Speaker 1: Three degrees south of the Equator in the land of the Maasai, here, close to the Tanzanian border with Kenya stands Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest free standing mountain in the world. Surrounding Kilimanjaro, a vast landscape of dense rainforest and patched African bush. This is the venue for Extreme Africa, the ultimate ultra endurance event. Elwin: The only way I could really describe was probably the idea was forged in hell on a bad day. Speaker 3: I'm just looking for a challenge, the ultimate challenge. Speaker 1: Over 12 days, 11 men carrying full kit will fun four marathons and climb three mountains with a total height gain of 33000 feet. That's equivalent to climbing Everest from below sea level, while enduring temperature changes of up to 60 degrees centigrade. Chris: Extreme Africa is the sort of thing that I'm gonna be really proud one day, I hope, to tell my grandchildren. It's an extraordinary adventure. And in life, we sometimes, in a very safe society in which we're living in, which is of course a good thing, forget the importance of adventure, and fun, and challenge. And this event is about making us all better people. We're all going out there to challenge our concept of limitation, to overcome our shortcomings, in all sorts of different ways. It is for all of us about going one step beyond our limits. Speaker 1: Former Khmer Rouge hostage, Chris Moon, lost his lower right leg and arm in a landmine explosion in 1995. But he has gone on to explore the very limits of physical endurance, encouraging those around him to do the same. This contest has attracted participants from around the world, including America, Australia, Great Britain, and members of the Tanzanian Olympic Team. Day one, rising at 6:00 in the morning from camp at 4800 feet, the competitors embark on their opening challenge. It's built as warmup, no more than a day up and down. But a steep climb through rainforest with oxygen levels already well below those enjoyed at sea level makes for a tough introduction to the event. The Summit of Longvita is definitely not for the faint-hearted. It's a sure drop from all sides of this steep rock face. Access to the summit's made possible only with the aid of fixed ropes, some gritty determination, and the willpower not to look down. At this stage, the team of five with enthusiasm and the benefit of months of hard training, everyone makes the summit, but Walk Tall has his first challenge token on the group. Chris: Day one, reasonably tough but it has been designed as a gentle start to the event. Great to get people acclimatised, one thing that does worry me is that we've got a few blisters among some of the team. Talked to most of them about how they can take their feet up to try and stop the rubbing tomorrow, because tomorrow's gonna be really tough. Speaker 1: Enjoying a high carbohydrate meal to boost their energy levels, the competitors welcome the warmth of a blazing fire before retiring to their tents, nylon cells they can call home for the time being, in preparation for 5:30 wake up call, and the unusual experience of tea in bed. Well, almost in bed. Speaker 5: Tea or coffee? Chris: This is luxury. I've never been anywhere where they bring you tea in the morning like this. Speaker 1: It's just 12 hours since the decent from Longvita, and complaining muscles must be well prepared for the punishing task ahead. Speaker 6: [inaudible] Can we just orientate ourselves here, Jeremy? Speaker 7: Yes, please. Speaker 6: That's Meru over there. Speaker 7: Kenya's over that way, and you're gonna go pretty well straight in this direction to the 20K mark. Speaker 6: Right. Speaker 5: Modya, villi, tatu! Go! Speaker 1: The ultra marathon is 70 kilometres of sheer hell, endurance running through the wilderness of the African bush. Robert Treadwell establishes an early lead, closely followed by Elwin Maphel Jones. The following pack includes the legendary Iron Man, Chris Moon. Powerful headwinds lash the runners' faces, and the morning sun increases in intensity. The temperatures resort to a debilitating 30 degrees centigrade. Water stops every 10K offer welcome relief. Out of the dust, and emergency Jeep appears. Steve Pusanco is unable to maintain his early pace. He developed chest pains and shivering from exhaustion and dehydration, leaving the doctor no alternative but to pull him out of the race. Robert Treadwell reaches the halfway mark in the lead, and refuels. 