Jungle Marathon Kit List Check

Yesterday I hooked up with my jungle buddy, Mark 'Tough Guy' Cooke, and we went through our final kit check. With just 1 week left before we depart to Brazil it was imperative we do a final check to ensure we at least had ALL the Mandatory Equipment/Kit which includes a number of 'Compulsory' first aid items.

The following is pretty much what we'll each be taking with us and which we have to carry each day.

Mandatory Kit List

• Hammock with mosquito nets – and rainfly sheet
  
• 2.5 litres of water carrying capacity (I am using a 1.8L Platypus Bladder and 2x600ml bottles strapped to the front straps of my Raidlight rucksack.)
  
• Insect Repellent (95% Deet Spray - Seriously strong stuff)
  
• Compass
  
• Safety pins
  
• Knife (Mine looks seriously dangerous....needed to cut snakes heads off in case you're bitten and you need to show the medics the snake type for the correct anti-venom :o))
  
• 2 x cyclaume sticks........these are glow sticks needed for the night time stage.
  
• Salt Tablets - taking a selection of Succeed S-Caps (These are high Sodium content capsules) and Nuun (tastes nice and has loads of much needed Electrolytes)
  
• Head Torch and spare batteries
  
• Waterproof Lighter
  
• Water Purifying Tablets for at least 10 litres
  
• Emergency Whistle (Just in case we want to have a football match :o)

As part of the mandatory kit we also have to take enough food to last for the 7 day event plus additional foods for before we start the race. It's best that we avoid any local foods before we start, just in case we get a dodgy belly.

Food List
The following list is not yet final but it won't be too far off this. Note that all the Breakfasts and Dinners are Dehydrated foods (from Expedition Foods) that are mixed with hot water, or for some breakfasts, cold water.

Race Day 1 - Sunday 11th October
Breakfast: Porridge & Strawberry (Have tried this and it's very tasty)
Snacks: 1 x Peperami stick, Home-made flapjack and assorted nuts/fruit
Post Race: Rego shake (This is a powder mixed with water to help with recovery.)
Dinner: Sweet & Sour Chicken

Race Day 2 - Monday 12th October
Breakfast: Porridge & Strawberry
Snacks: 1 x Peperami stick, Home-made flapjack and assorted nuts/fruit
Post Race: Rego shake (This is a powder mixed with water to help with recovery.)
Dinner: Chicken Tikka

Race Day 3 - Tuesday 13th October
Breakfast: Porridge & Strawberry
Snacks: 1 x Peperami stick, Go Energy Bar and assorted nuts/fruit
Post Race: Rego shake (This is a powder mixed with water to help with recovery.)
Dinner: Spaghetti Bolognese

Race Day 4 - Wednesday 14th October
Breakfast: Porridge & Strawberry
Snacks: 1 x Peperami stick, 1 x Go Energy Bar and assorted nuts/fruit
Dinner: Spaghetti Bolognese

Race Day 5 - (Long day - 55 miles) Thursday 15th october
Breakfast: Porridge & Strawberry
Snacks: 2 x Peperami stick, 2 x Go Energy Gels, Flapjack.
Mid point dinner: Museli (No need for hot water to eat this.)
No dinner for this one as we will be finishing around 3-4 in the morning. Straight to our hammocks.

Race Day 6 - Rest Day - Friday 16th October
Breakfast: Porridge & Strawberry
Snacks: 1x Peperami stick, Go Energy Bar and assorted nuts/fruit
Lunch: Pot noodle
Dinner: Chicken Tikka

Race Day 7 - Final Day - Saturday 17th October
Breakfast: Porridge & Mango
Snacks: 2 x Cliff Shot Bloks and 1x Flapjack


First aid kit- complusory items

1) Friars Balsam (Used as an antiseptic dressing and when it dries it gets very 'tacky' so useful for holding toe tape in place.)
2) Selection of Compeed (Use as a second skin to help heal blisters. These are a 'must have')
3) Cotton buds x 10
4) Sterile 18 gauge needles x 5 (Used to drain big fat blisters.... delightful.)
5) Betadine/Savlon Dry powder spray x 100ml
6) Betadine/Hibiscrub antiseptic hand wash. Hygeine is VERY important.
7) Alcohol wipes x 25 individually packed
8) Zinc Oxide tape (Strong tape used primarily for taping toes and feet to help prevent blisters etc.)
9 ) Gauze swabs x 10
10) Selection of painkillers like Paracetamol, Diclofenic and Codeine. Also some pills to stop any bouts of Diarrahoea.


Miscellaneous Kit
Hydropel - Must have gel for preventing Blisters and Chaffing.
Anthisan - Cream used for treating stings and mosi bites.
Tick Tweezers - Expecting lots of ticks on the swamp stages.
Exped 40L Drybag - All my kit will be placed within this waterproof bag which will then be placed into my rucksack.
Socks - X:Sock Storm and 1000 Mile Sock. These are a Sock within a sock which helps prevent blisters. Great socks!
Night time wear - Silk liner (lighweight body warmer), t-shirt and shorts.
Cycling Gloves - Protection from lots of sharp nasty stuff as we climb over fallen trees etc
Leki 'Makalu Trail' Walking pole - Used to assist on climbs/descents and check depth of rivers/swamp crossings. Plus to be used in an emergency if faced with anything deadlier than a flying hornet.
Strong glue for ad hoc repairs on bag or shoes
Gaffer tape for ad hoc repairs on bag or shoes
Sunglasses with interchangeable lens. Yellow lens for jungle sections.
Digital Camera
Survival blanket
Headband
Hat
Suncream
Flip flops
Shampoo
Foot powder

With all the above packed in my rucksack the 'dry weight' is 9.5kg and with all the water on board it's 12kg

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