back into place?

SPEAKER_01 44:53

Uh before you made the decision, probably two hours, and then probably five hours before he left again, then.

SPEAKER_00 44:58

Okay. And are you in touch with Jason?

SPEAKER_01 45:01

Not really, not really. So because it's so far away, Jason has to radio up to camp two, and then they have to radio up to camp three.

SPEAKER_00 45:08

Okay, so there's kind of middlemen in the messaging. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 45:10

So like you're talking about the weather with a mask and what's a crack and when can he go?

SPEAKER_00 45:14

Like, yeah, okay. Right, so seven hours or so go by, yeah, and you make the decision, we're gonna attempt to summit Mount Everest one more time.

SPEAKER_01 45:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 45:24

Were you feeling positive?

SPEAKER_01 45:25

No, everyone was kind of like, look, we're not gonna get there, like, but uh because of because you're you're you're so tired and everyone just felt terrible and we all looked terrible. We were like, we may as well go and give this a go, like. We're here now, we may as well go. We may as well get out the pencil.

SPEAKER_00 45:38

It's such an Irish way of looking at it, isn't it? We might as well. Okay, so talk me through the summit.

SPEAKER_01 45:45

Yeah, so we all headed off, and honestly, I don't think any of us would have got there if it wasn't for each other, including the Sherpa's like. Everyone was kind of looking at this person, you're like, Well, I'm not stopping until this fella's stopping. And then you're thinking the same. So it was kind of it worked out like really well. So we left first, so we decided we'd sum it in the dark. Uh, again to avoid the cues. That was the most ever summits, I think, in a day in history. So it was crazy coming past down the butt.

SPEAKER_00 46:09

Stop! Yeah, it was mental like was this because the forecast for that day was particularly good and people have been waiting.

SPEAKER_01 46:14

And that was the only weather window probably in the entire season that looked good.

SPEAKER_00 46:17

Like, in the entire season?

SPEAKER_01 46:18

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 46:19

So uh how many people are you talking going on? 300, I think. I'm like, how are all these people able to summit meant everything?

SPEAKER_01 46:26

Yeah, I know. Look, there's some people over there that like there we were talking to some people and they were saying they'd only done base camp before. You're like, what are you doing over here? Like, it's so dangerous. Now they're bringing a new rural where you have to have a 7,000 meter peak done beforehand. Brilliant. Which is good because that'll hopefully like the risks will be lower and stuff like that. Yeah, and the queues won't be as high as well.

SPEAKER_00 46:44

Like, so you summit in the dark, you don't mind the fact that you're gonna be up there in the dark and can't see much.

SPEAKER_01 46:50

Nah, you're you're like you're so happy. There's so many false summits, like yeah, you keep you keep going up and then you can kind of see something in the distance, and you're like that's higher, and you're like, I know that's it, but you're like, surely this is it. Obviously, it's not because it's the highest point.

SPEAKER_00 47:02

Like, every time you get there, there's another point to go. Yeah, it's crazy. This might be a bit of a silly question, but like when you get to the very top, is there anything there? Like, is there like a particular it's obviously not like a big pinnacle or cross at the top.

SPEAKER_01 47:14

No, there's there's a little sign that says Everest. There is a little sign. It's kind of cool, like, but uh you're absolutely buzzing, and then like to get there with the get there with all the lads and everyone's taking photos, and like it's so cold at this point. Like, you're taking photos and the your phone dies within two photos and you're raging, and the next thing you're like, will you take a photo? Yeah, it's so cold, your phone's just gone. And the lads, of course.

SPEAKER_00 47:33

Does the phone break?

SPEAKER_01 47:34

No, no, no, just dies, the battery's gone. Yeah, the battery's gone. And the lads, of course, didn't charge their phones beforehand. So I the I was the only one with phone like Stop! Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 47:42

So I did like I saw a lot of this on your social media. I started following you the second I saw KD posts and everything. It's like this is monumental for like Irish hikers for Ireland. Like you've made history for Ireland, it's incredible. Um, and I did see some of those photos, but it's great to like paint the picture of what it's like up there for people listening. They're terrible photos, but like this is you're literally at the top of the world. Do you know what can you expect? Yeah, if people want to go, uh this is a good point, I suppose. Say what your social media handles are so people can go and have a look through the photos and the videos. What's your Instagram handle, Adam?

SPEAKER_01 48:17

Uh it's Adam T. Sweeney.

SPEAKER_00 48:18

Adam T. Sweeney. Guys, I'd recommend going to look at that because it is class. We'll have it all tagged in the in the show notes anyway. So, how long do you spend at the top of the world?

SPEAKER_01 48:28

Probably ten minutes. Okay. Yeah, it's so cold. You're like, like it's so it's so weird because you've trained like three or four years to get there and you're buzzing, but then you're like the most dangerous part is on the way down now. Yeah. Like the wave of emotion that like went over, I think all of us was like, oh my god, I can't believe it's running, especially after failing like the first time and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_00 48:45

The first time and the weight you had at ice camp for two to three weeks because of that ice tower. What's the temperature at the very top of Mount Everest?

