My Journey to the Jungle: A Moment to Reflect

In a few short weeks, I’ll be flying out to Peru to compete in the biggest challenge I have set myself yet. Known as one of the world’s toughest footraces, this is a 230km, self-supported ultra marathon in the Amazon Jungle. With a total ascent of over 5,000 meters, enduring 100% humidity and temperatures of over 30 degrees, the Jungle Ultra will push me to my limits.

Fewer than 60 people have completed this long gruelling test of physical and mental endurance despite over 300 having tried over the past nine years and last year only six people finished the race.

If I complete it, in addition to joining the small Jungle Ultra finisher list, I will also become part of a very select group to complete the Beyond The Ultimate Global Race Series with just a couple of people reaching that milestone to date.

The Global Race Series is made up of four iconic extreme trail running events designed to test the resilience and endurance of any runner, set in the world’s most remote and hostile environments on earth.

The Ice Ultra is a race across the Arctic Circle – Europe’s last remaining wilderness. The Jungle Ultra is set deep in the heat of the Amazon Rainforest. The Desert Ultra crosses the Namib – the world’s most ancient and hostile desert. And the Mountain Ultra climbs one of the largest and least explored mountain ranges in the world – The Tian Shan Mountains in Kyrgyzstan.

This event feels like the culmination of a lot of hard work and growth so I am taking a moment to reflect and look back on my journey to the jungle.

So how did I get here?

Well, this journey is in no small part down to one man – his name was Julian and he was a dear friend, mentor and colleague. He was so kind, giving and full of life. A true gentleman with a generosity of spirit that is seemingly rare at times. Julian also happened to be a pretty damn good runner.

February 2008: I was back fresh from travelling for 18 months, exploring the world and trying very hard not to think about “the real world” and getting a job. As a young man from a rural village in Wales, I was a little clueless, naïve and in search of meaning. I also needed a job.

My CV wasn’t up to much but I managed to land 2 interviews – one with The Horse Racing Association – I am not a big fan of horse racing – and the second was at a little place called SEGA. SEGA were inundated with applications for their graduate HR role and the hiring manager, Julian, told me months later that many were more qualified on paper. However, he took a chance on me and said that the line “I’d give my right arm for this job” swayed it. I was a huge fan of SEGA and a lifelong gamer so this statement was arguably true at the time.

April 2009: My first marathon. After many lunchtime runs with Julian and a handful of other colleagues, we took the plunge. Julian literally took me on my first run and we spent many hours over lunch – him slowing his pace for me to keep up as we meandered down the Thames past Kew Gardens. I recently wrote another blog on this in case anyone is interested. It didn’t end well!

Picture from April 2009 a few days before we did the London Marathon together. Top right: a young me. Bottom right: Julian.

My ultra-marathon journey so far

In 2019, I did my first ever ultra marathon: 250km of 50+ degree African heat in the Namib Desert. I had literally no idea what I was doing and had numerous challenges along the way but I managed to drag myself to the finish line and, after a few weeks to recover, I knew I had found home. I’d dabbled in triathlons and played football for years but this was different – it inspired me and ignited a passion for adventure and challenge that I didn’t know existed.

In the following years, I tackled the Arctic Circle with temperatures plummeting to minus 40 degrees and last year, I completed the inaugural Mountain Ultra in the Tian Shan Mountains of Kyrgyzstan – a brutal 4000 metres of altitude and climbs over the 5 days accumulating to over the height of Everest.

For anyone that has read my previous blogs, it's fair to say that I made many mistakes and the journey has not always been smooth but all the while, I was improving, learning, and maturing. Although a part of it, I am not talking about fitness here: Running has changed my life and I can honestly say that these experiences have created a sense of peace and balance that wouldn’t have been possible without finding my passion.

In memory of my friend

 Julian is sadly no longer with us. He left this world at the height of powers, a natural runner and athlete, he was a competitive ultra marathon runner, a father, a husband and an exceptional human. He was a true inspiration to me and to this day, I see him as a role model with standards I aspire to reach. It’s difficult to really put into words what an impact Julian made on me.

Julian was a central figure in several moments that changed my for the better and set me on a path, giving me my first job in the video games industry and pushing me to complete my first marathon. Without him, this journey to the Amazon Jungle would never have happened for me: He blessed my life professionally and spiritually, giving me a glimpse into a world of adventure and freedom that wouldn't have unfolded without his guidance. For that, I will be forever grateful.

Life is all about connection and I sometimes wonder just how much people know what a difference they can make to one and other. A small gesture, an act of kindness, a job interview, a running buddy. Life can be confusing and overwhelming and sometimes it takes someone to show you the way to find your place. 

When I compete in the Amazon I will be running in memory of Julian and will be raising money for a much loved and impactful video games charity, Special Effect. To everyone in the video game industry, Special Effect are well known and hugely respected, transforming the lives of people with physical challenges right across the world through the innovative use of technology.

I am incredibly proud to make a small difference with Special Effect and it feels so fitting that I can give back a little to the industry I started in all those years ago, which for me was all began with one man taking a risk on a young person at the beginning of his career.

I will celebrate this milestone with Julian in my heart and with the honour of raising money for such a good cause in an industry that I love, which of course, wouldn’t have happened for me without Julian giving me that chance. This also gives me the unique opportunity to look back and reflect on a journey from boy to man: from not knowing where I wanted life to take me, to place of contentment and purpose.

These years have been kind to me but for some it doesn’t go that way. Life is short and moments of joy and awe are fleeting and this gives me the reminder I need to take it all in, make the most of the gift that is life and to cherish the time I have with the people I love.  

If this story resonates with you then please take a moment to think of someone that has impacted your life for the better. If you have the good fortune of them still being present in your life then tell them how much they mean to you. 

https://www.justgiving.com/page/bensjungleadventure