'Four times Everest wasn't enough': Amateur rider's ascent to the peak of the ultra-climbing record books

Having proved his talent for ultra-distance running, Nima Javaheri got on his bike and targeted Everesting’s ultimate record – the most elevation ever climbed

Until he moved to Switzerland eight years ago, Nima Javaheri had only a passing interest in sport. He grew up in north London and after university commenced a banking career in the City. “When you’re in your 20s, you just want to look good,” recalls the 39-year-old. “I’d do a couple of bench presses at the gym and that was it. Running and cycling played no part of my life until 2014.” 

His late conversion to endurance sport makes his long-distance achievements in recent years all the more startling. “I lived in Frankfurt for a while, and that opened my eyes to outdoor activity,” he says, “but it was when I moved to Switzerland that cycling really took off for me.” Such was the group riding culture on the roads around his home in Geneva that Javaheri got swept along in the draft. “There are cycling routes everywhere,” he adds, “and we’re just 5km from the border with France – straight onto a 1,000m climb.” 

It was on that very climb, the Col de la Croisette, in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, that Javaheri would take on an epic challenge – but we’re skipping ahead. First, what got him interested in long-distance events? “It started with trail running, 40 or 50km, then pushing to 100km and beyond,” he explains. “On my bike, I started riding the 175km perimeter of Lac Léman [Lake Geneva], and it became my regular Sunday loop. One weekend I decided to do it twice, 350km. 

That went well, so I did it four times, 700km.” 

Over the pandemic lockdown, Javaheri satisfied his newly acquired love of endurance by competing in Backyard Ultra, an ultramarathon in which competitors run one 6.7km loop per hour, using any leftover time to recover – and repeat as many times as they can. “I won both the Swiss events last year,” he says, “34 laps in the first, then 51 laps in the second – 350km non-stop running, which was the world record at the time.” This taste for record-setting became an insatiable hunger as Javaheri feasted his eyes on the Everesting world bests. 

“Last September, I decided to do two Everests back to back,” he says. “Once I’d done it, I thought to myself, ‘Actually, my legs feel fine’.” With a relocation to Zurich imminent, Javaheri wanted to make the most of his remaining time living in the mountains. Also in his thoughts was his close friend David Rogers, who in 2013 had been diagnosed with leukaemia (see below). “In January, we had a conference call with David, Andy van Bergen [founder of Hells500 and Everesting] and Blood Cancer UK,” says Javaheri, “and explained that we wanted to raise awareness of blood cancer while raising some money at the same time – we asked for their view.” 

EVERESTING'S BIGGEST CHALLENGE

A plan was hatched: he would ascend La Croisette repeatedly until he had broken the world record for most vertical elevation by bike, which at the time was 36,432m by Massimo Pascale – more than four times the height of Everest. As if that were not difficult enough, he would attempt it in early March. “At the time of making the plan, it was -15ºC on the mountain, which was covered in snow and ice.” All he could do was hope for milder weather come the start day. 

How did he prepare for a challenge so epic that it was impossible to rehearse? “A month prior, I did 30 hours non-stop on the Salève – a different side of the same mountain – which equated to 13,000m of climbing,” Javaheri explains. In the lead-up to the attempt he was putting in 15-20 hours of training a week: swimming for recovery, trail running for general resilience, and long, cold rides on the bike as a foretaste of what was to come. 

At the stroke of midnight on Tuesday, 1 March, Javaheri rolled away from the base of La Croisette and set about trying to rack up more elevation than anyone in history. Each 14km lap – once up and down the average 9% gradient climb – would gain him 679m. The rules of Everesting state that no stoppages are allowed during the first Everest ascent to 8,848m. “I rode the first 27 hours with no sleep,” he says. “At two o’clock on Thursday morning, I had a shower and a 90-minute nap in the camper, then got up, ate, and got back on the bike.” The temperature dropped as low as -6ºC during the night. “The hardest parts were the periods when my body couldn’t regulate my temperature,” says Javaheri. “You think that you’re too hot but as soon as you undress, you’re immediately too cold.” 