SPEAKER_01 48:52

I think you're right. I think that's about minus 40 up there. Minus 40. Minus 40, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 48:55

Did you cry?

SPEAKER_01 48:57

Close to, close to. I didn't have enough energy to do it.

SPEAKER_00 48:59

Yeah. And it probably I'd say the water would just freeze this second rise anyway. Um, so you're 10 minutes up there, and then, like you said, now the most dangerous part is coming back down.

SPEAKER_01 49:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 49:10

Was there a lot of fear?

SPEAKER_01 49:12

Uh yeah, I think I think there kind of was. Um so when you go down, essentially you have a lanyard. So it's like a Y clip. You have like a carabiner on this side, a carabiner on this side. So you have to clip around the people that are coming up. Okay. So you can imagine clipping around 300 people when you're absolutely exhausted going down. Um and there's people unclipping. Yeah, there's people unclipping your clips, like, and you're like, What are you doing? Like, because obviously you're not gonna be like, Oh yeah, sorry there, would you mind not doing that?

SPEAKER_00 49:35

Obviously, emotions are running really high because of such a lack of sleep at this point. Yeah, people are unclipping your clips.

SPEAKER_01 49:40

Yeah, they kind of don't know what's going on. So you've got one going around them, and next thing they're fiddling with your clips, and you're like, What's going on? Like, what are you actually doing?

SPEAKER_00 49:46

What does that sound so funny?

SPEAKER_01 49:47

Yeah, I know crazy way to say that.

SPEAKER_00 49:48

Like, but like, how many ropes are there?

SPEAKER_01 49:53

Well, one really.

unknown 49:54

One?

SPEAKER_01 49:55

Yeah, yeah. So there's like 400 people online, like.

SPEAKER_00 49:57

And obviously, you were the smart ones who decided we're gonna sum it early before things get too busy.

SPEAKER_01 50:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 50:03

But that made it so difficult for you going down. Because obviously, for them going up, they just need to get over the three, well, the six of you. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 50:10

Well, they had massive cues on the way up, you see. Okay, yeah. So, like, there's people going slow, they're stuck behind them like that too.

SPEAKER_00 50:16

But you're constantly trying to get around everyone.

SPEAKER_01 50:19

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 50:20

So you're getting really close and personal, all these people trying to get around.

SPEAKER_01 50:22

Yeah, very I know a lot of hugs were given. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00 50:26

That's gas.

SPEAKER_01 50:26

Yeah, there's some points where like there's eight people like, right, you know what? I'm gonna unclip here, and I'm gonna just walk down and I'm just gonna pray. Yeah, you know what I mean? Hoping that doesn't happen.

SPEAKER_00 50:35

You're just getting sick of it, kind of with that.

SPEAKER_01 50:36

Yeah, and looking back like, geez, I should have clipped in.

SPEAKER_00 50:38

Like, yeah. So wait, did you actually yeah, unclip?

SPEAKER_01 50:41

Yeah, you just unclipped. Yeah, actually, like, I look at look at why not like you're just trying to get back down. Yeah, you're dying, but obviously it's so like that's that's how people have kind of something's happened.

SPEAKER_00 50:49

Exactly. So the process of coming back down, was there any kind of fearful moments? Was it relatively easy? Was the body struggling to adjust to the altitude changes?

SPEAKER_01 51:00

Uh yeah, it was it was tough coming down. I actually ran out of auction at one point.

SPEAKER_00 51:04

Oh my.

SPEAKER_01 51:05

So that was kind of a bit of a shock. Like it took me so we where we'd had turned around the night before, yeah. Uh where it took us two hours, probably took me six hours to get down without oxygen. Like, so that was really tough. Like you're taking two steps and you have to stop.

SPEAKER_00 51:16

So what is it when you're trying to breathe in, you just can't get it out of it?

SPEAKER_01 51:20

Yeah, it's it's mad. It's like, you know, if you ever do like a say a hundred meter sprint, full sprint, yeah, and at the end, like you're fully like hyperventilating, it's like that at all times when you're walking down, like stop it. Yeah, because you because you're so used to the oxygen you had. People say that if you run out of oxygen, it's almost better if you don't have oxygen the entire time because your body's kind of getting used to it.

SPEAKER_00 51:38

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 51:39

Whereas when it just doesn't have it, then it it's like something bad happens.

SPEAKER_00 51:43

Did you I mean obviously you can't, but like did you kind of panic? Were you worried?

SPEAKER_01 51:47

Uh not really, not really. So the lads have kind of gone down. The sharpest and the lads have gone down. So I was like, right, we'll just get down to the tents, like.

SPEAKER_04 51:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 51:54

So one of the boys away down there, down there from me, and then I got down to him eventually. Probably hours later, like, and uh he he checked the auction, I was like, I think my auctions out, and he was like, Oh my god, man, you could have died, you could have died. And two people died the next day from the same thing. So, like, it's kind of mad, like, kind of puts it in perspective, like you're kind of like that that there may have been a big deal.