35K behind, and another 35 ahead, his pace slows to a walk. Speaker 8: He looks a bit shattered. Speaker 1: Nevertheless, he keeps ahead of second place man, Elwin. Robert crosses the finish line in seven hours and eight minutes. Robert: This is so tough. Oh. Speaker 10: Robert's done. Robert: Just ran out of steam right there, I realise now, and I took a jog the last 15K, walk it, sort of jog a bit, walk a bit. Speaker 10: Robert's done. Robert: Everything aches. Speaker 3: Quite a daunting experience to be into an area where if you didn't have colleagues running alongside you, you'd be totally isolated. Speaker 1: The rest of the runners at least three hours behind, power on through unforgiving terrain, as the sky slowly darkens. Speaker 11: [inaudible] at least. Speaker 1: The Maasai runners, with their extraordinary natural fitness, seem to have no trouble at all in maintaining the pace, covering the vast distance with relative ease. Speaker 11: Thank you! Thank you! Speaker 5: You finished! Yeah! Excellent job! Speaker 1: Day turns to dusk, and dusk to night. Speaker 3: [crosstalk] From the 30K mark onwards, it just went on, and on, and on. Speaker 1: It's almost 12 hours since the start, as the back markers arrive. Chris Moon and 19-year-old Peter Gorran cross the lane together with Nick Corronius five hours behind the winner, bringing the 70K ultra marathon to a close. David: Okay, where's the bed? Speaker 1: The new day dawns, allowing only a few hours sleep after yesterday's race. With aching limbs and tremendous resilience, the competitors launch straight into the third stage of this Extreme Africa Challenge, a three-day climb up the 15000 foot Mount Meru, carrying rucksacks weighing over 20 kilos each. Enduring wet, slippery conditions and exceptionally steep terrain, it's as much as the climbers can do just to hold themselves upwards, as high altitude takes its toll, and their suffering bodies begin to starve from depleted oxygen. Speaker 3: Yeah, swap packs with me. You'll still be carrying a pack. David: No, no, I'm not. [crosstalk] Speaker 3: All right, up we go, Dave. Speaker 1: With David Marsden having faltered under the sheer weight of his pack, Peter Gorran appears to have sweated out most of his bodily fluids. And Chris Moon advises him of hoarding it. Chris: You get drinking, let's dry off with a towel. You are to drink two litres now, and let me know when you have clear head. Speaker 7: All right, take your trousers off, as well. Chris: As soon as you get him water. Speaker 7: [inaudible] Speaker 1: The strain of the event is starting to tell, yet ahead lies a six-hour climb to the summit. The group sets off in darkness enable a decent in daylight. Minus 15 degrees and almost 15000 feet up, altitude sickness tightens its grip on even the fittest of the group. Robert Treadwell, the ultra marathon winner is brought to his knees in severe discomfort, suffering pounding headaches and intense nausea. Determined to reach the summit just a few feet away, he urges his exhausted body to one final effort, and together with his fellow competitors stands triumphant on top of Mount Meru. Robert: [crosstalk] Speaker 1: Day six, the single marathon from Mount Meru to the Massai village of Tinga Tinga. Joining the runners with a traditional Maasai welcome, are members of the Tanzanian Olympic Marathon Team. A bizarre cross-section of footwear lines up for the start of the race. Speaker 5: Modya, villi, tat! Speaker 1: A short distance away, the field approaches the first way point, the nearby local market, where the locals stare in disbelief as the runners pass through. The damp dawn air is soon replaced by searing heat and dust. Pace is vital. Chris: Very easy to start to quick and regret it later. Got to keep it steady to start with. I think the best training aid is have an open mind and enjoy yourself what you're doing. First 10K is killing me. I'm just looking forward to getting it over and done with. Robert: This is the hardest, most scenic marathon I've ever done. Speaker 3: Yesterday really took it out of us so trying to make up for it now. Speaker 1: Chris Moon reaches a water point to attend to his prosthesis. Chris: What I've got is, I've a series of little blisters that have popped. So [crosstalk] ivy, that's what I need. Yeah. They've all