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Alex Staniforth

Alex Staniforth

Adversity Adventurer, Motivational Resilience Speaker, Author and Mental Health Activist

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Blog

Inspirational Talks with Alex Staniforth

December 24, 2016

I have my challenges, but they don’t have me.

2016 draws to a close and “New Year, New Me” pledges clog my Facebook timeline as we reflect and set new goals: be it to lose weight, start a new job

Category iconChallenges,  Icefall,  Inspiration Tag iconadversity,  alex staniforth,  bear grylls,  cho oyu,  everest,  fundraising,  icefall,  inspiration,  mental health,  speaking,  speech problems,  stammer,  stammering,  stuttering,  walk4nepal,  young minds

Lakpa Thunda Sherpa

November 29, 2016

Lakpa Thundu Sherpa – A legend made and lost in the mountains

This isn't my usual blog post, and certainly not one I wanted to write either. Yesterday my friend Lakpa Thundu Sherpa died in an avalanche on Ama

Category iconCho Oyu 2016 Tag iconama dablam,  Avalanche,  cho oyu,  everest,  expedition,  lakpa thundu sherpa,  nepal,  sherpa

October 2, 2016

Cho Oyu expedition: so close yet so far…

We left ABC on 27th September for Camp 1 where I felt strong and confident. It then emerged that I'd picked up some sort of stomach bug. I decided to

Category iconCho Oyu 2016 Tag icon360 expeditions,  8000m,  adversity,  alex adversity,  alex staniforth,  cho oyu,  Cho2016,  himalayas

September 30, 2016

Ready To Summit!

https://youtu.be/ltvEz-TZoO4

Category iconCho Oyu 2016 Tag iconalex adversity,  cho oyu,  Cho2016,  himalayas,  mountaineering.alex staniforth,  young minds

September 29, 2016

SUMMIT PUSH IS ON!

The SUMMIT PUSH IS ON! After a number of days, and few updates, we are pleased to say Alex is currently at Camp 2 with the team, at 7125m waiting

Category iconCho Oyu 2016 Tag iconadversity,  alex adversity,  alex staniforth,  cho oyu,  Cho2016

September 19, 2016

Camp 1 Update

At Camp 1 for a second night, feeling strong. The Ice cliff and Cho Oyu is right behind me. Climbing an 8000m peak is bloomin' hard, but mental

Category iconCho Oyu 2016 Tag iconadversity,  alex staniforth,  cho oyu,  Cho2016,  young minds

September 17, 2016

Ready, steady, Cho…

Ready, steady, Cho Oyu... our first rotation and six days on 'the hill' to acclimatise for the summit bid has begun. Me, Charlene and Rolfe are now

Category iconCho Oyu 2016 Tag iconalex staniforth,  cho oyu,  Cho2016,  himalayas,  mountaineering

September 14, 2016

Cho Oyu First Glimpse!

Cho Oyu nearly had Alex falling out of his tent today, when he got his first view of the big hill. Epic doesn't cut it. Not a bad spot to be resting,

Category iconCho Oyu 2016 Tag iconadversity,  alex staniforth,  cho oyu,  himalayas,  mountaineering,  tibet

September 13, 2016

On the up, at 5700m

Alex arrived at ABC, yesterday, feeling a lot better at 5700m. Bad weather is currently hiding Cho Oyu. He arrived just in time for his Puja blessing,

Category iconCho Oyu 2016 Tag iconabc,  cho oyu,  himalayas,  tibet

September 9, 2016

Cho Oyu Update: 3 steps backward

Today the team arrive at Advanced Base Camp (ABC) at 5,700m. Sadly I haven't joined them. After a six hour walk we got to an intermediate camp at

Category iconCho Oyu 2016 Tag icon360 expeditions,  8000m,  alex staniforth,  cho oyu,  climb,  everest,  expedition,  himalayas,  summit

September 7, 2016

Cho Oyu 2016: One Week in Tibet

You know the whole thing about adapting and overcoming? Well, here we go! I spent a fair bit of effort conjuring together a blog on my laptop that was

Category iconCho Oyu 2016 Tag icon360 expeditions,  8000m,  alex staniforth,  cho oyu,  expedition,  himalayas,  lhasa,  summit,  tibet

August 27, 2016

Cho Oyu: The mountains are calling, and I must Cho…

Okay, so the title was a bit crap. But now I have your attention! This Sunday I leave for a seven-week expedition to Tibet, a part of the Himalayas

Category iconCho Oyu 2016 Tag icon360 expeditions,  alex staniforth,  challenge,  cho oyu,  everest,  expedition,  Mountains,  summit

August 8, 2016

A Jolly 24-hour Bike Ride from Chester to Dartmoor

This blog pretty much wrote itself whilst on the saddle. After all – I had 24 hours to think about it! It was one of my few bike challenges wherein

Category iconChallenges Tag icon24 hour,  adventure,  adversity,  alex staniforth,  bike,  british,  challenge,  cycle,  everest,  icefall,  ride,  training,  westgrove

Cycling Great Dun Fell

July 31, 2016

24 hours… on a bike!

Here's my latest wacky charity challenge - a solo/unsupported cycle time trial. This is not an official event... Just me in my usual style, jumping on

Category iconChallenges,  Endurance Tag icon24 hour,  alex staniforth,  challenges,  cycle,  cycling,  endurance,  everest,  training

Fellrunning Lake District

July 20, 2016

Training for Everest or an 8000m peak

With 16 talks in the last 32 days to over 900 people, one of the key questions has been: “What’s next?”. It’s Cho Oyu. The 6th highest peak in the

Category iconCho Oyu 2016,  Everest 2015,  Training Tag icon8000m,  alex staniforth,  author,  bear grylls,  bike,  cheshire,  cho oyu,  cycling,  everest,  everesting,  fitness,  Health,  himalayas,  icefall,  mountaineering,  movie,  training

Cho Oyu Advanced Base Camp

June 10, 2016

Cho Oyu 2016 – Down, but not out!