SPEAKER_00 52:12

Like, Adam, you're joking me.

SPEAKER_01 52:13

Oh yeah, but you're looking at it has the sore, doesn't it?

SPEAKER_00 52:16

The irishness of the body.

SPEAKER_01 52:17

Be grand, be grand.

SPEAKER_00 52:18

Be grand. Two people died with the same lack of oxygen. Yeah, yeah, they ran out of oxygen, yeah. So literally, the very same thing you did, oxygen runs out, they don't make it. Like their life actually uh like that. I cannot comprehend the danger and how lucky and blessed you are to have made it down. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 52:39

I suppose it didn't at that at that moment, like I didn't really see anything wrong with it. Like, oh look it's just gonna suck for the next four four or six hours, something like that.

SPEAKER_00 52:46

And maybe that positive mindset is what got you there.

SPEAKER_01 52:49

Maybe, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 52:50

They say that like what you believe in is everything, and you were so sure you were gonna get back, and it'd be fine, it'll just be tough, obviously. Yeah, yeah. Uh that is crazy. I feel like you have an angel. I don't know if you're religiously, but you know, you have something out there looking out for you. Hopefully, hopefully. Definitely. Yeah, yeah. I I don't even know where to start. I mean, I haven't looked at my questions. When you get back down, the guy say you could have died.

SPEAKER_01 53:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 53:19

How did that hit you?

SPEAKER_01 53:20

Didn't it? I'm like, right, get me into the tent, let me get some grub like.

SPEAKER_00 53:23

Okay, are you starving?

SPEAKER_01 53:24

Yeah, well, like you're kind of like, oh, let me just get some substance. You're not starving, you're thirsty, you're gasping. Okay. Um, there was a story actually about some some fella over there, he came down off the summit and there was no water around. He was so thirsty, he found like a bottle of someone's whee and he had to drink the bottle of wee. That's a fair grill stuff.

SPEAKER_00 53:42

Oh my god. I'd well believe it though.

SPEAKER_01 53:44

Brutal like.

SPEAKER_00 53:45

But you know what? If I was in his shoes, yeah, everyone would do the same thing.

SPEAKER_01 53:49

You wouldn't be happy about it, but like you do it.

SPEAKER_00 53:51

Oh my god. Oh, that is crazy. But you get down, they have water and everything there.

SPEAKER_01 53:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 53:56

Okay. Um, your body now has more there's more oxygen at this point, or do they have auction to give you?

SPEAKER_01 54:02

No, it's you're still on auction, so yeah, there's oxy bottles kind of down there.

SPEAKER_00 54:05

So you're able to get some more. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, okay. And to get from there back down to base camp. What was that journey like then? Was it like easy breezy?

SPEAKER_01 54:15

No, it's so it's so tough. So tough.

SPEAKER_00 54:18

Really?

SPEAKER_01 54:18

Yeah, it was just like it's you're so slow going and you're so tired. Like, you've after given pretty much everything, and then you're walking down and you're just wrecked. But uh you knew it was gonna be over, and you're like, there's a hot there's a shower and like a proper toilet waiting for me.

SPEAKER_00 54:30

Like, and I take away when you heard that sorry, this is a bit of a TMI question. Do you know the way you said you have to bring all your waste back down with you? Yeah, yeah, yeah. But you you also have to bring like all of your waist back down with you.

SPEAKER_01 54:42

Yeah, you're gonna be able to get it. Well, like you go you can go for a wee like, you know. I mean, and that's crabbed, but that's okay. Yeah, you gotta put it in a bag and carry it down. Oh my god, that's insane. But like it's it's a double, it's a double lock bag and there's like an air freshener in the bag.

SPEAKER_00 54:52

So it's like I mean, obviously you have to do that, but I never stopped to think about all these L things, you know. Uh when did you hear that two people died?

SPEAKER_01 55:01

Coming back to the Yeah, I know the news have filtered through fairly quick.

SPEAKER_00 55:04

Like, did that give you quite a bit of a shake up?

SPEAKER_01 55:07

Uh not really. I think kind of looked overall I think five people died that season, which I know sounds like a lot of people in two months, but like it was pretty good statistics like.

SPEAKER_00 55:17

It's like I uh I mean this in the most empathetic way, but like it is the risk you know you're taking when you go to like try and find it.

SPEAKER_01 55:24

Well, like it's a very self it's a very selfish thing to go over and do, like to leave your family and friends over there, like and for them to be worrying and stuff like that. Like it is very selfish to go over and try and climb mountains.

SPEAKER_00 55:34

I suppose I never would have said it that way. Uh I find it I find it humble of you to phrase it that way, because I see it as being so inspirational, I see it as being so motivated, I see it as being so disciplined, I see it as being so like life-changing. But I do when you say it that way now, I do understand that your family were no doubt going through turmoil.

SPEAKER_01 55:57

Going through the trenches.

SPEAKER_00 55:58

Yes, yeah, exactly. Um when did you get to speak to them after summiting? At what point did you yeah?