“By day three [Friday],” says Javaheri, “I was working on a very, very thin margin. Each time I got to the top, I’d sit down, close my eyes for five minutes, and put on warm clothes.” For each descent, he wore a thick ski jacket – the only way to stay warm. “The first 60 seconds each time down was brutally cold.” As fatigue took hold he began to hallucinate. “I’d see a stick on the ground and think it was a snake,” he says, “or I’d mistake the trunk of a tree for a person – you just have to ignore it and keep pedalling.” What kept him going beyond 72 hours and into day four? “I’d been there before in Backyard Ultra events,” he says. “The way I manage it is to break the goal down. My milestones were the first Everest, then 10,000m, then double Everest, then I was halfway through – there was always something new to focus on.” There was no shortage of support: Javaheri’s wife Fargah Vahedi was on hand throughout, among a core support crew of 10, with scores of local riders joining in, riding alongside or shouting encouragement from the roadside.

How did he take on enough fuel to maintain the relentless climbing effort? “I’d gained four kilos during the 10 days leading up to the start, from 74 to 78kg, as I knew I was going to need the reserves,” he says. “On every lap, I’d drink one bidon of carb drink and eat at least half a meal – my foods of choice were porridge with honey, rice, quinoa, sweet potato; and after day two I was craving more fats and protein – avocado, bacon, salmon and chicken.” This intake was backed up with a protein shake every couple of laps.

In the early hours of Sunday morning, Javaheri reached his first goal, the quadruple Everest mark of 35,392m, but he wasn’t done yet – he wanted the outright record for most elevation. “We finally broke the record at 7:07 on Sunday morning,” – but still he wasn’t done. “We celebrated as the sun was coming up over Mont Blanc and it was beautiful, but we stuck to the plan to finish at 6pm.” Sensing history in the making, the crowds turned out in droves. “There were literally hundreds of people on the climb as I reached the end,” says Javaheri, who by this point had been riding for nearly four and a half days and had covered 830km, “and we ended up with an official elevation record of 38,700m.”

What was going through his mind as he realised he could finally stop riding? “The saddle sore pain,” he grimaces, “that was the hardest to manage. The legs were fine to carry on – I wasn’t tired, as there was too much adrenaline kicking in. If the plan had been to keep going until Monday, I think I could have made it to 50,000m.” There is no hint of hubris or grandstanding in this remark; he really means it – he could have kept going into day five. Sensing that his limit-testing craving still isn’t sated, I ask what’s next on his list. “I want to ride 4,000km in seven days. The current record is 3,700km,” he says with unflinching confidence. “After that, I want to push the Everesting bar even higher.”

Nima Javaheri is raising money for Blood Cancer UK.

 The importance of good shoes 

 

 

 

American Bike Racing is Broken. Can it Be Fixed?

 Last weekend I drove out to the City of Redlands to watch a stage of the venerable Redlands Classic stage race. It’s one of the longest-running bike races in the country. Started by the former mayor and some volunteers after the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, it was a tool to revitalize the city’s downtown area. It grew and grew and along the way has hosted many top international riders and teams and become a staple of the domestic bike racing calendar. But since its peak about 10 years ago, road racing in the US has been on a steady decline. I decided to get out to the races and take the temperature of the sport.

First, let’s define “bike racing.”

 I’m talking about road racing, separate from gravel, cyclocross, track, bmx and mountain bikes. This is what the public mostly perceives the sport to be: The Tour de France, lycra, European roots. And I have to ask: Is this sport relevant in the US anymore? To what extent does it exist? Who participates? Can it even be brought back? And does it matter — do we need traditional bike racing here as a sport?

The sport of cycling reached its zenith in the American public consciousness in the early Lance Armstrong era, circa 2001. For many, many reasons the sport has been on a gradual downward slide since then. There are currently only three US races aligned with cycling’s global governing body, the UCI: Tour of the Gila, the Walmart Joe Martin Stage Race and the new Maryland Cycling Classic. All of the World Tour cycling teams are based in Europe, and increasingly so are the smaller American teams. Why would the Human Powered Health team (with a World Tour women’s team and lower level Pro Team men’s program) schlep all the way back to the States for two small stage races in May when they have much, much bigger events in Europe?

