Gabriella Mathisen: Braving the Jungle Ultra 

Wrapped in a hammock, sleeping bag and waterproof bag, enveloped in a mosquito net, Gabriella tried to get a few moments to sleep. Outside she could hear the symphony of the jungle around her. 

Fireflies gently hummed above her, spider monkeys whistled, and she heard the foliage rustle in the distance as larger animals walked by. She never imagined her life would lead her to cover 230 km across the Peruvian jungle as part of Beyond the Ultimate Jungle Ultra. 

Growing up in a dysfunctional home, Gabriella battled through a life of drug addiction and prostitution, eventually leading to the amputation of her right arm. That was until 2013 when she got clean and wanted more for herself; moving to the mountains, she endeavoured to challenge herself. 

After signing up for a marathon, she began healing from years of trauma, upping the distance and adventures, aspiring to be stronger. She decided to fill her life with new memories through her ultramarathon journey. 

Her journey has led to some incredible experiences, including the Atacama Crossing, eventually leading her to the wynorrific jungles of Peru this summer. 

“I wanted a unique and different challenge; I saw the Beyond the Ultimate jungle race, and it just blew my mind. I must say it was wild. It was a wild challenge because, in the jungle, everything is alive.”

She explained that the race “blew my mind”, citing the race as a beautiful but scary experience. She said: “So if you just watch the ground, everything was moving. And it was these beautiful, gorgeous butterflies, electric blue, who were like handshapes, and it was a lot of animals, spider monkeys, and the terrain was just crazy.”

Beginning the race with nervous undertones, she said the beginning of the race felt like something from Mad Max as she ventured across rivers and steep downhills. At one point, she had to cling tightly to a rope and pull herself up a hill with one arm.