SPEAKER_01 56:04

So we got down and Jason was waiting for us. Uh that was class. He he actually, I think he did live uh for when so the whole village like hadn't slept. It was um from a small little fishing village. Yeah, and like my mother was saying, like, the whole village is texting her at three in the morning and saying, Wait, what's happening? What's happening? So that was nice as well. But uh yeah, got down and then call a family group chat and everyone's like, woo, and it was probably like a five-minute chat because we needed to get out of it.

SPEAKER_00 56:26

Yeah, but at this point now it's going all over social media, it's RTE, it's every platform you can find.

SPEAKER_01 56:33

Yeah, yeah, it's mad. Like it's mad because you're in your own little bubble, you don't realise what's kind of happening. Yeah, so uh yeah, seeing it in RT News and like seeing the family in RT News is gaslight.

SPEAKER_00 56:42

Yeah, I remember seeing your your mom and dad and Katie on it. I was like, oh my god! I'm like, geo, Max, like look at this.

SPEAKER_01 56:47

I know, yeah, it's just insane. The mother cherved me for having a messy bedroom. You know what I mean? The most Irish mammy thing like that was such a good clip.

SPEAKER_00 56:55

I think I remember seeing like Roz Purcell's comment underneath that video or something, getting so many likes, being like classic Irish Mammy or something like on with the bedroom. I love it. Um so then you're making your way back down. Obviously, it was still really, really tough. When you get back to base camp itself, is that when you can like breathe?

SPEAKER_01 57:12

Yeah, yeah. That's your safe then. Like yeah, safe. So we kind of had a bit of cake, had a had a beer or something like that, because there was no beer for a year and a half or something like that.

SPEAKER_02 57:21

Really? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 57:22

Ah, yeah, just it just messed the train up. Yeah. Like you know, you could be gone for like a week or something like that. So I was like, nah, you know what, we'll leave it off for you. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 57:28

So God, I say that was the best beer you ever had in your life.

SPEAKER_01 57:30

Oh, stop it, lovely. Best sleep I've ever had.

SPEAKER_00 57:33

How long did you sleep for?

SPEAKER_01 57:34

Er, well, so it was actually kind of mad. So we had planned to get the helicopter out that day because we didn't our flight was the next day.

SPEAKER_03 57:41

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 57:41

And next thing cloud came in, so we had to stay there another day, which we were like, oh no, not another day. Because you're sleeping in the tent, it's freezing. Yeah. And then so the next day, you probably I think we got up at six in the morning, and then we eventually got the helicopter out, and then we got off the helicopter to the hotel, wash ourselves because we smelled awful.

SPEAKER_00 57:58

That was my next thought. So, when would you have last showered?

SPEAKER_01 58:00

Probably two weeks ago before this. Yeah, it's grim.

SPEAKER_00 58:02

It's grim like it's part of us.

SPEAKER_01 58:05

Same jocks for two weeks, like, you know what I mean? Yeah, it's not great.

SPEAKER_00 58:09

Oh my god. That I literally just kind of wrapped my head around all these things. I never thought of all the logistics with food, with waste, with human waste. Yeah. Crowds of people going up that you're trying to get around with the oxygen. It's it's I know you said it's a very selfish thing to do, but I genuinely think it is one of the most inspirational stories. I don't think we're gonna have a guest on Shake the Ground that's gonna top the story when it comes to inspirational levels. Like it really is. I'm sure you've had so many people telling you this since you got back. Um, but sorry, so you you missed your flight home the next day, you have to get another flight.

SPEAKER_01 58:43

No, we actually so we got the helicopter out, and then it was like, okay, then you have to get a bus straight to get the shower 20 minutes and then go to the airport.

SPEAKER_00 58:50

Okay, at least you got a shower.

SPEAKER_01 58:51

Yeah, I know. Well, still the clothes weren't oh, the poor people's sides on the flight. Like, I'm only I'm only thinking about that because we smell awful.

SPEAKER_00 58:57

So you you were in the same clothes?

SPEAKER_01 58:59

Uh something not not really, but like something you had worn before. You had worn it before and stuff like that. You didn't have time to do the washing.

SPEAKER_00 59:06

So you now are getting connected with the real world again. Phones are charged, you're seeing everything that's building, the hype online. You walk through the doors when you get back in Dublin Airport. How was that moment?

SPEAKER_01 59:19

Yeah, it was nice. It was so we we came in, our flight was like two hours early, which I've never heard of flight being two hours early. It was really weird. No, it wasn't. It was like Qatar or something. It was never gonna be right now. But uh, we were like two hours early, so it was nice because we knew once we walked to the doors, because our families and friends and the the so the media would be there. So we we just had like a little chat, sat down for two hours and kind of eating a pack of Tato Crisps after eating loaning it like and then we went back in. Yeah, it was really nice to see everyone. I think like kind of the leaves on everyone's faces and stuff like that, and to see what to see like that how much they had put in as well and you know how happy they were. It was it was classic.

