Jungle Marathon
Lost in the Jungle
Fredrik Olmqvist / 19.09.2004
![Fredrik, when he\](https://sm-racereports.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/report_1346_1.jpg "Fredrik, when he\")
They’ll be running 6 stages over 7 days starting from Rio Tapajos, Santarem in the Para province on a what are described as “new and old jungle trails, with many water crossings, swamps and beaches�.
Fredrik knows what to expect as he raced last year … and got lost in the jungle. It’s an experience he won’t to repeat this time, and one that’s still fresh in his memory even now. Here’s how he described what happened:
“The real fear comes over me when I realise it\'s no longer possible to run. The body can\'t handle it without liquid. It\'s just too hot. I\'m not quite sure where I am or in which direction I have been running; it\'s impossible to say. Everything looks the same under the high canopy. The feeling of being alone and lost deep into the Amazon Jungle is like waking up in a terrible nightmare.
The heat is pushing against me and I\'m surrounded by a symphony of sounds and smells. Fallen trees are everywhere; the ground is spongy, unpredictable with big and small holes. Besides, there is a picking scent in my nose I have sensed a couple of times over the last few days: the rank masculine scent of jaguar. I haven\'t seen or heard anything but I\'m obviously under observation. I better be on the alert.
(If you spot a jaguar (which is rare) you\'re supposed hide behind a tree. It won\'t attack something it can\'t see completely. To run is not a good idea since it\'s typical behaviour for jaguar prey.)
The fatigue and weakness makes it difficult to think straight. My legs feel heavy, like lead. When there are no red markings left I realize I\'m on the wrong trail and that I have to turn around and backtrack. But in this hazy state of mind, this isn’t an obvious option. The heat is punishing and it\'s difficult to breathe.
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