I was well impressed with a 65 year old making it up Everest, but then a friend let me know that his father-in-law is getting ready to summit at the age of 80.

Mr. Shailendra Kumar Upadhyay is a the former Nepalese representative to the UN, and was foreign minister in the late ’80s. He was asked to help plan a Everest climb for a 76 year old to benefit a Nepalese senior citizens organisation. The 76 year old pulled out, so Upadhyay decided to take on the climb himself. Of course planning to climb, and actually reaching the summit are two different things, but watch this space.

Photo: from the S.K. Everest Expeditions Support Group photo gallery.

Sir Ranulph Fiennes may have a rightful claim to being the most badass person alive, but that doesn’t change how impressive it is that he just climbed Everest at 65. After hearing the audio from him at the summit I feel exceptionally lazy and guilty that I didn’t go to the gym this morning. It serves as a powerful reminder that with dedication and determination, you can be as awesome as you dare to be.