Simon Donato PhD, is a geologist, entrepreneur, television host, writer, public speaker, adventurer and ultra-endurance athlete. Simon grew up ski racing, studying Kenpo Karate, and playing team sports before falling in love with mountain biking, and adventure racing. Since then, he has become an accomplished ultra-endurance athlete, having competed in numerous adventure races and ultra marathons.
Following a degree in anthropology (minor biology), he obtained a MSc in paleontology at Western University. He received his PhD in geology from McMaster University 2008 during which time he founded and ran the Canadian Adventure Racing Association, which is still in existence today, and provides insurance, safety, and environmental guidelines to Canadian race directors.
In 2008, he founded Adventure Science (AS), a company that combined his passion for field-based research with ultra-endurance athletics as a way of pushing exploration frontiers. The first project was a search for then missing pilot, Steve Fossett. Since 2008, AS has conducted projects ranging from studying the relationship between ultra-running and muscle damage, to searching for undiscovered archaeological ruins in the Middle East, to searching for missing people and airplanes.
After graduation Simon worked as a geologist for Imperial Oil for over four years on a wide variety of projects from the Athabasca oil sands to the Beaufort Sea. During this time Simon co-founded Stoked Oats Ltd. (April 2011). Stoked Oats filled the need for healthy, gluten-free oatmeal in grocery stores that was sugar, salt, and preservative free, but still delivered a high amount of nutrients and protein per serving. Stoked Oats is distributed by Planet Foods.
In 2012, Simon and Eady Bros Productions created a new television series called Boundless (based on his documentary “Go Death Racer”). Boundless follows Simon and long-time friend Paul Trebilcock, around the globe for 126 days as they competein 8 grueling ultra-endurance races, ranging from stand-up paddle boarding, to running across the Sahara desert. Aired originally on Travel + Escape, it is now shown in the USA on the Esquire Network, and in India and Brazil.
Simon is also an Explorer in Residence for Kensington Travel, a health expert for Revive.ca, and an ambassador for Merrell and Vega. He is also a Fellow International with The Explorers Club, and Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society’s College of Fellows.