Stage 1 - Jungle Marathon - Sunday 11th October

Stage 1 of the Jungle Marathon was meant to be a 'sharp shock' to the system, even though it was only 15km long. The start of the race consisted of a short hike before a very short river crossing.

The main part of the stage consisted of lots of steep climbs and decents this stage was designed to 'break' the weaker competitors and I must admit although it was very very tough I did enjoy the physical challenge on this stage. Especially the technical climbs and the equally steep and technical descents which if you made a single mistake could have meant the end of your race. Plus if you decided to push too hard it could burn you out and leave you drained for the remaining stages.

As the stage went on we managed to find our race pace which consisted of a brisk walk and at no point did we run. No point in running in the oppresive humidity unless you are planning to win the race. As it happens we stuck rigidly to our race plan and it paid off as we got to the end in around 5hours 40mins and I still had loads of energy despite the never ending climbs and descents.

As we settled in for well deserved rest in our hammocks the evening was to be interrupted by a series of cries of 'Medics and Medico' as a number of competitors collapsed. This was very un-nerving for everyone as 2 of the guys were stretchered off on a fast boat to Santarem where they were admitted to hospital under emergency conditions.

We subsequently learned that the 2 guys were in a critical condition and both had 'fitted' for several hours and were put on life support systems. This news certainly brought home the reality of how your body can be affected if you don't take on board all the advice of the medical staff. Some people were just pushing too hard too soon and some people were just not hydrating properly and were either taking on either too much or too little salt.

Finally got my head down in the hammock at 8pm but did not sleep well. In fact did not sleep well throughout the race. It didn't matter as I always started each day with a body full of adrenaline which meant I never felt tired.

I AM RAISING MONEY FOR CANCER RESEARCH UK: http://www.justgiving.com/Jungle-Marathon-2009
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