SPEAKER_00 59:56

I'd say it was such an emotional moment. Yeah, it wasn't surreal media, like was it just like flashing everywhere when you went?

SPEAKER_01 1:00:03

Uh not really, so we kind of didn't tell people when we were coming back for that reason. Uh no, I think RTE were there.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:08

And then there was one other we had like a photographer there as well. Yeah, brilliant.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:12

We kind of just want to be family and friends and stuff like that, just to keep it kind of close and stuff like that, which is real nice.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:16

So uh yeah, no, it was real nice, but look, we we came home that day and went out that night, of course. You have to like I love it.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:23

Did you set out up in Dublin or back down to the book?

SPEAKER_01 1:00:25

No, no, back down to Waterford, Jay back, very good. Like in a local place, so it was nice.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:29

Uh so talk us through then the few weeks after getting back. I mean, look, it's only been five weeks since you got back.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:34

How's the body been?

SPEAKER_01 1:00:35

Yeah, it's weird. The body hasn't been great for the first four weeks. I'd say it was wrecked. Like, like you're sleeping all the time and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:42

Appetite everywhere?

SPEAKER_01 1:00:43

Appetite, you get Eve. You can eat whatever you want. You're starving. Oh, stop. Lost 10 kg over there. Like, so I put that on fairly quickly, I'll tell you that for a fact. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:51

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:52

Do you sound like Tommy Bo with the pen chill?

SPEAKER_00 1:00:55

But like, I just I picture like 10 bags of sugar. That's how I see you. Yeah. That's a lot.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:01

Yeah, it is.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:01

What are the foods you couldn't wait to get back to the most?

SPEAKER_01 1:01:04

Uh so we stopped off, got a fry because it was early in the morning.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:06

Unreal.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:07

And then a chicken filler roll, and then like that a chicken.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:09

Chicken fillet roll. Are we talking mayonnaise, taco sauce?

SPEAKER_01 1:01:11

Nah, let the chicken do the work, like you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00 1:01:13

Spicy chicken fillet.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:15

Yeah, just ketchup, just ketchup and chicken. I'm just boring.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:17

There's a lot of people listening to this going, he did not just say ketchup with a chicken fillet. I'm a taco sauce girl.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:23

Oh, I don't I don't see, I don't see the vision. But you put lettuce and cheese and everything in it.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:27

You see, you don't think the chicken does enough, like?

SPEAKER_00 1:01:29

No, I need a bit of everything.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:30

Yeah, that's fair enough.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:31

Yeah, a bit of everything, everything. I'm mixing it. Right, so fry, chicken fillet roll. What's next?

SPEAKER_01 1:01:35

Chicken dinner.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:36

Chicken, most dinner, like a Sunday gravy, stuffing, everything, like, everything. And any sweet treats?

SPEAKER_01 1:01:43

Um, not so much sweet treats, because you I brought over like an ungodly amount of sweets.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:47

Of jellies and stuff.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:48

Yeah, so many.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:49

Yeah, so you just wanted proper food.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:50

Yeah, like meat, like the food wasn't great over there, and be real in the table. Yeah. So like coming home and like having and milk, like having a glass of milk.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:57

Oh, but she can't be Irishman. No, you can't. I love having like Irish stuff.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:00

Stop now. Stop, stop.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:02

Brilliant. Um, okay, right, Adam. We have I can't believe I can't wrap my head around everything you've done and hearing about it in detail because obviously we kind of planned getting you in here quite last minute. Yeah. And I'm delighted that we could get you in.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:14

Thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:15

But it was, ah, listen, it's genuinely an honor to have you in here because in my mind, I'm like, this guy is not long back after taking on like the toughest challenge in the world. Surely he just wants to rest and be at home. And also, you've probably done quite a lot of like interviews here and there about it that you're sick of telling the story. So I really appreciate you taking the time to share it with us here on Shake the Ground. Um, one question for you, well, kind of one or two, and then I'm gonna move into kind of our our kind of typical ending questions for the episode, right? So after summiting Mount Everest, after being at the highest peak in the world, the youngest man in Ireland to do it, how has it changed you as a person?

SPEAKER_01 1:02:53

Um, I think it's kind of it's kind of changing like what I want to do. Like, like so. I'm I was saying to you beforehand, like I'm in college doing accounting, and I kind of realize that that's not for me.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:02

You said that to me, I was like, Accounting. I know, I know just hiked the summit of the world. So it's like the two are not adding up for me.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:09

No, no. So I I kind of look at that now and I come home like great, no, you know what? Like, if you can do that, you can kind of do whatever you want.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:14

Of course.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:15

So that's kind of a nice feeling, and it kind of it gives you a lot of confidence as well. Like, it's nice, it's nice when people are kind of come out coming up to you in in the village and they're like, Oh, look, I want to try and do hike and stuff like that. So that's so cool.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:25

Such respect for you.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:26

Like, yeah, well, yeah, like it's just it's just kind of cool to see that people are following along and enjoying and stuff like that. And it's kind of weird because you you don't think it like I don't really think it's obviously it's kind of mad, but like it hasn't sunk into the fact that I'm like, ah, it's crazy like that.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:38

I know you were saying you're not sure it's ever gonna sink in.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:41

No, no. So I'll have to go back and do it again to make sure it's things in.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:44

So this is my next question. What goal can you set yourself after you have summited Mount Everest? Is there any goals?

