Urge to be first

It’s an alien species. Its habitat is scorching deserts or polar wastes, its diet Smash potato reconstituted with snow melt, and a concoction called ‘pre-stress’ drunk from a bottle that is also used to collect its own urine. Its pastimes include running marathons, writing books and climbing mountains. This is the Sir Ranulph Twistleton Wykeham Fiennes.

Just reading about his exploits is exhausting. The first circumnavigation of the world via both Poles was succeeded by frequent attempts at other ‘firsts’ in both Arctic and Antarctic, mostly by dragging laden sledges over ice using nothing but man power. He discovered the lost city of Ubar in Oman’s Empty Quarter, and fulfilled the absurd ambition of running seven marathons in seven days on seven continents, just three months after suffering a near-fatal heart attack.

Aged 62, and missing the tips of some frostbitten fingers, he recently scaled the north face of the Eiger, one of the most feared climbs on earth.

Although his expeditions have mapped unseen stretches of the Antarctic, researched very low frequency radio signalling, and performed medical experiments, he was born too late to be a ‘real’ explorer like his heroes Scott and Shackleton. The remaining ‘firsts’ are gimmicks. So now he channels his phenomenal energies into charity fund-raising, and plans to raise a mere £15 million before he dies.

Why does he do it? The question bores him, but his response — that he only seeks to make a living from the ensuing books and lectures — is disingenuous. He may dislike introspection, but his autobiography, which updates us on the past 20 years, provides just enough meat to satisfy the amateur psychologist.

His alpha-male urge to be first, fastest and fittest, for example, could stem from when his pretty-boy looks at Eton led him to be mistaken for a ‘tart’.