Alastair Humphreys

Alastair Humphreys is an English adventurer, author and motivational speaker. His first big adventure was completing a four-year bicycle journey around the world.[1] He was a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year in 2012.[2]

Biography

Humphreys began his journey in August 2001 from his Yorkshire home. Passing south through Europe and Africa, he crossed to South America by sea from Cape Town and proceeded up the west coast of the Americas, crossed from Alaska to Magadan in Russia, Japan then westward across China and Central Asia to return to Europe. His journey included raising funds and awareness for a charity called Hope and Homes for Children.

Humphreys arrived home in November 2005, having ridden 46,000 miles over four years and three months. He has so far written four books about his experiences titled Moods of Future Joys, Ten Lessons from the Road, Thunder and Sunshine and The Boy Who Biked the World. A series of three children's books are planned about the journey. Alastair has also written a book about walking across India: There Are Other Rivers.

Humphreys currently works as a motivational speaker. The President of the Royal Geographical Society said, "With the possible exception of Sir David Attenborough, that was the best lecture, and the longest applause that I have heard in the past 15 years."

In 2008, Humphreys competed in the gruelling Marathon des Sables, a 150-mile run across the Sahara desert, breaking his foot during the race but still completing the event. He narrowly missed out on a top-100 finish.[3]

In February 2009, Humphreys rowed across the English Channel with Major Phil Packer to raise £1 million for Help for Heroes. In spring 2009, Humphreys walked across India, and in 2010 he walked and packrafted across Iceland.

His 2011 "Year of Microadventure" earned him the National Geographic accolade of "Adventurer of the Year".[2] Humphreys pioneered the concept and coined the term "microadventure" which has since gained him a global following. "#microadventure" is now used as a popular hashtag on social media sites.[4]

In 2012 he joined Marin Medak, Simon Osborne and Steve Bowens to row unsupported across the Atlantic Ocean. The team successfully finished their journey in Barbados after 45 days and 15 hours at sea. He also walked across the Empty Quarter desert with Leon McCarron[5][6] and undertook an expedition in Greenland.[7]

In 2013, Humphreys released his first documentary film, Into the Empty Quarter, documenting his walk through the Empty Quarter desert with Leon McCarron[8] The film premiered at the Royal Geographical Society, London, in November 2013.

Publications

See also

References

  1. ↑ Topham, Gwyn (10 November 2005). "Round-the-world cyclist returns after four years". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Adventurers of the Year 2012 – The Adventurer: Alastair Humphreys". National Geographic. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
  3. ↑ General position 104 "Competitor's informations". MARATHON DES SABLES. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  4. ↑ Microadventure, Tagboard
  5. ↑ "Into The Empty Quarter". Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  6. ↑ "Alastair Humphreys And Leon McCarron Announces Expedition Through The Empty Quarter". 26 October 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
  7. ↑ Humphreys, Alastair. "An Expedition in Greenland". Retrieved 14 June 2013.
  8. ↑ "Into The Empty Quarter". Alastair Humphreys. 20 August 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2015.

External links

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