popped and I've got the remnants on the back. Speaker 1: Since losing his two limbs, Chris has competed in most of the world's toughest foot races. He remains a tireless and powerful competitor, providing huge inspiration for the whole team. Peter: It's a lot different than I expected. It's much more challenging, and I'm just looking forward to the next seven days. Hopefully coming out on top. Steve: With this marathon, considering I was almost pulled off Meru yesterday, I was quite pleased with the time. Robert: When I came down off Mount Meru, I managed to force down some breakfast, because I knew I had to eat something to have any chance of running a good marathon the next day. Speaker 11: The conditions for the double marathon were harder because we were running into a wind that was coming up from the south, and we spent most of the time running into that wind. Today, we've got the wind on our right side or behind us so you're not getting the problems with the dust. But it's a darn good race. People seem to be doing very well. Speaker 3: The heat is not too bad because the wind is very strong. It just creates a lot of dust. It makes it difficult to breathe. This Maasai needs something to tie his shoes up with. Speaker 1: Unbelievably, the Maasai run in shoes cobbled together from old car tyres. Chris: [inaudible] And I've got a bit of stomach trouble today. It's really slowing me down so right now this is my biggest challenge. Speaker 1: A rousing Maasai welcome at the finish line at Tinga Tinga sees Robert Treadwell once again crossing the line in first place with the time of three hours, three minutes. Robert: That one's for my kids. Speaker 1: And happy to express his feelings. Robert: Champion! Speaker 5: Champion! Robert: Yeah! Yeah! Speaker 5: Champion! Robert: Woo! Speaker 5: Yeah! Speaker 1: Beaten once again into second place is Welshman Elwin Maphel Jones, just six minutes behind with the middle of the field still a long way back. Peter Gorran sprints to a finish after four and three quarter hours. But not all competitors are able to enjoy the euphoria of completing the 40K race, as David Marsden soon discovers. David: [crosstalk] It's really a journey of attrition for the body. At some point it just says, "Enough's enough," and just gives up. Speaker 7: If he keeps his legs up to raise the blood pressure ... Speaker 11: All the Maasai running with me, we couldn't communicate much but you could feel the love between us. Chris: I think it's important to realise that it is absolutely possible to live a fulfilled life and to be happy, although you may not necessarily be as well equipped to get through life as everybody else. I have to try much harder, but I'm very fortunate. And I think the important truth of this issue is that everybody at home watching this, count your blessings, you know? Don't wait til you've lost something to really appreciate its value. We have so much that we take for granted. Speaker 1: Day seven, and the splendour of Kilimanjaro beckons. Five days and 12500 feet await. Elwin: To find out how fit you are, you need to come and do something which tests you to the limits. And by far, I think this is probably one of the hardest challenges in the world because it's all over fortnight. If the endurance events don't get you, the altitude might, or even the fatigue. Speaker 1: Initial progress is painfully slow. The rainforest, with its steep, muddy terrain totally saps everyone's energy. Robert: Maybe it's time to slow down a little bit. Speaker 1: Carrying their own kit adds an immense strain, as the team negotiate the dense foliage towards Big Tree Camp. Speaker 6: Welcome to Big Tree Camp. Tomorrow we'll be starting around about seven, taking our kit. And in the afternoon, we've got our run from the plateau, from to plateau up to Joncil Point. David: We're now at 3300. We started at about two seven, so at least four and a quarter hours into it. Speaker 1: And as the hours pass, the Shira Plateau, a sunken volcanic crater millions of years old, sprawls into the distance revealing the snow-capped peak of Africa's highest mountain. Chris: This afternoon we've got a 500 metre climb to Joncil Point. Elwin and Rob are our star athletes who are gonna jog it and run it. Because the altitude, most people are gonna look to fast walk it. David: I'm surprised I feel as good as I do. I seem to have acclimatised pretty