AN IRISH MAN will head off to the Brazilian Amazon at the end of this month to attempt to conquer what has been called the world’s toughest endurance race, to raise money for a woman who has a rare form of cancer.
Brian Lynch will run the 127km Jungle Marathon as part of an awareness and fundraising drive for The Laura Hickey Fund.
29-year-old Laura Hickey is a school teacher from Ashbourne, Co Meath who has been diagnosed with mixed cell lymphoma – her third cancer diagnosis in four years.
There has been a massive fundraising campaign for the woman so that she can receive treatment in America. She is the former teacher of Lynch’s 13-year-old nephew Daragh, who told him about one particularly memorable lesson by Hickey about the Amazon Rainforest.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie, Lynch said he’s hoping to get through the full seven days of stages of the gruelling marathon.
“I’m a stubborn aul mule so I would say I will but I could get injured and the conditions could just be unreal there so I can’t say for sure,” he said.
He has previously run marathons in Ireland and one in the Swiss Alps but this will be a real test of his endurance, due to the 100% humidity and 40 degree heat if nothing else.
The actual races starts on 4 October but Lynch said he wants to give himself time to acclimatise.
“I think it’ll be amazing. I’ve spoken to people who did the race before and they said it’s an experience you’ll never forget.”
An Irish company, Celestial Green Ventures, is supporting Lynch’s trip with sponsorship and providing a Go Pro camera for him to film his journey. He will be the only Irishman competing in the race.
The CGV will be providing updates on his progress.
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