I knew that if I could climb Everest, Lhotse and Makalu, the reputations of every institution I’d ever believed in would amplify, as would the efforts of my brothers within them. I also fancied putting my limits to the test, like a runner who sets out to do a five-kilometre run one morning, but ends up doing ten . . . because they can. The mountains were there to be climbed. Did I have the minerals to take them on?
