Mount Kilimanjaro was recently climbed by an 89-year-old great-grandmother, who became the oldest person to do it.
Anne Lorimor isn’t a professional climber, yet she climbed to the top of the world’s largest free-standing mountain and descended in nine days.
As the saying goes, age is just but a number, so at the age of 76, she scaled Pikes Peak and four other mountains that were above 14,000 feet in height.
She also scaled mountains in western Mexico and the United States, the Great Pyramid in Egypt, Ayers Rock in Australia, and the pyramid in Mexico City.
After moving to New Mexico, Anne was unable to recall ever not going for a walk.
Then, in 2019, she made the decision to carry on with her adventure by becoming the oldest female and overall climber of Mount Kilimanjaro aged 89 years and 37 days.
Anne, who had previously ascended Mount Kilimanjaro, a dormant volcano in Tanzania, was unfazed by this challenging expedition.
With a height of 19,341 feet above sea level and a base elevation of around 16,100 feet, it also happens to be the tallest peak in Africa.
Lorimor explained, “There was a time where I was extremely worried because I fell before I began up the mountain and I felt a lot of pain in my side and couldn’t take deep breaths.”
Lorimor has climbed the 19,340-foot peak in Tanzania for the second time. She had her first attempt four years ago, when she was 85 years old.
She was the world’s oldest woman to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak at the time. But then her record was broken.
“Last year, I planned to do it, but it was done by a man who was a year or two older than me. No, I’m not going to be the oldest person, I said. So I waited till this year “Lorimer said.
Her aim, she explained, was to raise funds for Creating Exciting Futures, a charity she founded to assist impoverished kids.
How did she do it and which route did she use?
Anne and seven others climbed Kilimanjaro using the Rongai Route, which is the only route that reaches the summit from the north, on July 12, 2019. The journey took nine days from base to peak to base, and when they arrived at the summit, they performed a special celebratory dance.
Finally, on July 18, 2019, Anne arrived to Uhuru Peak, where she was able to see the snowcapped mountains and the true curvature of the globe, but the most exciting part was hearing her nephew proclaim that she had broken the world record.
She finished her journey without the use of oxygen or any other artificial assistance.
Anne was certain that her advanced age would not prevent her from breaking the previous record, which was held by Russian Angela Vorobeva on October 19, 2015, when she was 86 years and 267 days old.
Being well in mind, body, and spirit is crucial, according to Anne.
She had a strategy and didn’t allow anything or anyone get in the way of it! Anne hiked nearly every day in Northern Arizona to get in shape for her effort.
To strengthen her core, she also engaged a personal trainer for eight months.
However, Anne had to make sure she had a strategy to assist her break the record and adhere to the rules after officially speaking with Guinness World Records about her effort. These included physically independent trekking and GPS tracking to make sure she covered the necessary distance.
She shattered her ribs before making her formal try, but happily she was able to cope with the pain by praying and taking deep breaths.
The Rongai Route, the only one that climbs Kilimanjaro from the north, was used by Anne and seven other climbers on July 12, 2019. The entire journey took nine days, and when they finally arrived at the peak, they even performed a unique celebratory dance.
When Anne finally made it to the Uhuru Peak on July 18, 2019, she was able to view the snow-capped mountains and the true curvature of the earth. However, the most thrilling moment was hearing her nephew declare that she had set the record.
She made it to the summit without using any artificial means or oxygen.
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