Jamie McDonald is ready in for a brand new mattress to be delivered once I name him to talk about his upcoming look on the Bishop’s Stortford Faculty Competition of Literature.
For somebody extra used to operating solo throughout essentially the most inhospitable locations on Earth, dodging mountain lions and dropping physique elements to the intense chilly, one thing as mundane as ready for the supply man should appear to him like considerably of a novelty.
“It is all the time a bit unusual to be residence,” he admits. “After we acquired in final night time we had a type of ‘sorry we missed you’ playing cards by the door. It wasn’t something thrilling, simply the brand new drying rack we might ordered, but it surely’s a type of moments whenever you do assume to your self ‘wow, how has my life modified so dramatically?'”
All joking apart, these durations at residence in Gloucester together with his associate Anna are important to permit his physique and thoughts to relaxation and recuperate from no matter newest intrepid journey has stored him away from residence, usually for months on finish.
Higher often called his alter ego Adventureman, the 34-year-old has devoted his grownup life to pushing himself to the bounds of bodily endurance, operating Forrest Gump-style throughout continents to lift cash for a few of the world’s most sick youngsters by his Superhero Basis.
When he seems on the Competition of Literature on Tuesday (February 11), Jamie can be sharing tales from his record-breaking, awe-inspiring journeys, which learn like one thing out of an motion journey novel.
His accomplishments are much more exceptional contemplating he spent most of his early childhood out and in of hospital with a uncommon and debilitating spinal situation, mixed with epilepsy and a really weak immune system. Having feared he would spend most of his life confined to a wheelchair, on the age of 9 his signs started to ease, one thing he attributes to discovering a love of being lively.
He recalled: “My mum had tied up a bit of string with a ball on the top within the backyard and stated to me ‘Jamie, do you need to play tennis?’ I keep in mind considering ‘No, not likely, Mum’ however I went out and began cracking the ball about and simply fell in love with shifting.
“Up till that time I might been so poorly it was nearly getting by every day. However after a few yr all my signs disappeared and I managed to get my well being again, when actually I ought to have ended up in a wheelchair, or worse.”
He was noticed by an area tennis coach who inspired him to take classes. “He was the primary particular person outdoors my household who believed in me, and that may be a magical factor,” he stated. “He created an id for me and confirmed me that I used to be made for one thing on this world. What I actually needed was to be the subsequent Tim Henman and win Wimbledon, however once I was about 16 I labored out that I used to be truly completely horrible at tennis.”
The Pleasure of Britain award winner stated, nonetheless, that what he has since gone on to perform with a purpose to give again to the hospitals that supported him when he was younger far outweighs ever having the ability to elevate the winner’s trophy on Centre Court docket.
As Adventureman, he has cycled 14,000 miles from Bangkok to his residence city on a second-hand bike, set the world static biking report of 224 hours and 24 minutes, made historical past by turning into the primary particular person to run the 5,000 miles throughout Canada with out assistance from a assist crew, run 5,500 miles throughout america and spent seven days on a treadmill overlaying a record-breaking 524 miles.
Alongside the best way he has been shot at, arrested, misplaced the tip of his nostril to frostbite and received a legion of followers.
“On my first journey, once I cycled from Bangkok, it was the primary time I relied on the world to assist me by,” he stated. “I went by 25 totally different international locations, together with Iran, and everybody was sending me messages saying ‘Do not cross the border, they’ve simply burned down the British embassy’ and I am considering ‘Possibly this can be a silly concept’.
“However up till that time I might trusted folks proper throughout the journey who had helped me, and I made a decision that I wanted to do this once more.
“The very first particular person I met [in Iran] was a person who requested me the place I used to be from, and I am there considering ‘Do not say the UK’. He checked out me and stated ‘You aren’t my brother’ after which walked off, and I used to be considering ‘Oh my God, possibly I ought to simply pedal off and get out of right here’. He all of a sudden reappeared with one thing in his hand, my coronary heart began racing and he handed me a cup of tea.
“In all places I have been, folks have taken me in, fed me and helped me by day-to-day. Possibly it is as a result of I am extra susceptible being alone and folks really feel extra inclined to assist, however no matter it’s, it is stunning.”
In relation to deciding on the subsequent problem, Jamie stated that he all the time goes together with his intestine.
“Once I first began doing this I did not actually know the place it was going, it simply felt proper,” he stated. “There is no logic to eager to do them, it is extra a sense that I’ve to do that, and if I do not do it then I’ll go to my grave actually sad. When that feeling takes over, I haven’t got a alternative, it is a compulsion.”
Nevertheless, for his subsequent massive journey, Jamie has one thing else in thoughts totally – fatherhood. “I discover it very arduous to plan forward and usually I am going the place the wind takes me, however proper now the main focus is on Adventurebabies,” he stated.
And identical to their dad, Jamie and Anna’s future offspring should not destined for an bizarre life.
“Once I run throughout nation I’ve a pram which has my sleeping bag, tent and so forth in, so we’re good to go in that respect!” he laughed.
“After we do have youngsters they’re going to positively be tagging alongside. Individuals may assume we’re mad, but it surely’s simply selecting to journey alongside a special path in comparison with the remainder of the world.
“Sure, it will be a problem, and I am certain there will be occasions once we assume maybe we should not be doing this, however in the event you take roads the place not many individuals have trod it could take you to magical locations, and that may simply be superb.”
* Tickets to see Jamie McDonald on the faculty’s Ferguson Lecture Theatre on Tuesday (Feb 11) from 6pm to 7pm are £eight for adults and £5.50 for youngsters aged 7 to 18. Go to www.bishopsstortfordcollege.org for extra particulars and to e-book.
