Merrell Pack Leader and Ultra Runner Dr Andrew Murray, whose previous conquests include completing a remarkable 2,559 mile run from Scotland to the Sahara Desert, a 7hr run up Mt Kilimanjaro and race wins in some of the most spectacular and hostile locations on Earth has earmarked his upcoming Andes to Amazon challenge as his hardest to date. The challenge, which is set over 24hrs, commences on June 14th 2014.

South America is a continent of natural extremes, with the two best known natural features being the spectacular Andes mountains and the immense ecosystems of the Amazon jungle.  On the day England kick off their football World Cup campaign in the heat and humidity of the amazon city of Maunas, the Scottish International distance runner will run for more than 100 miles through first sub-zero temperatures then the searing heat to reach the Amazon Basin.  Murray will first climb the crevasse riddled  Mt Cotopaxi (5897metres), before running the undulating ‘Avenue of the Volcanos’ which includes Mt Tungurahua one of the most active volcanos on earth, then descending onto the Pastaza river, which feeds the mighty Amazon.
Murray, 33 from Edinburgh said “the landscape and wildlife are utterly amazing.  The major difficulties are having to run about 100 very hilly miles at pretty significant altitude, having just climbed a mountain higher than anything in Europe. I ran Mt Kilimanjaro last year and Cotopaxi is a little higher and is covered in snow and ice so I’d anticipate being tired even before getting off the mountain.

Actually as a doctor with the SportScotland Institute of Sport I’m aware that altitude, heat and humidity are usually the enemy of the long distance runner, and I’m sure I’ll have plenty sympathy for the English Football team who will be running around in the Amazon jungle on the same day.  But I have been kitted out with the gear that will help minimise the effects of the heat, and it would not be a challenge unless it was harder than what I have done before.”

Dr Murray hopes to raise awareness of the benefits of exercise through this epic, saying
“As a GP I know that taking regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for yourself. If everyone did 30 minutes of walking, or any other form of exercise a day, stats show it would increase national happiness.  Even this amount of exercise increases life expectancy by 7 years. There is a great video called 23.5 hours, whilst I’m really keen to support the Fit in 14 campaign, which along with Merrell, I’m an ambassador for.”