So... what's next? Since Everest last year I've been asked this continually. If you've read my book you probably have a better idea. But in the

Category iconCho Oyu 2016 Tag iconadversity,  alex staniforth,  bear grylls,  charity,  cheshire,  cho oyu,  climbing,  everest,  himalayas,  icefall,  tibet,  westgrove

May 12, 2016

What were you doing this last time year?

I was returning from my second attempt to climb Everest. The Nepal earthquake put a stop to that. Three guys on my team didn't come home after an

Category iconInspiration Tag iconalex staniforth,  Avalanche,  cheshire,  climbing,  earthquake,  everest,  fundraising,  hull,  icefall,  keswick,  mountaineering,  nepal,  westgrove

May 2, 2016

Icefall – the book tour!

Pleased to announce the first dates of my book signing and speaking tour across the UK over the coming months. More details will follow - but this is

Category iconIcefall Tag iconalex staniforth,  author,  Avalanche,  bear grylls,  blog,  book,  cheshire,  climbing,  everest,  icefall,  nepal,  release

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alexstaniforth_

Challenges are what I do.
Ultra-running, Adventure, Mental Health.
Founder @mind_o_mountains. Author. @inov_8 @ellisbrigham Athlete.
👣 Lake District

Alex Staniforth
Just keep swimming! No better place to finish 32 Just keep swimming!

No better place to finish 32 swims in 32 days than 2km across Buttermere into the sunset with friends. 

It was one goal I never managed last year but I'm glad - because last night it meant so much more. It's been my easiest challenge to date, yet one of the most fun. Getting to be a clueless beginner once again, exploring 32 places and sharing it with 18 friends old and new has been a blast. It's been great to discover an amazing community who use cold water for managing anxiety and stress too. I always thought they were mad - but now I totally get it 😂 Once I get back from Canada in September I'll be back in the water again.

Mental health will always be one of my biggest challenges, so thanks to everyone who's donated to @mind_o_mountains to help us support mental health through time in nature alongside professional support. Still way off my target so please give if you can.

Despite nearly losing my GoPro in Buttermere, there'll be a short film soon to share the highlights... In the meantime, thanks to @kenny.d.block for the ace photos.
.
#32dipsin32days #wildswimming #swimming #openwater #lakedistrict #lakes #lakedistrictuk #mentalhealth #sunset #buttermere #speedouk #mindovermountains #lakesswimming #adventure #wildswimminguk #openwater
Why stop with a pool like this? That's 30 dips i Why stop with a pool like this? 

That's 30 dips in 30 days complete. But mental health is a daily process, not just a month. So if you're in the Lakes tomorrow, come and join us at Buttermere for the finale. I'd wanted to swim Wastwater but that's the usual challenge voice kicking in, and pushing myself too much right now defeats the object. 

Swim the full 2km, paddle or even walk along the lakeshore. All are welcome. 6:30pm at Gatesgarth Farm (or 7:30ish on the other side). It's looking like a scorcher!

Even if you're not in the Lakes, why not join us virtually by going for a dip at your nearest water or pool at 6:30pm? @bestillstephen is joining us from Bala Lake in Wales! Please stay in your limits though, especially in the hot weather. 

It's not too late to sponsor a swim for @mind_o_mountains if you can - link in bio - thanks for your support! 

📸 @andydicksonforce4good

#wildswimming #lakes #lakedistrict #openwater #30dipsin30days #lakedistrictuk #ullswater #summer #wildswim #challenge #mindovermountains #mentalhealth #getoutside
Progress rarely goes in a straight line. We want Progress rarely goes in a straight line. 

We want to keep getting better every year and to keep pushing the bar as we build our confidence, experience and resilience. 

This year I had more races booked and even bigger challenges planned than the last. But Covid had other ideas for me.

This week I've pulled my last race of the year (Lakes In A Day) in October to try and recover for 2023.

But this week I also: 

- Swam Loweswater, where we started the Lakes, Meres and Waters run back in April. That was my first 100 miler and I'd never have believed that I'd end up swimming across it 4 months later.

- Went for my first swimming lesson in 20+ years. Less tears and tantrums this time, but lots still to work on.

- Swam Derwentwater with Tim Mosedale, my Everest 2014 + 15 expedition leader. Opposite where Tim took me on my first rock climb 12 years ago. I was probably equally knackered, to be honest. 

This year's progress looks more like a rollercoaster wave than a straight line, but what goes down, must come back up again. Trust the process.

📸 @andymiltonphotography because he did a grand job. 

@ellisbrigham
@inov_8
@ordnancesurvey

#playthelonggame #ultrarunning #wildswimming #lakedistrict #longcovid #covidrecovery #enduranceathlete #ultrarun #lakedistrictuk #lakes #getoutside #ultrarunner #100miler #setbacks #injuredrunner #mindset #progress
First swimming lesson in 20+ years. Turns out you First swimming lesson in 20+ years. Turns out you don't get badges when you're 27 though. Gutted! 

I had developed my very own swimming style which generally involved swallowing the water of various lakes, meres, waters and rivers in the last 25 days. You're never too late to learn something new. Thanks Heather @south_lakes_swimming for putting up with me!

@speedouk

#stillwantmybadgethough #30dipsin30days #swimming #openwaterswimming #openwater #windermere #lakedistrictuk #lakes #fellfoot #wildswimming #training #speedouk
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