SPEAKER_01 1:03:50

Uh yeah, I'd like to walk across like Antarctica one day.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:53

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:53

Uh solo that and I'd like to go back and do it again.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:55

See it open for you.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:56

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:57

Sorry, what?

SPEAKER_01 1:03:58

Yeah, so just no auction, no sharpers, just just on the ones, as they say.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:02

You want to you want to summit Mount Everest again?

SPEAKER_01 1:04:05

Yeah, but like I'm I might leave I might leave the mother sleep for a few years, like in a minute. I'll leave it off for a little while. But uh yeah, eventually I'd like to go back and do it again. Yeah, I think it'd be cool.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:15

You like I said, you are one of the human beings in this world that I believe is built for endurance, though. Like also, we like you ran the Waterfoot marathon. Did we say that already? Yeah. You ran that what three weeks after getting back. So I do think your body is built for endurance and taking on these challenges. The altitude is something I will never ever understand.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:34

Well, you might do, you might do. You might go over and you might go over and do Everest there.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:38

No, I could see myself doing another two marathons in a week before I would take on Mount Everest.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:42

Jeez, I prefer to do Mount Everest.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:45

But my knees would probably prefer to do Mount Everest, to be fair. They're not well after it. Um saying you'd like to walk across Antarctica someday and that you'd like to go back and summit Mount Everest again.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:56

Uh do you actually have like a time in mind? Are you thinking 10 years down the line? Are you thinking sooner?

SPEAKER_01 1:05:02

Uh maybe five or six years. Like, I don't want to be too long. Yeah. Um, I kind of have other plans in in between.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:09

Okay. So lots of little things happening. Yeah, yeah. Watch this space.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:13

I know, yeah. Well, look, I have something big planned next year that I'm not looking forward to. My mother's after putting it out on the on the news so she has.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:18

So are we allowed to know what it is?

SPEAKER_01 1:05:20

Yeah, so plan on doing like 32 Ironmans in 32 counties in 32 days.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:24

No!

SPEAKER_01 1:05:25

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I've I've actually regretted putting it out there now, but like You're joking! I know, I'm not looking forward to it at all.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:32

Sorry. Oh hold on. You just told me you wouldn't want to do two marathons seven days apart, but instead you're doing 32 Ironmans in 32 counties in 32 days.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:40

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:41

Full Ironmans.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:42

Yeah, yeah. I did a half the other day and it was a lot harder than I thought it would be.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:46

I saw this on your story.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:46

It thought it'd be easy.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:47

Do you know? I I know someone who is thinking about signing up for a half iron man, was it half iron man? Yeah, I think about signing up for half Iron Man. So I was like, Do you know? I think I sent a story to them and I was like, look at this. Like there, there you go, you can just do it from home. He did it from home.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:00

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:01

And 'cause they're expensive to get in. I just yeah, and even like to get the bike and everything for the year.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:06

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:07

Right, so you said your mum put this out on the on the yeah, so we went and did something with the mayor, like so uh so I saw this post, was it just like yesterday or then yesterday?

SPEAKER_01 1:06:15

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:16

And I didn't get time to look into it in its entirety. I think um was Katie there with you as well?

SPEAKER_01 1:06:22

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:22

And I wasn't sure what was going on. So that's where you went and and announced that you were doing this.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:27

Uh yeah, so it kind of got put out there on WLR. So I don't know. We'll have to give it a go.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:31

When are you gonna do it?

SPEAKER_01 1:06:32

Uh I was hoping to do it like May 20th, so like the day I summit Ever Everest next year. To start. Yeah, yeah, so start it then. But uh I hope I'll be able to train enough now. I'll have to get a proper one done beforehand. If not, I'll have to defer it until maybe September, October next year. Like as in because the body hasn't fully recovered yet, so it's hard to know where you're fully at.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:50

And I suppose with the summer we're after getting, you'd be like, uh, are you going to be entering heat wave season?

SPEAKER_01 1:06:55

That's a good point, actually. Yeah, but it's so it's so hard to enter in the heat like. So maybe you'd be better off doing like September.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:01

You'd be into one of the heat waves, I think. Yeah if we had the same summer, but you never know. Uh obviously it's a cool idea to think you'd you'd start this challenge on the same day that you summoned it back to the channel.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:11

Yeah, yeah, but it's kind of it's it's coming around the corner like.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:13

Yeah, like I think that's a really cool start for you. I don't think anyone's gonna mind if you push it till September. Yeah, yeah. That's a huge challenge. And if you take that on, are you gonna have like funding, a team?

