Andy Donaldson finds his voice in marathon swimming and raising awareness on mental health

Andy Donaldson. Photo Credit: Amber Scobie.

Andy Donaldson is an Ultra-Marathon Swimmer and a three-time Guinness World Record holder.

Margaret Mead once said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” This quote applies to Andy Donaldson.

A native of Scotland, who resides in Australia, Donaldson chatted about his daily motivations, Guinness World Records, and using his platform to raise awareness on such causes as mental health, sustainability, and ocean health.

By advocating for causes that are dear to him, his goal is to help and motivate other people “to combine their love of sports with a sense of purpose in life.”

Donaldson on his Guinness World Records

On his recent Guinness World Records, he said, “It was a very special experience out there. The swims I’ve done in the past are in the middle of channels, so you don’t usually see much, but here I swam around Manhattan Island and I was able to see all the landmarks: the One Trade Center, the Statue of Liberty and all the bridges, so that was really special.”

“Doing that was very surreal and to come away with the result that I had was a very special thing for me, especially because I was feeling a little unwell. I was very proud of the result,” he acknowledged.

Throughout his respected career in sports, he has shattered four world records, three of which he still holds to this day.

Daily motivations

Regarding his daily motivations, Donaldson said, “There are several motivations. Previously, I was motivated to reach my potential. Growing up as a competitive swimmer, I hadn’t reached my goals.”

“I found my way back to swimming during COVID, so I started getting fitter and faster, and I started revisiting some of these unfulfilled dreams. That was a big motivation for a while. Having said that, I was really enjoying the sport, so that made it a more valuable experience for me.”

“For me, I used to be motivated a lot by unfulfilled potential, and I am very content with everything I’ve done,” he said. “The motivation comes a lot from inspiring others and being able to use swim challenges to advocate for causes that are close to my heart.”

Raising awareness on mental health

“A lot of work that I do is in the field of mental health,” he said. “Over the last four years, I have raised over 100,000 for mental health charities. I’ve had my struggles in the past with depression, and swimming was a big part of my life that helped me through my toughest times, and it provided the community and the support network that I needed to get through my own challenges.”

“I love intertwining messages around that, and by partaking in challenges. I’m sure other people could find support through the sport, and it will help with their challenges too,” he said.

“I am also passionate about water quality and water health because I’m a swimmer and we see everything that happens in the water firsthand: we see how clean it is or how unclean it is,” he explained.

“We are on a trajectory that is not sustainable so we need to do something, and we can take a stance,” he noted.

Future plans

Regarding his future plans, he said, “I want to do more challenges and push myself harder, but I want them to have purpose behind them.”

Donaldson continued, “I am probably looking towards things that may not have been done before such as perhaps swimming from Cuba to Florida, or swimming down the length of the Thames in the UK.

“I am using these challenges to support things such as ocean health and try to promote the open water swimming community because there is a lot of life enrichment that can come from being a part of the sport like that and being integrated into a really good community.”

“I don’t know what those challenges are, but I am always open to ideas. If there is anyone that reads this, and wants to see something happen, then let me know,” he said.

Donaldson on doing challenges with other elite athletes

“I also like doing challenges with other people, especially if there is a cause behind it. I feel that we are so much stronger when we take a stance together, and we are united,” he underscored.

“I would love to see a group of some of the world’s best ocean swimmers come together and do challenges together while advocating for the same cause together,” he added.

The digital age

On being a part of the digital age, Donaldson remarked, “We are a small team at the moment, but we are trying to grow. We were trying to bring as many people along the journey as possible for Manhattan Island. We had a WhatsApp group going, all the social media and videos.”

“We are going in a direction where we would love to have Livestreams and have more people be able to follow these challenges, and be part of them, and interact with the team as they are happening,” he said.

“Swimming is a sport that doesn’t get as much recognition as it ought to,” he added.

Ultra marathon swimming vs. competitive swimming

Donaldson (who has looks reminiscent of eight-time Olympic medalist and American swimmer Nathan Adrian) addressed the difference between Ultra marathon swimming (in the open water) vs. competitive swimming (in a pool)

When it comes to competitive swimming (in a pool and in a controlled environment), he noted that Ultra marathon swimming is a different beast, especially since there are so many factors that are out of his control (such as swimming in unforested storms or getting halfway across a channel and the boat breaks down; both of these have happened to me).

“You have to be ready for all of these curveballs, and you have to be adaptable as an Ultra marathon swimmer,” he admitted.

“It’s a different type of swimming. It is probably more mentally challenging, and you need to be very resilient,” he added.

Stage of his life

On the title of the current chapter of his life, he revealed, “Combining Purpose with Sport.”

Superpower of choice

If he were to have any superpower, he responded, “The obvious answer would be to swim fast.” “I actually like that it’s a challenge. If you are superhuman, you wouldn’t be relatable and you wouldn’t be able to inspire people,” he said.

“I always try to be very honest. If I don’t feel good before a swim, I will say it. I don’t like it when people say I’m superhuman because I am not. I am just a normal person who has worked hard to achieve their dreams,” he acknowledged.

“By being more relatable, that may inspire other people, because if he can do it, why can’t I? So, I would choose not to have a superpower,” he clarified.

Success

Regarding his definition of success, Donaldson shared, “Success would be having a loving wife and a loving family. Enjoying having created a career as a professional swimmer who inspires others, and has made a positive difference in the world.”

Message for his fans and supporters

For his fans and supporters, Donaldson expressed, “Thank you for all the encouragement and support you have provided for my journey. Swimming can be a very isolating sport, and to know that there are people rooting for you, encouraged by you, and want to see you succeed makes a big difference.”

“Hopefully, I can inspire my fans to pursue their own goals and dreams. If I can do it, then they can do it,” he concluded.

American track and field icon Steve Prefontaine once said: “To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift.” Andy Donaldson embodies this inspirational quote by the distance running legend.

To learn more about Andy Donaldson, follow him on Instagram and Facebook, and visit his Linktree page.