well. I'm not gonna be the first one home, so you just get on with it. Speaker 1: A foot race after six hours hiking is tough at any time. But at 11500 feet, it's an awesome task. An elephant's tooth is placed at the summit of Joncil Point. The competitors must reach the summit at 13000 feet, touch the tooth to mark their ascent time, and return. Peter: Wasn't as bad as I was expecting. David: Elephant tooth, eh? Speaker 5: Welcome, Mr. Chris Moon! Chris: Thanks! Speaker 5: Touch the elephant tooth. Speaker 1: The estimated race time up and down is two to three hours, yet extraordinarily the leaders come into view just over an hour after the start. And this time, it's Elwin who crosses the line first. Elwin: One hour, six. Speaker 1: With Robert just ten seconds behind. Robert: 20. Well done, mate. Elwin: Yeah, well done there. Peter: I know I'm gonna make it to the top of Kili for two reasons. One is because I've never not finished anything, any race I've started. The other reason is because Chris Moon is here. And no matter how bad I feel, when I see him, I know that he's gotta be struggling a bit more than me. And it just motivates me to, you know if he can do it, I think anything's possible. And I know I can make it to the top. Speaker 1: Leaving the Shira Plateau behind after a bitterly cold night camping on the floor of the crater, dawn brings a long slow trudge through constantly thinning air. While the sheer scale of the task ahead looms larger, and larger still. Driven by the desire to achieve a common goal, the group snakes its way upwards through a landscape of rugged desolation, and overwhelming beauty. Speaker 3: You do need an incredible amount of fitness to be doing an event like this, but you also need a lot of mental fitness, as well, because it's just so easy to give up. The team spirit's excellent. You just wanna take part, you just wanna keep going. Robert: I feel good. I'm apprehensive about the mountain. I'm really quite concerned it's gonna take a lot of willpower, a lot of stamina, a lot of drive to get me to the top. Chris: Today was fine for me. My concerns really are with the group, and the climb. Leaving here at about 3:00 am tomorrow morning. We were gonna do a short acclimatisation work, but listening to everybody, they would much prefer to rest. That's by far and away the most sensible course of action. We have 3400 to climb tomorrow morning to get to the summit. I've climbed this mountain before. There are no guarantees that I'll get to the top. I feel pretty confident. I think the secret is to take it slowly. At the moment, I'm very happy with everything. I have my fingers crossed it's great that people have got onto the concept of this being a team event. And the strong ones are very ready to help those who might need help. So we'll have to see how we go tomorrow. I'm always optimistic. Speaker 6: Yeah. Okay folks. Let's roll. Speaker 1: It's 3:00 am, 16000 feet and minus 10 degrees. As the altitude increases, the temperature plummets to minus 25. The amount of oxygen in the air at this height is 70 percent less than at sea level, causing the heart rate to more than double as the body struggles to cope with its alien environment. Robert: [inaudible] We're wasting. Chris: Because you're so fit, even when you go slow, you walk faster than most people. So on going forward, if at any time you want me to slow up, you promise you'll tell me. Speaker 1: Progress is painfully slow as the group pass through 18500 feet. Legs like lead, and lungs gasping for air. But with the journey almost complete, morale surges, and the inner strength and team spirit that brought these 11 men this far, finally drives them onto the summit. Speaker 6: Excellent. Well done. Elwin: I admit how stubborn I can be, and as much as I want to quit. I've learned that my body can go a lot further than I thought it could. Speaker 6: Good job, guys. Speaker 3: Life is too short to be a tired and timid soul. You've gotta get out and do the very best we can. When you know you've done your best, you can have peace of mind. Chris: Only a fool would come to Extreme Africa and say, "I've conquered the mountains. I've done the ultra marathon, and the marathon. I've conquered Africa." Only a fool would say that. But what we can say is that we came here, and climbing those mountains, and doing those long runs helped us conquer something in ourselves.