SPEAKER_01 1:07:25

Yeah, so I'll have like a camp van going around because obviously I would probably take 14, 15 hours to do the Iron Man.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:31

And if people want to come on board and join you for sections of it, is that's a good idea.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:34

I yeah, I'll definitely be doing something like that.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:36

Well, Jesus, we'll definitely be there when you're in I mean Carlo or Wicklow or Gildare or anything.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:41

Well, look, I'll be I'll be neither, I'll be in either or like this.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:43

Yeah, this is so much.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:45

Yeah, so I'll do it for like Charlie or something like that, raise raise a few quid or something like that. Yeah, hopefully get as many people involved because it's easier doing stuff with other people.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:51

Like, I can't wrap my head around that. Like, do you know? Obviously, I know of a girl who did 32 marathons in 32 days.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:57

How did you find that?

SPEAKER_00 1:07:58

So you're gonna do that in a plus more, plus so much more. Yeah, yeah. How did she find it? Um hopefully not bad. Sophie Grace Holmes is her name, and she has cystic fibrosis. Wow, yeah. So she's been like kind of running to improve her lung function. She's she's pretty big on social media. I think she found it extremely tough. Uh, but I mean got through it, documented the whole thing, have a feeling she's planning something else because it's that same spark in her eye that I think I'd see in you, where it's like you just have this hunger for endurance and challenges and uh pushing your body beyond the limits to your own more.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:32

Yeah, that's the problem when you do something when you're younger.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:34

It's a problem when you are the youngest person in Ireland to summit Mount Everest. There is gonna be no challenge big enough for you.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:41

I know that's it, that's it.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:42

That is incredible.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:43

I shall look good, see how we get on. I know I I've said it now, so I have to, don't I?

SPEAKER_00 1:08:47

So my next question was going to be uh we ask everyone this, and it's a ground shaking confession to confess to us something you've done or said, big or small, that really like shook the ground within your own life. Now, clearly, summoning Mount Everest is like something that's shook the ground within your life, but like is there anything else that you haven't shared with us that you're like when I did this, when I said that, it was a real moment of change in my life?

SPEAKER_01 1:09:14

I suppose there hasn't, like I suppose Everest has obviously been the biggest and stuff like that. But I think like um I had a friend kind of he he did social media and stuff like that. And like I was so I was so nervous to go out and actually put myself out there. And I think a lot of people are, and then once like you kind of have someone being like, ah go and do it, and then you actually go and do it, like it's so much it's so much easier than you'd actually think. Like people like people don't care. Like I think it's kind of a big thing that like it's so hard to go and put yourself out there, and like there's people that I'm talking and they're like, Oh, I'm kind of scared to start like doing such me. Like, why like yeah, like who's gonna care? Like, I think it's it's a cringe, it's a cringe quote, but I actually do love it. It's like it says uh you have two lives and the second one starts when you realize you only have one. I think that kind of that kind of hits me. Yeah, kind of like, look, if you only have one, like go out and do it.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:00

Like, yeah, I absolutely love it. There's no point like people are gonna have opinions no matter what you do. Yeah, exactly. So just do it for you. Like, I would I suppose get the same in a different way, just like I share a lot on social media. It's my work as well as my life. Uh for now, anyway. People are always like, I couldn't do what you do, and I'm like, you know, because of the opinions that come with and the judgment. I'm like, but eventually you're kind of like, well, this is my life, not theirs. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, yeah, and you're inspiring so many people when you do it. I love that. Right, okay, Adam Sweeney. We are gonna do a little quick fire here. Tea or coffee?

SPEAKER_01 1:10:29

Tea.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:31

Do you drink coffee at all?

SPEAKER_01 1:10:32

No, I don't drink coffee. I'm too.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:33

I do know what I had a feeling. Had a feeling you were not gonna be a coffee drinker.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:36

Do you drink coffee?

SPEAKER_00 1:10:37

I do, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:37

It's a bit much like, isn't it? It doesn't taste good.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:39

Well, I load it with sugar, caramel. Yeah, okay, right, that's fair enough. Yeah. Right. Sea or mountains?

SPEAKER_01 1:10:44

Uh probably the sea.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:47

Interesting.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:47

Yeah, I know, it's a crazy take.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:49

Oh my god!

SPEAKER_01 1:10:49

Yeah, I know. So look, I grew up beside the sea line. Yeah, yeah. So I almost have to say the sea line.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:54

That's mental. Uh you might not have an answer for this. Your biggest fear.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:00

Uh biggest fear.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:03

Adam Swingley doesn't have fears.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:05

No, I definitely fear like rats.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:08

Rat fair.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:09

Like, are we talking like like it's like that or like you'd run out of the room? Oh, like yeah, no, if there's a rat if there's a rat, someone else has gonna have to get that of the room.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:16

Fair. Love it. One word your friends would use to describe you.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:21

Um God, I don't know. This is a brutal question for an Irish person, like.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:27

Adventurous. Adventurous, brave, no, I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:31

I don't know, like they probably I don't know, I don't know what they'd say.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:35

It's a tough one.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:35

Yeah, it is.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:36

Do you know what? You'll have to go and ask them. Yeah, I will.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:38

I I probably wouldn't want to tell you the answer. It wouldn't be at the night, like.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:41

What's your worst habit?