I would argue that road bike racing is important, but it badly needs to evolve in the US. The sport is currently stuck in a 1970s model that is dated and unappealing to younger generations that we need. The top end of the sport is the one that’s seen around the world, the Tour de France, the Olympics, the World Championships. I love all forms of bike riding, including the non-competitive ones, but it’s uniquely inspiring to have American athletes racing in the world’s biggest races. There are lots of ways to play basketball as well, but one cannot deny the excitement of watching NBA players go head to head in the playoffs. Or watching World Cup soccer. The pinnacle of any sport is empowering and exciting.

Here’s my 10-point prescription to improve bike racing’s chances of survival in the US:

1. Understand current tradewinds in sport participation

For context, here are some Google Trends charts for the last 16 years:

“Triathlon”

Endurance sports popular with baby boomers have been on a downward slide for a long time. Not pictured here but suffering from the same decreasing participation (at least until the pandemic): golf, tennis and marathons. Let’s be honest about what’s appealing to bike riders and what’s not. The younger generation wants social first and competition second. Traditional bike races and triathlons are prioritized for the opposite. Gravel races, however, have nailed the social/community/fun/inclusion angle and are therefore booming. So what can road racing learn from gravel?

2. Beware the Boomer Bubble

I was born in 1963, so I’m right on the cusp of the baby boomers and Gen X. I started racing my bike in high school, had a chance meeting with Greg Lemond while he was training in my little town North of San Diego, and I’ve been on my bike ever since. I followed his meteoric European career, then watched the American rebirth of bike racing in the late 90s/early 2000s. I participated in masters road racing in my 40s and now I love gravel events.

My one and only international stage race, as a high school senior in Tijuana, 1981. The President of Mexico, José Lopez Portillo, fired the starting pistol and my teammate John Brown won the race.

I’m part of the “boomer bubble” that’s moved through the sport. When I raced as a junior, fields were regularly over 100 in my races. That’s unheard of now. When I raced as a 43 year old masters rider, fields were really big as well. Race fields for riders younger and older than me were smaller. But I was in the bubble. And now that I ride in gravel events, my 50–59 age group is often the biggest field in the race. I recently participated in the excellent Huffmaster mixed gravel/road event in Northern California, and my 50+ field was much bigger than any others. My “old guy” bubble is not going to be racing bikes much longer. So what fills the void when we’re out of the sport?

3. Help create events with newer, younger & more diverse leadership

The same boomer bubble also describes many of those who organize bike races, run sanctioning bodies, own the media channels and bicycle brands: It’s mostly a bunch of old, white men. Not entirely, but this describes the majority. Is it any wonder that the participants at bike races look like everyone else in leadership positions in the sport? Should we be surprised that while the country has gotten more diverse, more digital, younger and into different sports that bike racing has been stuck in a 1985 time warp? No, we should not. (Full disclosure: I’m part of this problem, as a middle aged white dude in the sport.)

4. Experiment with different race formats

I look at the tried-and-true stage race template of time trial/road race/criterium and I ask, “Why?” I think if you asked most race directors why they stick with this format they’d say, “Because it’s the way it’s always been done.” But is this the best way forward? Road races are logistically complex and expensive to put on and time trials are exciting neither for participants nor spectators. Criteriums work on the other hand, because they’re spectator friendly, easier to broadcast and operationally simpler than longer events. Here in LA we have the CicLAvia open streets event, which has seen over 1.6 million participants in 12 years. Could one of their events be combined with a bike race? What about a road+gravel stage race? Could we start an eBike Zwift league in high schools? This is part of a longer discussion, but the point is this: why are we not creatively exploring other avenues for the sport?

5. Collaborate closely with NICA to build pathways into other areas of cycling

NICA (the booming high school mountain bike racing league) is great, and it’s onboarding many teenagers onto bikes and competitive endurance sports. I’m a huge fan of this initiative. And if you look at Americans racing professionally in Europe — Kate Courtney, Megan Jastrab, Sepp Kuss, Kevin Vermaerke — most of them started in this league. But that is somewhat accidental, as there is no formal connection between NICA and other forms of cycling. Why can’t we build a pathway to road racing, criteriums, gravel, and college cycling? If you compare cycling with track & field, you can quickly see how broken the cycling development path is: Almost every high school in America has a track (and probably cross country) team. If a student wants to keep running at the next level, there are approximately 1,000 college track programs in the US. While NICA is growing fast and creating opportunities for high school kids to race bikes in over 30 states, the next level is almost non-existent. That development pathway needs to be built from scratch.

