Draft:Ted Jackson

Ted Jackson (born c. 1973) is a British endurance athlete, baritone singer, life coach, and former educator known for completing extreme marathon challenges despite limited training. Jackson has participated in numerous challenging endurance events including polar marathons, the Marathon des Sables, and the World Marathon Challenge.

Biography

Jackson resides in Climping on the South Coast of England with his wife, Sophie, and their four children: Oscar (b. 1994), Alabama (b. 1997, named after the character in the film "True Romance"), Ludo (b. 2001), and Rafferty (b. 2005).

Jackson is the youngest son of Richard Jackson, founder of Hurtwood House, a boarding school in Surrey, England. Before becoming a life coach, Jackson worked as a housemaster at Hurtwood House for 22 years. Now he works as a life coach, helping individuals and corporations identify and overcome limiting beliefs.

Jackson is open about his past struggles with addiction, describing himself as "a recovering alcoholic and drug addict who decided to turn his life around at 25."

Endurance Career

Despite being described as "about 20 pounds overweight and not terribly athletic", Jackson has completed numerous grueling endurance events. His achievements include:

World Marathon Challenge

Jackson was one of 13 runners to complete seven marathons on seven continents in seven days. The challenge included running marathons in Antarctica, Chile, Miami, Madrid, Morocco, Dubai, and Sydney.

North Pole Marathon

On April 15, 2018, Jackson completed the North Pole Marathon in approximately twelve hours, enduring temperatures of −33°C (−27°F). The marathon takes place on Arctic ice only 12 feet above the Arctic Ocean. In 2025, Jackson served as Race Director for the North Pole Marathon.

Marathon des Sables

Jackson has completed this grueling 250 km (155 mile) ultramarathon across the Sahara Desert twice, an event that has defeated many elite athletes.

Atlantic Ocean Rowing

Jackson has completed multiple Atlantic rowing expeditions:

• In late 2022, Jackson successfully rowed across the Atlantic Ocean from Tenerife to Antigua, covering approximately 3,000 miles in 43 days. He undertook this challenge with only 10 days' notice, spending Christmas at sea. This row was completed in memory of his friend Tom Smith, a former Scottish rugby player and British & Irish Lions athlete who died from colon cancer. The challenge raised close to £25,000 for 40tude, a charity focused on curing colon cancer, with funds contributing to the Tom Smith Research Fellowship at St. Mark's Hospital.
• In 2021, he joined the "Roxy" crew for another successful Atlantic rowing expedition after seeing a Facebook advertisement seeking a rower for an adventure departing within a month.
• Jackson also had a previous unsuccessful attempt that ended after just three days when the boat began taking on water and required helicopter rescue.
• Jackson has described himself as having "unfinished business with the Atlantic Ocean."

Other Endurance Events

• Tour de France: Jackson has cycled the Tour de France route.
• UK Ironman: Jackson completed this triathlon after only a few weeks of training for the cycling and swimming portions.

Approach and Philosophy

Jackson attributes his success to mental strength rather than physical preparation. He employs a technique of imagining one of his children in danger at the finish line to motivate himself through difficult portions of races. He describes his approach as "one step at a time, one foot in front of the other, keep on going, don't stop."

Regarding his physical training philosophy, Jackson has stated: "Physically it's simply getting stronger and able to withstand pain. Nothing about rowing in the ocean is like any specific training that can be done on an erg. For me it's about learning to withstand discomfort... If it's uncomfortable, do it."

He is known for his eccentric approach to running, occasionally wearing a bright pink suit during races and singing operatic arias while running. As an accomplished baritone, Jackson has performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

By his own description, Jackson is "not what most people would describe as athletic" and typically weighs over 15 stone (95 kg).

Charitable Work

Jackson uses his endurance challenges to raise funds for various charitable causes:

Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis (OMS)

Jackson has raised funds for Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis (OMS), a charity promoting alternative treatments for multiple sclerosis, a condition that affects his wife Sophie, who was diagnosed with MS in 2009 and has been following the OMS Program since 2013. Through his various endurance events, Jackson has raised more than £220,000 (approximately $300,000) for the organization.

During his North Pole Marathon in 2018, Jackson commented on the challenging conditions: "The cold, the unpleasantness is all part of it. It's fantastic, look at it. The scenery, the sunshine, the sun out for 24 hours a day – what could be better?"

William Wates Memorial Trust

Jackson has raised approximately £30,000 for the William Wates Memorial Trust, which supports underprivileged children in the UK, through his endurance challenges including his 2021 Atlantic rowing expedition.

External links

• Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis
• 40tude
• William Wates Memorial Trust