SPEAKER_01 1:11:43

Um, probably late nights.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:47

Late nights. Yeah, that's alright.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:48

I have like watching basketball like two in the morning type stuff like that.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:51

Yeah, okay, fair. Well, and then you're probably up early for Yeah, then you're right. Yeah, yeah, no, not that if someone offered you a free holiday tomorrow, where are you going?

SPEAKER_01 1:12:00

Oh, free holiday. I think I'd go to like uh Argentina down to like Patagonia.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:05

Oh, I love it.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:06

That'll be cool.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:06

Like I love it. Yeah, favourite Irish place. That's not done more recently.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:11

Yeah, yeah, course, of course. Um favourite Irish place. Probably Mueller up in Mayo. There's like a mountain up there. It's classic. It's classic. Yeah. Love that like.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:23

So I've hiked that one and I thought that was more difficult than Carantary.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:26

It's so hard, isn't it? Yeah, I think. It actually is proper hard like.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:29

No, I did it during a heat wave, which probably didn't help. Yeah, but I that nearly wrote me off.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:32

Like, yeah, did you go and see your lake after?

SPEAKER_00 1:12:35

Uh don't think I did. I think I just went back to the Airbnb because I was just fecked meal and put the feet up. Um, what's harder for you? A rest day or a training day?

SPEAKER_01 1:12:48

Probably a train day. I can I can take a rest day.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:51

You've no problem taking rest days. I don't mind.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:53

As long as there's something nice on.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:54

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:55

Like, because you know, you kind of need like sometimes you actually do. People just forget. Other rest is like, I'll leave it off.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:59

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:13:00

But they're so important.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:00

No, they are. But I was curious to get your viewpoint on that because some people that do endurance type of like exercise just can't do it resting, do you know?

SPEAKER_01 1:13:09

Uh love that I think in the heat, especially right now, like so hard.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:13

I know I went for a run today. So as of recording this, it's like it was 32 degrees in my car coming down here. When I got back from the run, my brother-in-law was outside like hosing down the plants. I was like, Go, just hose me down. Are you competitive?

SPEAKER_01 1:13:28

Yeah, yeah. I think that's kind of why I got into like sports that are legacy you versus you. Because like if I'm in a team, like, uh, I'd be like, I could be I could be terrible, but I'd be really competitive, so it's quite annoying.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:39

At least can't blame anyone else. A you versus you sort of.

SPEAKER_01 1:13:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:41

So yeah, you have to be like one luxury you miss the most on Mount Everest. Let's not say terror toilet.

SPEAKER_01 1:13:47

I was gonna say toilet. Yeah, yeah, right.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:49

Because I the when after I asked that question, I was like, obviously it's a terror toilet. Yeah, yeah. Any others?

SPEAKER_01 1:13:53

Um besides bed as well, I'd say. Besides bed. Um any others? Probably like I don't know, maybe like sitting down watching TV.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:03

Yeah, I think for me it'd just be like like Netflix and chill.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:05

Just chill, network.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:07

Nothing wrong with it. Netflix and chill, bag of tail, cup of tea. Would that be it? Oh, as in a couple like sitting down, Netflix chill, bag of tail, cup of tea. I feel like that would be your sort of thing.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:16

A few bickies, like, no, a few bickies and a cup of tea, like I love it.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:19

What's the bickey of choice?

SPEAKER_01 1:14:21

Um, probably chocolate digestive.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:23

Yes, I should have said that. I was gonna put money on it.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:26

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:27

Adam, that was absolutely amazing. It's been so lovely to have you on. Shake the ground. Um remind us one more time, your social media handles where people can find you if they want to follow along the journey.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:37

Yeah, so it's Adam T. Sweeney and TikTok, Instagram, I believe Facebook. I think the sisters are on the Facebook as well.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:44

Amazing. I need to get your TikTok actually. I don't use it as much as Instagram.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:47

Yeah, I know Instagram. I mean, you're already in, you know, when you're Doom Scrolling. I can't imagine Doom Scrolling twice on TikTok as well, like. I know.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:53

Right, guys, before we finish up, I just want to take a moment to thank our partners at Amplify Media. Working with people who really get what you're trying to create makes all the difference. And Amplify don't just produce podcasts, they help you build something that lasts. If you've been thinking about starting up your own show or taking yours up and not, check them out at Amplify.ie. Adam, hopefully we'll have you back on in the future. Maybe after doing 32 Ironmans in 32 days across 32 counties. Cannot wrap my head around that. But I wish you the best of luck with the hugely insanely bright future. I know you have ahead of you.

SPEAKER_01 1:15:28

Thank you very much. Thanks for having me on.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:30

It's been a pleasure. Thanks for listening, guys. If you enjoyed today's episode, I really appreciate it. If you could follow the podcast and leave a little rating or review wherever you're listening, because it genuinely helps more people to discover these conversations so we can bring more amazing tasks to you. Until next time, keep challenging what you think you know and don't be afraid to go.