Colin Timothy O'Brady (born March 16, 1985) is an American professional endurance athlete, motivational speaker and adventurer. He is a former professional triathlete, representing the United States on the

ITU Triathlon World Cup The World Triathlon Cup is an annual series of triathlon races staged around the world. The series is organised by the World Triathlon, the world governing body of the sport. Inaugurated in 1991, the World Cup began as an attempt to create a regula ...

circuit, racing in 25 countries on six continents from 2009 to 2015. O'Brady is a four-time world record holder. In 2016 he set the

Explorers Grand Slam The Explorer's Grand Slam is an adventurer goal to reach the North Pole and South Pole, as well as climb the Seven Summits ( Everest, Aconcagua, Denali, Kilimanjaro, Elbrus, Vinson, and Puncak Jaya or Kosciuszko). History The original ...

(Last Degree) and

Seven Summits The Seven Summits are the highest mountains on each of the seven traditional continents. On 30 April 1985, Richard Bass became the first climber to reach the summit of all seven. In January 2023, ''Climbing (magazine), Climbing'' said "Today, t ...

speed records, the latter of which has since been broken. He became the fastest person to complete the adventurers challenges in 139 days and 131 days, respectively. In the summer of 2018, O'Brady set the speed record for the 50 US High Points in 21 days. On December 26, 2018, he completed a solo crossing of the land mass of

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. ...

, excluding the ice shelves, using the South Pole Traverse (SPoT) vehicle road during the last 366 miles (589 km) of the journey.

Early life and education

Colin Timothy O'Brady was born on March 16, 1985, in

Olympia, Washington Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington. It had a population of 55,605 at the 2020 census, making it the state of Washington's 23rd-most populous city. Olympia is the county seat of Thurston County, and the central city ...

, but was raised in

Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...

. He attended the Franciscan Montessori Earth School and Mt. Tabor Middle School, and graduated from Lincoln High School in 2002. O'Brady was a youth soccer star and Oregon State Swimming Champion. He was recruited for both collegiate swimming and soccer in high school. He accepted a recruitment to swim for the

Yale Bulldogs swimming and diving Since its inception in 1898, the Yale Bulldogs swimming and diving program has produced numerous champion athletes. Many Yale swimmers have gone on to earn All-American honors and even break world records. The team has won 4 NCAA The Natio ...

team where he competed on the

NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest division of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athlet ...

varsity team in the 100 and 200 meter Breaststroke. He graduated from

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

in 2006 and received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. In 2007, O'Brady began what was planned as a year-long backpacking trip around the world. In January 2008, on the island of Koh Tao, he suffered a devastating burn injury. Though he was warned he might never again walk normally, he took his first step the following month and was determined to make a full recovery.

Career

Early career and professional triathlete

O'Brady moved to Chicago, where he took a job as a

commodities trader A commodity market is a market that trades in the primary economic sector rather than manufactured products. The primary sector includes agricultural products, energy products, and metals. Soft commodities may be perishable and harvested, wh ...

following the accident. He learned how to walk again, and for a year focused on physical rehabilitation. He began to train for triathlon: swimming, cycling, and running. In May 2009 he won a sprint-distance triathlon in Racine, Wisconsin, and in August 2009 he placed 1st overall amateur in the Olympic-distance Chicago Triathlon. He then placed in the age-group nationals in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, which earned him a position on Team USA at the 2010 World Triathlon Championships in Budapest, Hungary. In late 2009, encouraged by his mentor, financier Brian Gelber, O'Brady quit his job to pursue a career as a professional athlete. With Gelber as a sponsor, he moved to Australia to train in a more temperate climate. O'Brady has since completed more than 50 triathlons, ranging from sprint distance to Ironman competitions. O'Brady completed Ironman Japan in August 2015, his final triathlon race and placed 6th in the Pro division.

Endurance and adventurer

Following his retirement from triathlon, O'Brady and his then-fiancée Jenna Besaw created Beyond 7/2, a not-for-profit world record journey to inspire kids and communities to live active, healthy lives. O'Brady aimed to conquer the

(Last Degree), an adventurer's challenge to climb the highest mountain on each of the seven continents and complete expeditions to both the North and South Poles in world record time. O'Brady and Besaw financed the Grand Slam attempt through sponsorships from Gelber Group,

Nike Nike often refers to: * Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment * Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory Nike may also refer to: People * Nike (name), a surname and feminine giv ...

Columbia Sportswear The Columbia Sportswear Company is an American company that manufactures and distributes outerwear, sportswear, and footwear, as well as headgear, camping equipment, ski apparel, and outerwear accessories. It was founded in 1938 by Paul Lamf ...

, and Mountain Hardwear, among others. The project raised funds and awareness to benefit the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a non-profit organization that aims to combat childhood obesity. O'Brady left Portland on December 25, 2015, flying to Chile and then Union Glacier in Antarctica. In January 2016, O'Brady began the

. O'Brady was joined on parts of his Beyond 7/2 journey by various climbing partners and as a paying client with guides including polar explorer Eric Larsen, Vern Tejas and fellow mountaineer Maria (Masha) Gordon. O'Brady became the fastest person (male) to complete the

(Last Degree) when he reached the summit of

Denali Denali (), federally designated as Mount McKinley, is the highest mountain peak in North America, with a summit elevation of above sea level. It is the tallest mountain in the world from base to peak on land, measuring . On p. 20 of Helm ...

Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...

on May 27, 2016, and set a new speed record of 139 days. He bested the previous male record of 197 days set by Richard Parks in 2011. O'Brady is the 36th person to complete the Explorers Grand Slam (Last Degree) and the current record holder. O'Brady completed 10 expeditions in total to fulfill both the ''Bass'' and ''

Messner Messner is a surname. It is an occupational name of Austro-Bavarian origin, in which dialect it means sacristan/Sexton (office), sexton. People with the name Messner include: * Carrie Messner (born 1977), American long-distance runner * Franz Jos ...

'' lists. O'Brady completed both the Bass and Messner lists for the

speed record, climbing

Everest Mount Everest (), known locally as Sagarmatha in Nepal and Qomolangma in Tibet, is Earth's highest mountain above sea level. It lies in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas and marks part of the China–Nepal border at its ...

Aconcagua Aconcagua () is a mountain in the Principal Cordillera of the Andes mountain range, in Mendoza Province, Argentina. It is the highest mountain in the Americas, the highest outside Asia, and the highest in both the Western Hemisphere and the ...

Kilimanjaro Mount Kilimanjaro () is a dormant volcano in Tanzania. It is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain above sea level in the world, at above sea level and above its plateau base. It is also the highest volcano i ...

Elbrus Mount Elbrus; ; is the highest mountain in Russia and Europe. It is a dormant volcano, dormant stratovolcano rising above sea level, and is the highest volcano in Eurasia, as well as the List of mountain peaks by prominence, tenth-most promi ...

Puncak Jaya Puncak Jaya (; literally "Victorious Peak", Amungme: ''Nemangkawi Ninggok'') or Carstensz Pyramid (, , ) on the island of New Guinea, with an elevation of , is the highest mountain peak of an island on Earth, and the highest peak in Indones ...

Vinson Vinson may refer to: Places * Vinson, Oklahoma, a community in the US * Vinson Massif, the highest mountain in Antarctica People Surname * Vinson (surname), people with the surname ''Vinson'' ** Vinson political family Forename * Vinso ...

(the "Messner version"). O'Brady is the fastest to complete the

Three Poles Challenge The Three Poles is an adventurer’s challenge to reach the North Pole, the South Pole, and the summit of Mount Everest. The first person to reach all three locations was Edmund Hillary. Hillary summited Everest in May 1953, reached the South Pol ...

, an adventurer’s challenge to reach the

North Pole The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's rotation, Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True North Pole to distingu ...

, the

South Pole The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is the point in the Southern Hemisphere where the Earth's rotation, Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True South Pole to distinguish ...

and the summit of

Mount Everest Mount Everest (), known locally as Sagarmatha in Nepal and Qomolangma in Tibet, is Earth's highest mountain above sea level. It lies in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas and marks part of the China–Nepal border at it ...

. He began the challenge in Antarctica on January 10, 2016, reached the North Pole on April 19, and summited Mount Everest on May 19, 2016. In the summer of 2018, aided by a small support team, O'Brady broke the speed record for the 50 US High Points Challenge when he climbed the highest point in each of the 50 states of the United States in just 21 days, 9 hours, and 48 minutes. While reaching each high point, he invited local residents of all ages and backgrounds to come out to join him in setting a new world record; this piece of the project was coined "The Forrest Gump Effect". On December 26, 2018, O’Brady completed a solo and unsupported crossing of parts of Antarctica from the Messner start to the beginning of the

Ross Ice Shelf The Ross Ice Shelf is the largest ice shelf of Antarctica (, an area of roughly and about across: about the size of France). It is several hundred metres thick. The nearly vertical ice front to the open sea is more than long, and between high ...

by following the South Pole Overland Traverse ice highway. He completed the 932 mile journey in 54 days, finishing ahead of explorer

Louis Rudd use both this parameter and , birth_date to display the person's date of birth, date of death, and age at death) --> , death_place = , death_cause = , body_discovered = , resting_place = , resting_place_coordinates = ...

who was also attempting the feat. Peter Wilson has disputed this claim that the trek was unassisted due to the ice highway being groomed and maintained. In December 2019, O'Brady acted as the

first mate A chief mate (C/M) or chief officer, usually also synonymous with the first mate or first officer, is a licensed mariner and head of the deck department of a merchant ship. The chief mate is customarily a watchstander and is in charge of the shi ...

in a six-man team on the first man-powered crossing of

Drake Passage The Drake Passage is the body of water between South America's Cape Horn, Chile, Argentina, and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica. It connects the southwestern part of the Atlantic Ocean (Scotia Sea) with the southeastern part of the Pa ...

, the body of water between South America and Antarctica. It took 13 days and more than in a boat that was long. In June 2021, O'Brady summited Mount Everest alongside his wife, Jenna Besaw, completing her first summit of the mountain.

Personal life

O'Brady is the son of Eileen Brady, businesswoman and politician who ran unsuccessfully for

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

. O'Brady is married to Jenna Besaw.

World records

* Fastest person (man) to complete the

* Fastest person (man) to complete the 50 Highest Points in all 50 US States * Youngest person to row on the

Southern Ocean The Southern Ocean, also known as the Antarctic Ocean, comprises the southernmost waters of the world ocean, generally taken to be south of 60th parallel south, 60° S latitude and encircling Antarctica. With a size of , it is the seco ...

(34 years 272 days old)

Explorers Grand Slam (Last Degree)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Obrady, Colin Living people 1985 births Sports world record holders Yale University alumni American male triathletes Sportspeople from Portland, Oregon Sportspeople from Olympia, Washington History of Antarctica Students of S. N. Goenka Youth record holders