Mountain Top Challenge

KONA Consultant Grahame Murphy is about to set off on his next personal challenge – he is going to attempt to run up & down the highest mountain in South East Asia. At 13,435ft, Mount Kinabalu towers over the Borneo region of East Malaysia.

Grahame will fly via Singapore to Kota Kinabalu and base himself on the edge of the Kinabalu National Park ready for his endeavour scheduled for Saturday 22 October 2011. He is participating in a unique event organized by the International Skyrunners Association. At 57 years of age, he is probably one of the oldest competitors to take on the formidable challenge.

Mount Kinabalu is often climbed by serious outdoor enthusiasts. It involves a rigorous two-day ascent & descent. Because of its difficult terrain, local authorities insist casual mountain climbers employ the services of a qualified guide. The Skyrunners event however is quite different. Grahame and his fellow competitors have to navigate their own way up and down the massive mountain.

2/3rds of the route comprises relentless steep steps often up to 15 inches high or more that are covered in mud and tree roots. The upper third of the ascent, above the tree line, is bald rock with fixed ropes. The challenge has a very tight cut-off time – Grahame must reach the summit in under 3.5 hours or be forced to abandon his attempt!

Grahame is a senior consultant and performance coach/trainer with the KONA Group, specializing in transforming business results through leadership, organisational and individual effectiveness. He is a founding member of an international partnership with John C. Maxwell, widely recognised as the world’s foremost authority on, and practitioner of, leadership skills and equipping.

Grahame has an adventurous spirit, having successfully participated in expeditions to both North & South Geographic Poles. He has climbed Mt. Cook in New Zealand, run down & up the sides of the Grand Canyon in Arizona and run up & down Mt. Fuji in Japan. He keeps fairly fit, having run 67 full length (42kms) marathon