The Journey Within | Adventure For All

"I've lost people to suicide and illness. But we're still here for a reason. Honor them by finding out what it is. I started this journey with no sponsors, no followers, no plan. Just belief. That's how every journey starts. I'm not fearless. I'm not special. I just refused to stop and you can to."

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MITCHELL HUTCHCRAFT: THE JOURNEY WITHIN

I was born and raised in Cambridgeshire, one of the flattest places you could imagine. It was nothing but endless stretches of farmland in every direction, a place where mountains existed only in storybooks or faraway adventures. But even as a child, my heart longed for something more. Something bigger.

When I was just five years old, my grandmother gave me a gift that would shape the rest of my life. A book titled The Turquoise Mountain by Brian Blessed. It vividly described Everest, the world’s highest peak, as wild, dangerous, beautiful, and untamed. This wasn't just a story. It felt like an invitation into a world of endless possibility. From that day on, mountains symbolized freedom and adventure. They represented not just physical challenges but spiritual and mental journeys. I knew even then, standing among those flat fields, that my life was meant for exploration.

By the time I was sixteen, that restless energy became an undeniable calling. I decided I would climb Mount Kilimanjaro alone. People told me I was too young, that I wasn’t ready, but I was determined. I worked tirelessly alongside my dad in manual labor jobs under the scorching summer sun, saving every penny I could. After months of preparation and endless phone calls to tour companies, I finally found one willing to guide a solo teenager to Africa’s highest summit.

Standing at Kilimanjaro’s peak was life-changing. It was proof that limits, whether due to age, fear, or experience, are self-imposed. That single expedition opened my eyes to an entirely new way of living. I had discovered a simple yet powerful truth: our stories can always be rewritten.

Two years later, Everest called me again. This time, it wasn't a book, it was reality. Trekking to Everest Base Camp at eighteen filled me with awe and also a strange disappointment. As incredible as it was, standing beneath Everest’s summit stirred in me a deep yearning to reach higher. I sketched a tiny stick figure standing proudly at the top of Everest on a piece of cardboard and wrote beneath it, “I'll be back.” I meant every word.

Life, though, has a way of steering our paths in directions we never expect. Shortly after returning from Nepal, I received devastating news. My father, my greatest supporter, my hero, was diagnosed with cancer. At just 58 years old, he passed away, leaving an emptiness within me that felt impossible to fill. Initially, grief consumed me. Anger, frustration, and despair became my daily companions. But slowly, something shifted inside me. I realized grief offered a choice: I could let it define and defeat me, or I could transform it into something meaningful. Honoring my dad became my new mission.

With our shared dream still burning in my heart, I joined the Royal Marines. The Marines reshaped me. Over six challenging years, they instilled discipline, resilience, camaraderie, and taught me to find humor even in the toughest times. This mindset of finding joy amidst adversity became my anchor in every future endeavor.

After leaving the Marines in 2021, life took another unexpected turn. A friend casually asked if I wanted to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean. Without hesitation, my gut instinct said yes. It sounded uncomfortable, unpredictable, and profoundly meaningful. Midway through that grueling ocean crossing, with nothing but the endless horizon around us, an idea took hold: a journey from sea level at the English Channel to Everest’s summit, entirely powered by my own body.

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PROJECT LIMITLESS WAS BORN

Project Limitless was born from that simple yet audacious idea. It wasn’t merely about setting records; it was about proving the incredible power within each of us to overcome even the most extreme challenges.

Day one nearly ended my journey. Swimming the English Channel for eighteen relentless hours was the hardest physical trial of my life. My shoulder gave out, saltwater filled my lungs, and exhaustion blurred my thoughts. But even in the bleakest moments, I remembered my father and my military training: just focus on the next breath, the next stroke. Eventually, land emerged on the horizon, and the journey continued.

Next came the cycle, a near-12,000-kilometer odyssey across multiple countries. Bureaucratic hurdles, visa issues, injuries, and illnesses became daily battles. Each obstacle threatened to derail the mission, yet purpose kept pushing me forward. I was doing this for my dad, for my cousin Craig whom we tragically lost, and for anyone else fighting invisible battles.

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From there, I ran 900 kilometers from India to Kathmandu, plagued by illness, swollen knees, and relentless self-doubt. The voice in my head grew louder, urging me to quit. But again, purpose silenced my ego. Each step forward became an act of defiance against doubt and despair.

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Finally, after 240 grueling days, Everest’s summit was beneath my feet. Dawn broke, painting the Himalayas in breathtaking gold and crimson. There was a sacred quiet atop the world. I had imagined this moment countless times, but the reality was deeper, more profound. I whispered to myself, remembering the cardboard sketch, “We did it.” This victory belonged to everyone who had believed, supported, and journeyed alongside me.

The greatest lesson from Project Limitless was humility. No great accomplishment is truly solo. Friends, strangers, my partner, each person who supported me along the way carried a piece of this triumph. It reinforced the powerful truth that belief is communal and contagious.

That's why Adventure For All resonates deeply with me. AFA empowers young athletes with exceptionalities to rewrite what’s possible, similar to my own journey. Athletes like Josh, who conquered a 100-mile off-road race, Joey Baar who summited a mountain, Christian who took a hard fall only 14 miles into a 100 mile gravel race, but still finished, proved that belief and community can transform any perceived impossible into reality.

To the AFA athletes: your potential is limitless. Your Everest may differ from mine, but it’s equally meaningful. Embrace your journey fully, and know your limits are yours alone to set or surpass.

To the parents: your belief is your child’s greatest strength. Encourage them, empower them, and watch as they shatter every barrier placed before them.

Project Limitless was the first chapter of a much larger story. Ahead lies a book outlining the nine pillars of human potential I’ve learned, the creation of the Limitless Foundation to support mental health through adventure, and countless new adventures designed to further test what I thought was possible.

My hope is that my journey serves as proof not of extraordinary talent, but of the extraordinary power within each of us. Your struggles, grief, and pain can become your greatest sources of strength and purpose. Embrace them, harness them, and let them guide you to your summit.

Keep going.

With all my heart,

Mitch

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How this story speaks to AFA and our exceptional athletes:

✅ This story shows that those with ADHD or learning differences may not fit the mold, but none of us are born for a mold. We are all born unique, with unique gifts, and a unique story to unfold within our life.
✅ It shows that the perceived impossible is just a limiting belief system and sometimes it takes a person, an organization, or a community to show the world how far belief can take us.
✅ It shows us that through many trials and tribulations we are always being gifted an opportunitiy to grow into the versino of ourselves that is meant for a deeper purpose and greatness.
✅ We all have it within us to inspire a better world and create a better life for ourselves.

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Thank you Mitch for sharing the gift of your story around the AFA campfire. We are grateful for your worldview and your endless beief in human potential.

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