Adventurer Louis Alexander Interview with Odyssey Open Water Swimming
“Finding your purpose in life is so rare, especially at a young age, so I refuse to throw away this gift!” -- Louis Alexander
Some people were born for adventure. Louis Alexander is one of those people.
Louis, an avid explorer and adventurer from London, England, joined Odyssey Open Water Swimming for our 6/24 Odyssey Alcatraz swim. Among his growing list of accomplishments, Louis has run through deserts, reached the summit of the world’s most notable mountains, and is now taking on some of the world’s most challenging swims.
We interviewed Louis about his adventures and experience swimming from Alcatraz.
Question: What drives your passion for adventure?
Louis Alexander: I’m 23 years old now, but my story began when I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest free-standing mountain in the world, at 19 years old.
It was my Grandad’s dream to climb the mountain, but he sadly never had the opportunity because he was diagnosed with Dementia at just 58 years old. I climbed in his honour, and returned home from Africa with a new found purpose and adventure for purpose. Shortly after returning, my Grandad’s 17-year-long battle with Dementia came to an end, and I made the promise at his funeral to support the charity, Alzheimer’s Research UK, with my challenges until the day we find a cure.
Over the next couple years, the hobby grew, and I discovered ultra marathons and various endurance challenges. However, at the end of 2021, I realised I only had one true passion in life, adventure, and decided to go full-time! For my first project, I ran 17 marathons in 17 consecutive days in honour of those 17 years my Grandfather and family suffered, and have since climbed more mountains, ran through deserts and a few other adventures. I’m very lucky to have picked up a few sponsors, and now dedicate my full-time to dreaming of adventures, training, planning, and of course embarking on expeditions. Finding your purpose in life is so rare, especially at a young age, so I refuse to throw away this gift!
Q: What’s been your favorite adventure, and why?
LA: I am currently embarking on my greatest project to date, called ‘Running The Seven Continents’, which is my dream and plan to run a marathon in the most remote corner of every continent on Earth. There are around 400 members of the exclusive ‘7 Continents Marathon Club’, but no one in history has completed the seven extreme locations I am embarking on. I have run four thus far: through a desert in Africa, desert in Asia, Alaska in North America, and most recently The Australian Outback in Oceania.
The plan is simple: to explore the greatest nature and wildlife, the most remote communities and test myself in the most harsh conditions! The marathon in Alaska stands out as one of my favourite adventures to date. I ran through the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Centre, an incredible 200 acre home to injured and orphaned wildlife who are being rehabilitated back into the wild. Running on ice, surrounded by brown bears and wolves, was something very special, and a great reminder I am exactly where I should be in life.
Q: What brought you into swimming and what do you love most about it?
LA: Last year I swam the infamous Hellespont shipping lane, in Turkey, which separates Europe and Asia. As one of the youngest professional explorers in the world, one of my aims is to always pay my respects to those before me, who have paved paths in the world of adventure. The swim in Turkey was famously first completed by Lord Byron, back in 1810, when he was only 22 years old. I had the unique opportunity to recreate the swim, at the same age, as the romantic poet and in the process was named by The Times as the ‘Modern-day Byron’. Aside from the great background of the swim, the challenge itself left a huge impact on me. The freedom I felt whilst swimming was something unmatched. No run or mountain has come close. When looking at the possibilities for my second swim, I knew the Alcatraz was calling my name!
Q: Why did you choose to swim from Odyssey with Alcatraz?
LA: Whilst doing my research and due diligence online, it was clear safety and success were two attributes synonymous with Odyssey. The dates matched up with mine, and those of my friends who were swimming too, and the rest is history.
Q: How would you describe the experience?
LA: Harsh, tough, and epic! The history behind the waters, from the icy cold waters to the strong currents, really added to my excitement and nerves. Out of 62 swimmers, I was the only finisher who didn’t wear a wetsuit. All the hard work and cold exposure during my preparation paid off! The waves were incredibly strong, knocking off my goggles several times, and I swallowed a lot of sea water in the process. But it was everything I could have hoped for. It’s incredible when months of training and preparation are defined by an hour of your life, and I’m grateful I had the opportunity and the blessing of the ocean that day. As they say, you can never conquer Mother Nature, only survive her! My respect for the oceans, as with the mountains, rises with every adventure.
Q: Would you recommend others swim from Alcatraz, and why or why not?
LA: Absolutely. The history behind the waters, from the icy cold waters to the strong currents, really adds to the excitement and nerves. I would also encourage anyone looking at the swim, to add to the challenge and think about swimming without a wetsuit. It may be cold, but with the right preparation and mindset, it is absolutely possible!"
Q: What’s the next goal you’re looking forward to accomplishing?
LA: My focus now switches back to my ‘Running The Seven Continents’ project. I have three marathons remaining: the Amazon Jungle in October, the Arctic Circle in November and Antarctica in December! The challenges of the project so far have varied from being chased by wild dogs, to dealing with temperatures over 100°F during the desert in Africa, and I anticipate there will be many more during the final three marathons. In Antarctica, temperatures will be around -13°F, where frostbite and hyperthermia can become a real risk. If you sweat in those conditions, clothes will freeze, and won’t unfreeze until you get back to South America. So managing body temperature whilst running will be one of the greatest priorities!"
Q: What other adventures do you have planned?
LA: I find nearly every aspect of my career tough, including the training and the expeditions themselves. However, the one part that comes naturally is dreaming up the ideas. I have an endless list of adventure ideas, from kayaking to swimming, but my focus right now in the early moments of my career is to build a strong foundation and not skip any steps. When the time is right, I will embark on adventures that no humans has ever dreamt of, let alone attempted. For now, my focus remains on my upcoming three expeditions later this year, and being aware that just because I found success during the first four marathons of the project, doesn’t mean success is guaranteed in the final three. My preparation and commitment must not dwindle. I’m truly just getting started..."
Q: Anything else you’d like to add?
LA: Huge thank you to Warren, Christina and their incredible team for keeping us all safe out there! The dangers and challenges of the oceans are serious, and it was clear the focus on safety was paramount for the team. I look forward to working together again in the future! Lastly, I would love to say a big thanks to my sponsors back home: Thomas Franks, The Body Lab and Gazing Red2Blue who are helping make this journey possible. Onto the next adventure!”
Learn more about Louis Alexander and his incredible adventures here!