Jamie McDonald (adventurer)

Jamie McDonald
Born (1986-08-19) 19 August 1986
Gloucester, England
Residence Gloucester, Gloucestershire
Education Honorary Fellow at University of Gloucestershire
Occupation Motivational Speaker
Known for Doing adventures as Adventureman
Website jamiemcdonald.org

Jamie McDonald (born 19 August 1986) is a British adventurer, author, motivational speaker who lives in Gloucester,[1] and is best known for doing worldly adventures dressed up as his alter-ego, Adventureman.[2][3]

Adventureman

Whilst McDonald does his adventures, he always dresses up in his alter-ego custom made costume, Adventureman - which was designed by 10 year old Conner Reddy who suffers with dyspraxia.[2]

Solo run across America

McDonald is currently undertaking a solo run across the United States starting on the West Coast at Cape Alava, in Washington’s Clallam County, then going across the Southern U.S. and then up the East Coast. The 6,000 mile (or 230 marathon) run is supposed to take him a year. Microsoft have helped him with a tracker device so that he will be safer on the run and also have more access to social media - these solutions were put into place between intY and Acacus, two Microsoft partners.[2]

Solo run across Canada

Dressed as superhero The Flash,[3] McDonald set off on 9 March 2013[4] from St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, on the Atlantic coast and completed the journey of 5,000 miles to Vancouver on the Pacific on 3 February 2014.[5][6] Jamie spoke to schools throughout the entire journey to help with fundraising.[7] His original intention had been to complete the journey before the winter.[8]

McDonald was inspired by Terry Fox, one-legged and suffering from cancer, whose run across Canada was cut short by cancer.[6]

On the route, McDonald faced a number of ordeals: he endured −40C temperatures, he was beaten and robbed celebrating the new year in Banff, Alberta, and had to push his 60 kilograms (130 lb) load in a pushchair when he was no longer able to carry it on his back.[9] Suffering from acute tendinitis in his foot, he continued his run and a bone spur has grown over the inflammation.[1] He slept rough on the side of the road unless taken in by strangers.[3] He wore through 10 pairs of trainers.[9]

He raised more than £250,000 for children's charities in the UK and Canada in a bid to give back to the charities that supported him as an unwell child, including Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity and the charity which supports Gloucestershire Royal Hospital,[5] and also Canadian charities such as SickKids Foundation.[3]

Cycling Bangkok to Gloucester

In 2012, McDonald bought a second hand bike and decided to cycle the 14,000 miles from Bangkok to his hometown Gloucester, passing through dozens of countries. Along the way he was shot at, arrested and slept rough. He documented his journey in a series of YouTube clips.[10]

Static cycle world record

Two days after he finished the journey back from Bangkok; McDonald made the decision to attempt the world static cycling record, which stood at 224 hours and 24 minutes. It was a challenge he had conceived whilst cycling from Bangkok. He stepped off the exercise bike set up within a marquee in Gloucester after pedalling for a Guinness world record breaking 268 hours – more than eleven days.[11][12]

Superhero Foundation

Jamie co-founded Superhero Foundation, a charity aiming to "empower real-life Superheroes to change, and save lives".

In the UK, the charity supports individuals raising money for treatment not provided by the NHS, as well as supporting kids hospitals.

The charity began by helping Gloucestershire-based father James Bottger raise money to help his wheel-chair bound daughter for an operation in the US to enable her to walk for the rest of her life. Bottger climbed up and down Robinswood Hill in Gloucester, UK, 75 times, until he 'reached the equivalent of Mount Everest', raising tens of thousands of pounds in the process.[13]

Since, the charity has helped other families in similar situations.[14]

Personal life

McDonald was born in Gloucester, England to Donald and Ann McDonald.[15] As a child, McDonald battled an immune deficiency, epilepsy, and syringomyelia and was frequently hospitalised up to the age of nine.[5]

Motivational speaker

Jamie has delivered motivational and inspiring talks for schools, businesses, charities, and after dinner events all around the world.[16] Whilst sharing his adventures and hardships, he focuses on finding more motivation, never giving up, and helping people to discover more within themselves to make a difference in the world. He has received acclaim from notable people including Sir Steve Redgrave, Sir Geoff Hurst, Dame Kelly Holmes, Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Prince Harry.[17]

Author

In 2017, Jamie released a book called, Adventureman: Anyone Can Be a Superhero, about his historic 5,000 mile run across Canada, that quickly became a best-seller on Amazon.[2]

Honours and awards

In December 2012, McDonald achieved a World Record for 'Marathon Static Cycling' - stepping off the bike at 268 hours (more than 12 days).

