The Jungle Book: Stories from the Jungle Ultra (Part 3 - The People)

"Who the hell would want to put themselves through an ultra-marathon?", you ask. Well, the answer is more complicated than you would think and, on the face of it, there is no simple answer. I have met people from all walks of life over the years, from CEOs to addicts, to addicted CEOs and everything in between, with some using their life savings to have the adventure of a lifetime and others searching for meaning in a world where they have it all.

A common theme for me is not in someone's background but in their character: strength, resilience and determination are essential to be successful. The power of the human spirit is never clearer or more present than through struggle: something ultra-marathons can give out in abundance.

At the heart of my jungle experience was a group of people that inspired me. This blog is all about them and their stories.

A constant I have seen is the ability to push through pain and adversity and still succeed.

Our female race winner Eleonoora came back from stomach issues early in the race to finish incredibly strong, winning the "Queen of the Hill", the fastest time of any runner in the event to summit and descent a particularly hilly jungle section, which successfully broke both my body and spirit.

Similarly, after winning stages 1 and 2 in the female race, Lynsie from Scotland was battling violent vomitting for the duration of the race from there on in. She admitted defeat on the final day, opting for the short course, only to change her mind several minutes later, take on the full 75km stage and complete it.

Mark suffered a similar fate and recovered from stomach issues on day 1 to finish with a podium spot. Scott's list of ailments and obstacles are too numerous to count with blackouts, spider bites and injuries all culminating in a rather long and painful 5 days of adventuring.

I witnessed so many moments of resilience and determination and also spent many hours getting to know the stories of my fellow runners.

Monique had a serious accident in her first attempt to complete the Jungle Ultra several years back, returning this year to triumph over the course and slay her Jungle demons. 

The most inspiring story I heard in the jungle is from an athlete called Gemma. On her commute to work in London, she was hit by a lorry and almost lost the use of her leg. To this day, over a decade later, her physical scars are worn with pride as a reminder that only a few short years ago, running a kilometre was an impossible dream. Fire forges steel and to witness such determination and strength of character is a privilege not many get to experience. 

Someone else I had huge admiration for was a New Zealand based Brit with quite the running CV. Marshall is an exceptional athlete having completed arguably the World's toughest multi-stage mountain race, Dragons Back, as well as dozens of other ultras and adventure races. At one stage Marshall casually mentioned that his stomach hurt a little due to his operation. After a little digging, he shared that he recovered from prostate cancer at the end of last year and had trained for a matter of weeks before the event.

Inia, also from New Zealand and Jungle running husband to Marshall, claimed my made up title of "world's nicest, pretend grumpy man": dry witted and as tough as they come. Inia is an emergency doctor by profession and aims to be a world record holder this year by becoming the first person to complete a self-supported ultramarathon in each continent in one year with the goal of raising $20,000 for a Kiwi childrens charity. He's already started his next race in the Gobi Desert.

Our group had some loveable characters and we shared moments of laughter and commaderie that are often missed in the rush of every day life. Mark Reilly and Stephane were my rivals all week and the mutual respect grew as the day went on, culminating in our joint event finish, crossing the line together after days of competition. Inia and Marshall were the best company with their dry-witted humour giving me some of my best moments in the jungle.

Gage epitomised the spirit of the camp with his easy going, fun loving nature. His ironic phrase “the hardest part is over!”, turned into the best catch phrase of the race: The first time this statement was uttered was before the race began and almost without exception, each time it used it was entirely untrue and we knew the jungle had plenty more to throw at us.  

Gage made a strong start to the race. A very strong start! He comically sprinted the first 50 yards with his arms and legs in a flurry before slowing to a stroll. For anyone with a spare minute, this was moment captured on the race socials in slow motion and I challenge anyone to find a more entertaining running style.

Alongside the jungle athletes were, of course, a fantastic support team: the Beyond the Ultimate and Global Expedition Medic teams have been a constant throughout my experience in The Global Race Series and their passion for running, adventure and helping us to achieve our goals always inspires me. We also had the unique opportunity to visit local tribes and villages deep within the Amazon Rainforest, getting a rare and authentic glimpse of real Peruvian culture. Our post-race medal ceremony was held with the chief of the local tribe who gave us an insight into their culture, the effects of climate change on their people and the importance of this race and funds received to their community. I was also very fortunate to receive a gift - a hand-crafted bow and arrow from the village chief - which I am pleased to say that I managed to get through customs on the way home!

All of my fellow runners and, indeed the support crew and local tribespeople created a sense of community. Our experience was forged by shared adversity, values and mutual respect, which culminated in connection through real moments of laughter, joy and inspiration.

Conversely, I spent many hours alone in the Amazon, concentrating on my breath and placement of my feet on the jungle floor. The simple act of focussing on movement and putting one foot in front of the other, with no "filler" like smart phones, the internet or the spectre of day to day stressors like work deadlines or life admin, is a rare opportunity to truly be present. The head space that this affords is both uncommon and precious in the modern world and over the course of 5 days, I was able to sit with myself and be comfortable in my own skin. In those darker moments of isolation and adversity, you really get to see your whole self and how you react to the world with your back against the wall. It's uncomfortable and scary but it's also replenishing and restorative: to shine a light on the darkness is to accept the pain, uncertainty and fear and simultaneously embrace hope.

"So running is an individual pursuit then?", I hear you say if you are still with me after that lengthy soliloquy. Well, the ability to deeply connect with those around us can only really come from a place of peace and being present. It it is clear to me that, despite the individual act of running, it is never about being in isolation. 

We learn and grow from other people. We may think it’s a race to the top but if you look carefully there is always a reminder that we’re here to connect. Life is about shared experiences and I am privileged to have shared this journey with others: incidental teachers who have inspired me to be a better person. A heart felt thank you to everyone I have met and have shown me the way.