VCU news

By Leila Ugincius

The top man at VCU Technology Services embarked on a decidedly low-tech adventure this spring.

Mark Willis, chief information officer at Virginia Commonwealth University, took part in the 2010 Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon. Held at the Mt. Everest Base Camp each year since 2003, the Everest Marathon — the world’s highest — is considered the ultimate race.

The faint of heart — or just those who are a bit more sedentary — can follow along with Willis’ adventure through a blog that he has faithfully maintained since he first decided to embark on this journey.

“Running a marathon in the Himalayas? How the heck did I get into this?” he wrote on April 6.

A runner for more than 30 years, the 57-year old Willis has more than 50 marathons under his belt. And, he wrote, he’s “always been fascinated by the Himalayas and the expeditions to climb Mt. Everest.” Looking for a way to combine both these passions, the Everest Marathon — held each year on May 29, the anniversary of the first summit of Mt. Everest by Norgay Tenzing and Sir Edmund Hillary in 1953 — caught his eye.

The blog includes detailed reports of how Willis prepared for the trip, from training to deciding what to bring to learning a bit of the Nepali language and culture. It also boasts stunning photos of the area surrounding Everest.

The morning of the race, runners woke at 4:45 to 15 degree temperatures to begin preparing for the 7 a.m. start. Willis painstakingly detailed the seven hours and 47 minutes it took him to run the route, which included 1,400-foot drops as well as uphill passages.

“It was good to be finished with the race,” Willis wrote. “I’ve always thought that the best part of a marathon is when you are done. Some people like the experience. I guess that I prefer the end result -- accomplishment.”

Catch up on Willis’ journey at http://markseverestadventure.blogspot.com/.