6. Rebuild College Cycling

College cycling as currently organized is broken and set up to fail. It doesn’t look much different now than it did when I raced for the UC Davis Aggies cycling team in the early 80s. I recently was speaking with some members of the UCLA cycling team over coffee. They were sharing with me how challenging the college cycling landscape is: most teams are all-volunteer club sports with students who may not be able to afford equipment and have to organize and promote their team’s bike races. The UCLA team explained that a recent race at another school had been canceled because the team just could not pull off the logistics. It’s too much to ask. As a college student, it’s hard enough to get out and train let alone manage and build a team and organize logistically complex events. While there are a few well-funded varsity programs (Lees-McRae, Marion University, Fort Lewis College are examples), these are few and far between. As long as college cycling is a DIY club sport model, it is destined to limp along with no coaching continuity and a lack of centralized leadership at either the school or national levels.

7. Welcome beginners into the sport

While at the Redlands Classic race, I spoke to my new friend Arielle Miller of Velo Club LaGrange here in Los Angeles. I’ve ridden with that club on and off for years. It’s a local institution. Arielle just got into cycling during the pandemic. She’s incredibly passionate about it, and has already done a bunch of racing. But she and I spoke a lot about how cycling clubs generally do not welcome inexperienced riders. I’ve seen this first hand all over the country. Group rides are fast and intimidating. There should be group rides like that. As an experienced rider, I love them. But there should also be no-drop, slower paced rides with leaders and an emphasis on fun and learning. And many cycling clubs completely fail here. Imagine a ski resort with only black diamond runs that wonders why more skiers don’t show up. That’s what lots of club cycling looks like. Clubs should be much more focused on bringing in new riders, women, people of color and young riders.

8. USA Cycling needs to prioritize what it can realistically focus on

USA Cycling, the governing body of the sport domestically, has recently undergone a leadership change. Cycling business veteran and lifelong bike enthusiast Brendan Quirk has taken the reins as President and CEO of the organization. I got to meet with him in person in Bentonville earlier this year during the World CX Championships, and I subsequently participated in a call he led for USAC coaches. I think the strategy he outlined then for the organization moving forward is smart:

• Re-energize American bike racing
• Expand and retain audience
• Deliver performance success
• Develop sustainable revenue streams
• Spearhead growth and diversity

The challenge is, how does he execute on all of these given the current trends in the sport? With limited resources, USAC can’t fix every problem. So what do they focus on? And how do they balance the need to win medals now with the need to fill the pipeline and grow the sport at the grassroots level. I don’t have the answer, but he’ll only be able to succeed if he lines up enthusiastic support from all of his stakeholders. I’m rooting for him.

9. Help cycling events get better at media

Younger riders, whether from high school, college or in their 20s are media savvy and highly attuned to social media and sophisticated storytelling. How many cycling events are aligned with this? I spoke with bike racing announcer and broadcast producer Brad Sohner when I was at Redlands. He asked me, “How many cycling events are on TikTok?” The answer is almost none of them. As a media and marketing professional, I’m always looking at how brands, athletes and events execute on digital channels. And with bikes I’m usually shocked at how poorly the events communicate. I can sympathize with overworked volunteers who are just trying to get racers to the starting line, let alone put together a marketing campaign or communications strategy. I once had my own 5K/10K run as a sidehack, so I know how challenging this is. But if we want to invite new riders into the tent, we need to speak to them in their native language. Professional media and storytelling execution are both mission critical. Here are a couple recent examples of bike race websites I’ve seen:

The messy home page of the Speedweek Criterium series. I challenge you to find the race results here.

The Joe Martin Stage Race is only three weeks away. No news updates for three months and why not tell me which pro teams are participating?

