Episode 18 - Guest Alex Flynn on the jaw dropping challenges he undertakes whilst dealing with Parkinson's and how compartmentalising pain is what gives him the ability to do so

In today's episode I am joined by the remarkable Alex Flynn, who is an adventurist.

Alex was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease at 36 years old (since 2008) and decided to raise funds for and awareness of Parkinson's disease - since then he has undertaken some of the most gruelling challenges around the world.

In this episode we talked all about the reality of the disease, the incredible challenges he has undertaken to raise money for Parkinson's UK and to try to find a cure.

How he uses his mind to keep his body going during these challenges and how mentally compartmentalising his pain through them, is what has allowed him to achieve the things he has.

“Rarely does one hear about such an inspirational and heroic Briton as Alex Flynn. The challenges he has successfully undertaken would be considered seriously hard by anyone’s standards and are, in my view, independently worthy of recognition.” – Sir Ranulph Fiennes OBE

 

Alex’s diagnosis became the catalyst in his life for showing people the possibility of creating positive change in the face of adversity. He can be found doing some of the more complex, unexpected and surprising challenges across the planet to raise awareness and hopefully more than £1million towards vital research to find a cure. 

 

Under the banner of a challenge entitled 10MillionMetres, Alex has completed many marathons, ultra endurance races, and triathlons, examples of which include:

 

Completing the gruelling Marathon des Sables (250 km race across the Sahara Desert);

 

running 160 miles across the Bavarian Alps in 52 hours;

 

1,457 miles from London to Rome in 30 days to meet the Pope (400 miles of which was run with a stress fractured right tibia and completing the first 20 marathons in 10 days); and

 

becoming the first person to traverse the 3,256 miles from Santa Monica to New York using four distinct disciplines. He achieved this distance in 35 days and appeared on BBC One, One show over two consecutive nights.

 

In 2013 he crossed 200km of the Amazon Jungle, climbed and ran 90 km of the Dolomites and 236 km across the Colorado Rockies, achieving all three within an 8-week period; 

 

On the 24th January 2014, the 10MillionMetres Challenge was completed at the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon. He had covered a distance more than 6,200 miles around the world.

 

In the summer of 2015, he competed in the Men’s Health USA Ultimate Guy Competition, successfully reaching the final nine competitors out of over 1000 including Special Forces and the US Marines.  He was also honoured by the then UK Prime Minister, David Cameron.

 

2016 brought a new challenge of completing 5,566 press-ups in 22 days to raise funds and awareness of PTSD, which affects military personnel and first responders. Alex managed to continue for 18 days reaching total of 3,762 press-ups before his shoulder gave out.

 

In February 2017, Alex returned from the Arctic after attempting a 450 km expedition of Sweden’s Kungsleden (Kings trail) in freezing temperatures of -29°C. His participation was cut short due to Alex ripping a tendon in his right ankle. Undeterred, he continued to pull a 135lb pulk and 10kg backpack across a further 25km, including two mountain passes before the onset of hypothermia caused Alex to call it a day. 

 

In 2018, he undertook the brutal and extremely challenging Lost Islands Ultra in Fiji, flying round the world to present the Alex Flynn award for and on behalf of the Cure Parkinson's Trust and two weeks after finishing the Fiji ultra, Alex completed the Virgin Money London Marathon.

 

In September 2018 Alex flew to British Columbia, Canada to take part in Primal Quest. As part of a team, which included five times world adventure racing Champion Mike Klosser, they took on the Primal Quest Pursuit Race across 240 miles of mountainous and challenging terrain including glaciers, and white water rapids in big Bear Country. The team completed the challenge in four days and five hours despite Alex suffering badly with Parkinson's and also a slipped disc in his neck cutting off any feeling to his right arm and hand.

 

So far in 2020, during lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, Alex decided to take on and complete his Isolation Double Everest Challenge. The idea was simple, to raise money for Parkinson's UK, Alex would climb a vertical Marathon (26.21 miles/42.196 m) up the stairs in his house. 

This required him to climb and descend his stairs 3516 times covering approx 210,600 stairs. The distance vertically would be the same as 2.3 times the height of Everest. It took Alex 7.5 days to successfully complete the ascent. 

 

Sir Ranulph Fiennes, OBE, stated that Alex’s effort was "Herculean" emphasising both the physical and mental strength to achieve the distance.

 

There's more to come...

 

Alex says:

“I’ve decided to do this as there has to be better treatments or even a cure for a disease that robs, the young and old alike, of their independence, their ability to move, talk, swallow, have sex, write, in fact everything most people take for granted. If I told you that the youngest person diagnosed was a 2 year old boy you might come close to experiencing the anger I feel towards this disease. We have to do something!”

 

“I want a cure for millions around the planet and hope you do too. Together we can make change happen!” #KeepMoving 

 

www.alexflynn.co.uk