MOJO - Built for Everest!

Did you know that humans can outrun horses and antelopes over extremely long distances? In parts of Africa this technique is still used today by hunters to exhaust their prey. According to recent findings there's good evidence humans evolved from tree-dwellers, not to walk, but to run.

Running is in our DNA so it's no surprise that it's such a popular pastime. Many of us have run a marathon. How many of us can say we've run one on Mount Everest? If it sounds extreme, it is, and endurance runner Christopher Evans plans to do just that in ten days time.

The Tenzing Hillary Mount Everest Marathon is the world's highest marathon. The marathon starts from the Everest Base Camp and demands runners cover 42 km over rough mountain trails down to the Namche Bazaar, almost 2kms closer to sea-level. In all, including the initial climb to Everest Base Camp, the runners will cover a distance of some 65 kms. By coincidence the charity he's running to raise money for has a connection to “65 Roses”. The story dates back to 1965 when an observant 4-year-old, hearing the name of his disease for the first time, pronounced cystic fibrosis as "65 Roses." Today, “65 Roses” is often used by young children with cystic fibrosis for their disease.

Christopher, who goes by the name Tofes, is a veteran distance runner, even though he's still quite young. With his running mate Antony 'Ant' Sedman, he formed The Wounded Pelicans to turn a love of endurance into running for causes that needed help. They certainly mean it, having run over 40 events in 2016 they are upping the ante with a plan to complete 10 extreme events in 2017. If running down the side of Mount Everest doesn't count as extreme, then nothing does.

MOJO has known Tofes and Ant since they started out and has helped out wherever possible. Supplying the guys with MOJO high performance underwear was an obvious first step. MOJO underwear is built for the everyday sportsman and does just as well with the elite endurance athlete. The don't ride up, they keep you cool and are built to fit each of the three main body types that men fall into.

For the Mount Everest Marathon MOJO has stepped it up a notch and paid for Tofes's flights (Ant couldn't get off work) to Nepal. "We really want to help out the Wounded Pelicans. These guys are incredible athletes and we are proud to be of assistance in their work for charity," says MOJO founder Adam Rakowski.

Training for the event has taken Tofes beyond his already gruelling routine. Because of the high altitude, rigorous low-oxygen training is required. He's even been sleeping in a low-oxygen tent to acclimatise his body to the experience. Tofe's knows it's going to be a challenge, "High altitude running is harder. Apart from low oxygen levels it's a lot drier. You dehydrate quicker and can get a blood nose just standing around."

MOJO wishes Tofes all the best on his marathon run. We think it's the first time, that we know of, that MOJOs have gone up Mount Everest. If anyone out there is planning to climb to the top, let us know, we'll send you some MOJOs to help you get there! To learn more about what a challenging condition Cystic Fibrosis can be, have a look at this animated video.