10. Continue to make diversity and inclusion essential priorities in cycling

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in decades of work with diversity programs, it’s that no new communities will join a sport unless intentional onramps are built. The reason 30,000 kids are racing bikes with NICA is that the founders had the foresight and energy to do fundraising, train coaches, add new regions, build brand partnerships and more. It’s taken a huge amount of work to get that program to where it is today. It will take even more work to create sustainable populations of women, people of color and LGBTQ communities in cycling. I love what Justin Williams is doing with his L39ion of Los Angeles team. I love that St Augustine’s University (I worked with them) has created an HBCU cycling program. I love that Rebecca Rusch added a non-binary/trans division at her RPI gravel race (I worked on this, too). I love what Triangle Bikeworks is doing with kids in North Carolina and how Silver Stallion is bringing bikes to Navajo Nation. I love what Grow Cycling is doing with pump tracks in cities. But combined, these initiatives and many others are less than 1% of the way to making bike culture fully diverse. And I still see huge mistakes being made, like the new Maryland Cycling Classic launching a men’s only pro race. I’m sure they eventually want to include women’s teams, but why not now? Can you imagine a professional marathon kicking off with a men’s only race? There’s much, much more work to be done.

Peter Abraham

President at Abraham | Content Marketing & Branding Expert

Los Angeles Metropolitan Area500+ connections

 

Everybody's working for the weekend.

1. Yankee Springs, Waterloo Grit n Gravel, AAVC crit. This weekend 
2. Nice planning 
3. Yankee springs would be a much better event if it was a 1 lap TT...
4. Waterloo Grit in Gravel promoters are price gouging the hypnotized...there I said it
5. Willow TT bigger than ever
6. Guys on recumbents, Phart Bikes, ebikes and inline skates, 
7. TT bikes still exist 
8. Wow
9. The Black Ace makes an appearance 
10. Still running the ultra rare USE bars..
11. Veeered
12. Wonder what Gilboe is doing?
13. Still has killer form
14. Big Luke, wins again
15. And is still on the same team
16. Wowza
17. Nice awards
18. Doug Gatto in the house
19. Cone Azalia happened...sorta
20. Nice turn out
21. Former winner old school 2004 winner Jeff Crawford was in the house
22. Nicer weather 
23. Wonder what Timmy is doing?
24. That guy that wins CX races still riding cantis that looks like a Men’s Health fitness model got third
25. Was there results?
26. Unfortunately.....
27. Grumpy grumbling that it was nothing more than a self promoted glorified training ride.
28. Yea so what.
29. Rumors circulating around the scene, that a true old school cone is on tap, with maximum tire widths, and ran in horrendous conditions
30. Grayling giant trounces a bunch of dudes again mid state.
31. AAVC spring Crit series is now its second week.
32. It’s no longer a training race
33. Was it ever?
34. MVW crew looks reminiscent to the old Saturn of Toledo boys
35. The A race boasted four former state champions
36. It was like an old school reunion 
37. Kroske and Dybo ride in from Dearborn
38. Kroske is now sitting at 12 races so far for 2022
39. The whole Lathrup sweet bikes old guard were MIA though
40. Wonder what Bruce is doing
41. Frankie Andreau makes a comeback 
42. Special K is in the house.
43. The AAVC group is bigger than ever
44. If everyone is dressed in neon 
45. Supacz is the bar tape of everyone
46. Base Media shows up with none of the original members 
47. Even veerder 
48. The Evil Dude makes an appearance, not in Base Media clothes
49. Even veeeerder....
50. Dean Gerki hits the deck
51. Wonder Nicky Z is doing
52. Beddow brothers return 
53. The Cyclewerks crew recover like old school pros
54. Farm Fresh eggs are given away as prizes
55. Wow
56. Paul Alman is clutching his chest as you read this
57. Brian Walcharz is a two week no show 
58. Uberti hands nearly everyone there ass
59. Everyone goes home happy 
60. Scotty A rides tough down at Cohutta
61. Jet Walker does too little does he know it’s his last ride outside for awhile.
62. What you mean, he rides inside even on nice days 
63. DTE is bumper to bumper 
64. Poto is for old farts that like to feel beat up until Wednesday...overheard 
65. Wonder what Simonster is doing ?

