North Devon delivery driver joins a very exclusive group of athletes

A Barnstaple delivery driver who only took up running aged 50 has joined an exclusive club of athletes after completing three of London’s most famous endurance events.

Andy McDonald, who drives for Smurfit Westrock Atlas, has earned a coveted place in the London Classics Hall of Fame for completing three iconic events in the capital.

The London Classics medal is awarded to those who complete the London Marathon, the RideLondon 100-mile cycle and the two-mile Serpentine swim — a challenge achieved by only around 4,250 people worldwide.

Andy, who delivers cardboard packaging across the South West, completed his London Marathon runs in 2019 and 2021, tackled the RideLondon 100 in 2023 and finished the Serpentine swim earlier this year.

He said: “The swim was by far the hardest. I’m not a swimmer, so doing two miles with thousands of others was tough. It was actually harder than the marathon!”

“The bike ride was the most enjoyable. I finished the 100 miles in about five hours and 12 minutes, averaging around 20 miles an hour. It was a great day and definitely the most fun.”

Andy is now preparing for what he says will be his final marathon, next year’s London Marathon, which takes place just two days before his 58th birthday. He will be running in support of the Veterans Charity, which is based in Barnstaple.

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A dedicated member of the Smurfit Westrock Atlas team, Andy has also recently celebrated 30 years of service with the company.

He said: “I spend long hours driving, so I train most nights when I get home. It’s important to stay fit and healthy. I don’t want to be a typical lorry driver!”

Having taken up running at the age of 50, Andy hopes his story inspires others to stay active at any age.

He added: “I only started running in 2017 after a friend encouraged me to try it. I went from one mile to 26 pretty quickly! It just shows it’s never too late to take something up.”

Andy plans to continue taking part in local events such as the Bideford Half Marathon, but says the London Classics medal will be hard to top.