Sponsored by
Amazing Amazon adventure
INTREPID dad-of-four David Cook swapped Roker for the rainforest to compete in one of the world's most dangerous races.
The 39-year-old ran through dense jungle, swamps, rough terrain and risked coming face-to-face with jaguars, piranhas and venomous snakes as part of the Jungle Marathon.
Nearly a third of all entrants dropped out of the Amazon race ahead of the finish line due to the sweltering heat and humidity, but David managed to complete the gruelling course.
Now his amazing adventure will be televised on ITV4.
"The terrain was awful, we were running through such dense forest. There were huge sections through swamps where you were up to your chest, which was awful.
"But you knew there were piranhas in the water so it just spurred you to swim quicker," explained David.
He was asked to take part in the week-long 200km race after completing the notoriously-tough Marathon Des Sables in the Sahara Desert earlier this year.
David, who is dad to Matthew, 10, James, nine, William, nine and Daniel, three, said: "Although the Sahara was hotter, the 90 per cent humidity in the rainforest made you feel as though you were being cooked from the inside and many of the competitors dropped out with heat exhaustion."
Runners were self-sufficient from the moment they touched down in Brazil, which meant they had to carry their own hammocks and provisions, as well as a week's supply of food.
Eight medics were on hand to treat blisters, bruises and any potentially-deadly bites from venomous spiders, snakes and scorpions.
But despite the obvious dangers of racing through the jungle, David said the experience was one to remember.
"We heard a lot of jaguars and were aware that we were being stalked for sections of the race.
"As we were in the depths of the Amazon, we quickly established that if we did get bitten by anything, there was no real exit strategy."
David, who is married to Lorraine, added: "But despite it being a traumatic experience and more extreme than I bargained for, there were highlights.
"One of the high points was camp life on a night time. We would finish at night, set up camp and you would go to sleep swinging in your hammock along the banks of the Amazon.
"It was a fantastic feeling to finish."
After coming 43rd out of 90 competitors, David – who works for wealth management company St James's Place – managed to raise bumper amounts of cash for children's charities.
David's adventure will be broadcast on ITV4 at 10pm on December 4.
Email to a friend
Print this page- Sunderland’s astonishing rise even surprising Martin O’Neill
- Sunderland striker Campbell fresh to face Middlesbrough
- Martin O’Neill defends David Meyler after criticism from Tony Pulis
- Middlesbrough 1 Sunderland 2 (aet): O’Neill relieved to avoid shoot-out lottery as Sessegnon wins it
- Derby train wrecked
- Sunderland striker Campbell fresh to face Middlesbrough
- Sunderland’s astonishing rise even surprising Martin O’Neill
- Middlesbrough 1 Sunderland 2 (aet): O’Neill relieved to avoid shoot-out lottery as Sessegnon wins it
- Martin O’Neill defends David Meyler after criticism from Tony Pulis
- Kieran Richardson says there is plenty more to come from James McClean
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Sunderland
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light sleet
Temperature: 0 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: -3 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South
