Local runners prepare for gruelling Amazon Jungle Ultra

The University of Wolverhampton's state-of-the-art environmental chamber, located at its Walsall Campus, has become a crucial training ground for two local runners preparing to take on one of the world's toughest endurance races: the Beyond the Ultimate Jungle Ultra.

James March from Wolverhampton and Greg Garner from Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, are set to compete in the 230-kilometer self-sufficient ultra marathon through the heart of the Amazon Rainforest in Manu National Park, Peru, commencing on 1 June 2025 for five days.

The Jungle Ultra demands extreme resilience, requiring participants to run, scramble, and navigate 230km of remote Amazonian jungle, from cloud forest to the Amazon basin within the UNESCO World Heritage site of Manu National Park. Competitors will face intense humidity, deep mud, heavy rain, and potential night-time running, all while carrying their essential supplies.

To prepare for these formidable conditions, James and Greg have been utilising the advanced environmental chamber at the University of Wolverhampton's Walsall Campus. This facility boasts hi-tech equipment capable of replicating virtually any climate on Earth. By precisely controlling temperature, humidity, and altitude within the Walsall chamber, the runners have been able to acclimatise and optimise their training for the specific challenges of the Amazonian environment.

The use of the University of Wolverhampton's cutting-edge facilities at its Walsall Campus highlights the institution's commitment to supporting athletic achievement and pushing the boundaries of human performance within the local community. The dedication of James and Greg, combined with the sophisticated technology available at the Walsall Campus, creates a compelling story of local ambition tackling a global extreme.

James March, aged 23, is taking part in the race to raise funds for Walkoncemore, to make a difference to those who suffer from MS after seeing the effects on his mother.

James said: “I’ve been training for the Ultimate Jungle Ultra for several months leading up to the race, we have begun training at the University of Wolverhampton to acclimatise before we tackle the rain forest.

“The combination of heat, humidity and altitude provide a unique challenge and clear why people consider it one of the toughest physical challenges on the planet”

“Here at the University, the environmental chamber goes up to 40 degrees and 90% humidity which helps us prepare and understand how our bodies react to these temperatures. It’s so important to get your body used to performing in these conditions and we have access to expertise form Dr Cloak and his colleagues to help us with any questions or support we need.

“The chamber is perfect to be able to prepare for such races – it really puts it in perspective not just how hot it’s going to be but how we need to look after ourselves once we get out there”.

“I’d highly recommend the facilities here at the university to anyone who is taking part in extreme sports or weather conditions like us.

 Walkoncemore is a small volunteer-run charity passionate about raising substantial funds and awareness to directly support the most cutting-edge projects in the fight to cure chronic spinal cord injury (SCI).

Jennifer Mellis, Trustee at Walkoncemore said: “The University's kind offer to enable both James and Greg to acclimatise in their environmental chamber before jetting off to the race will make a vital difference to their entire experience.

“Not only will they be much better equipped to make it safely around the course, but the heat and humidity exposure will enable both to remain focused on the task at hand - raising money and awareness to ensure a future without chronic spinal cord injury.

“We are truly grateful to them both and the University of Wolverhampton for their unwavering support.”

Students studying sport and exercise science at the University have also been involved in supporting the training by measuring weight, heart rates, tracking performance and health and safety monitoring, to gaining applied experience throughout the training.

Ross Cloak, Associate Professor in Sport and Exercise Science said: “It’s been a fantastic couple of weeks supporting James and Greg as they prepare for this epic challenge.

“They are raising money for a fantastic cause and we, in the School of Sport, were more than happy to get involved.

“The opportunity to have our undergraduate sport and exercise science students involved and gaining applied experience was an added bonus.

“The environmental chamber has been replicating some of the conditions they will face and preparing their body for the extreme heat and humidity they face when they touch down in a couple of weeks.”