Run Rabbit Run

 Its Funny Tripper every time i open a social media tab, i see these advertisements for all these cool aero helmets, and think man, i sure need one. I feel like im the only one not wearing one...until l I see them on peoples, heads, and then well they just look big and gawky. I guess Tripper, id rather finish 6th because of my negative 1.1 drag coefficient, than have that thing make me look like more of a target to the local gun toting redneck  than I already are.

 Skinsuit, I think are must for any fast pace type events like Time Trials, and Crits, But a all white seems like cool idea, but than I remember white is not going to hold up to the test of time, and up looking dingy and brown after a summer of sweat and near death crashes.

I loved Time trials, and I like trying to squeeze every aero advantage I can out of my in this disciple, but I would think if your going as far as an aero-helmet you would a least bought some shoe covers to finish of the ensemble. 

Podium are shots are nice, and its great way to show off who is paying your way, But the first second place guys here need to maybe have a sit down with the local graphic designer, because those jersey are not representing the hard work these two just put out. It just looks bland, and the guy on the right, his are going to look horrible come late May.

See what I mean Trip, this fella just looks depressed having to have that things strapped on.

Is this a requirement by the promoter to fill a quota? Why is there always one guy at every Time Trial, no matter what the weather is dressed like its the middle of July in Bermuda?

And why is he standing up in the corner?

I applaud this Guy, He seems to be trying to cover all the advantage benefits, But do I spy Camouflage gloves, and Bar tape? I'm going to over look the pro-more of the tilting of the Brifters, But those gloves and tape defiantly clash with with that white kit. But maybe he's just waiting for the clothing to dirty its self up and and blend in. I'm going to stop there because is really using a Helmet with a blast shield still?

 I kind of feel sorry for these guys riding these lay down bikes, Time Trials seem hard enough already but doing one while laying in bed, makes my anxiety levels rise to levels to levels, that im calling my doctor, and factor in they are doing it soo early in the morning. This photo reminds me of the Movie Jaws when Quinn was getting ready to be devoured by the shark....

 Less than two months until Mayhem!!!

What are you doing to get ready for the hills?

 

 

 

 Tonight...

 Waterloo Grit n Gravel bitches...

 

 

Cook Bros Racing 26 1979 3bar Cruiser loaded Rare 1st gen Old School BMX Cooks

 Current bid:

US $41,100.00

If you know the CBR brand and the 3bar cruisers from 1979-1982, then you know this is as good as it gets.  This is looptail frame, made of thin-wall 4130 and TIG welded throughout.  These 3bar frames are the precursor to the modern mountain bike and many were used as Klunkers bitd.  This one came out of Santa Barbara and has always been coaster brake cruiser (brake bridge is pristine).

Please, no schill bids!  If you bid, bid to win and purchase!

This is the pinnacle of the 3bar CBR cruisers.  This is one of the finest 3bars in existence and it’s loaded!  The frame is from the very first batch of 3bars built (first 20 frames).  The paint and decals are in spectacular condition (one of the best original paint 3bars in existence and the best color choice).  The welds are some of the best (no bird shit).  The frame has always been stored indoors, no rust, no touch ups, no fuck&muck. 

The build includes ultra-rare parts:  1st gen cranks, 1st gen stem with a matching SPC, 1st gen fork, 1st gen hub, longhorns (28.5), KKT Mags, OMAS, SUGINO, SACHS single speed coaster hub w/oiler, custom VH seat post, BROOKS Pro (period correct), Nomads over mint gold UKAIs (2.125 with Wheelsmith spokes and nipples).

This is a once in a life-time opportunity to own a top-tier 1st gen 3bar (built under the founders, not Witmer).   IMO, this is the top original paint frame out there and hands down the best build with rare and period parts.  The frame has been professionally trued.  No tire kickers, no BS.  I reserve the right to end the auction at any time or block troublesome players.  Terms:  1. US buyers only; 2. full payment within 24hrs of end of auction; 3. buyer is responsible for shipping or local pickup; 4.  I will not be responsible for safe packing unless we arrange for this (I will coordinate with your shipper).