The most dangerous race in the world?
The Jungle Marathon is a challenge. Even though many of the competitors are des Sables veterans, they will not have an easy event. The 200km race runs over seven days, across harsh terrain including primary jungle, established jungle tracks, beaches and villages. The journey also features many river crossings, where runners must swim alongside piranhas.
The harsh terrain is not the only danger along the route. The entrants will need to look out for various insects, snakes and scorpions, as a bite from one of these creatures could be deadly. There will be eight jungle medics supporting and treating the runners for severe blisters, bites, bumps and bruises, as well as heat stroke, dehydration and exhaustion.
Runners will be self-sufficient from the moment they touch down in Brazil which means they will need to carry their own hammocks and provisions, as well as a week’s supply of food. They must pick up 2.5 litres of water at each checkpoint, as unlike the Marathon des Sables water is not rationed, due to the intense humidity.
A total of 90 people have entered this year’s race, 35 of whom are Brits – a couple, four female runners, including 24-year-old physio Sophie Collett, who completed this year’s Marathon des Sables, and has also signed up for another marathon in the Gobi Desert. There is also a team of six bankers with no long distance marathon experience, who disappeared into the jungle just as the World markets collapsed.
Runner David Cook, a father of four, said: "The Jungle Marathon really is brutal. I can't emphasise how savage it is, it's just insane. It's almost like being in a microwave where you're being heated from the inside out. It's like the Return of the Living Dead - zombies walking around vomiting and on drips, because their core temperature has gone through the roof."
Sophie Collett added: "The danger of this race is extreme - there's so much that could go wrong."
Tune into ITV4 this December and decide if the Jungle Marathon really is the most dangerous race in the world.