In 2013, during his run across Canada, in Calgary, Jamie was Awarded the White Hat (in previous years the likes of Prince William, Kate Middleton, Arnold Schwarzenegger and many more have also been White Hatted).[18]

Voted 'Male Runner Of The Year' and awarded the 'Golden Shoe' from Canadian Running magazine.[6]

After the run across Canada, on his homecoming in Gloucester, Jamie was presented with the Medal of the City of Gloucester - the highest accolade the Mayor of Gloucester can bestow.[19]

In September 2014 McDonald was named Pride of Britain's 'Fundraiser of the Year' for the West.[20]

He was named in the Independent's 'Happy List 2014', a list of 100 people giving back to the community.[21]

Ambassador of the Year at the Believe in Gloucester Awards 2014.[22]

National Adventure Award Winner for ‘Fundraiser of the Year’ in 2014.

Honorary Fellowship from the University of Gloucestershire in 2015.[23]

References

  1. 1 2 "The feet that ran 5,000 miles: Jamie McDonald resting up after his Canada run". Gloucester Citizen. 5 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Schlosser, Kurt. "Microsoft lends a technical hand as 'Adventureman' begins epic 6,000-mile run for charity across U.S." Geek Wire. Geek Wire. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Real-life Forrest Gump Jamie McDonald completes his Canada superhero run". The Independent. 4 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  4. ↑ McElroy, Justin (3 February 2014). "Jamie McDonald, British man running across Canada, reaches Vancouver today". Global News. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 "Jamie McDonald completes 5,000-mile year-long run across Canada". Runner's World UK. 4 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 "West's 'Forrest Gump' Jamie McDonald finishes 5,000-mile run across Canada". Western Daily Press. 4 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  7. ↑ Lefebvre, Charles (3 February 2014). "Almost there!: Runner crossing Canada for children's hospitals on the final leg of his journey". Medicine Hat News. Archived from the original on 9 February 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  8. ↑ Colpitts, Heather (1 February 2014). "Cross-Canada runner stops in Langley". Langley Advance. Archived from the original on 23 February 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  9. 1 2 "Cross-Canada runner Jamie McDonald reaches challenge end". BBC News Gloucestershire. 4 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  10. ↑ "Record breaker Jamie McDonald to run 200 marathons in Canadian coast to coast challenge". 6 February 2014.
  11. ↑ "It's official - charity superhero Jamie McDonald is a world record holder". 5 September 2013.
  12. ↑ "Longest marathon static cycling". Guinness World Records. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  13. ↑ "Gloucestershire father's Himalayan feat". ITV.
  14. ↑ "Superheroes". SuperheroFoundation.org.
  15. ↑ "Hero's welcome planned for inspirational Gloucester charity runner Jamie McDonald". Gloucester Citizen. 30 January 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  16. ↑ JamieMcDonald.org http://www.jamiemcdonald.org/speaker/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  17. ↑ . Royal Central http://royalcentral.co.uk/uk/princeharry/prince-harry-sends-letter-of-congratulations-to-gloucester-runner-jamie-mcdonald-23664. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  18. ↑ "Christmas in Canada for long-distance runner Jamie Mcdonald". Gloucester Citizen. 2013-12-26. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
  19. ↑ "Jamie McDonald's Homecoming Celebration at Gloucester Cathedral - Gloucestershire culture". SoGlos. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
  20. ↑ "And the Pride of Britain Fundraiser of the Year in the West is...Jamie McDonald | West Country (E) - ITV News". Itv.com. 2014-09-12. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
  21. ↑ Wilkinson, Michael (2014-05-25). "Jamie McDonald named in Top 100 Happy List by the Independent on Sunday". Gloucester Citizen. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
  22. ↑ "Peter Hickman receives Lifetime Achievement Award at the Believe in Gloucester Awards". Gloucester Citizen. 2014-11-27. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
  23. ↑ . University of Gloucestershire http://www.glos.ac.uk/news/Pages/fundraiser-receives-honorary-award.aspx. Missing or empty |title= (help)
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