Part 5

The Ultimate Challenge

You are going to read an article about a sporting event. For questions 31-36, choose the answer (А, В, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.

The ultramarathon in the Amazon is one of the toughest footraces in the world. You run 230 kilometres over four days through dense jungle, carrying your kit on your back, in temperatures up to 30 degrees. Why would anyone want to do this? Of course, there’s a competitive element, and most runners have at least some desire to win. There’s also the personal satisfaction of pushing your body to its limits. But these are secondary to the main motivation, which is simply the pleasure of running. This is what really drives people to compete in these extreme events.

My running career had followed a fairly established path, graduating from a relaxed 5k in my local park to a half marathon and, finally, what I saw at the time as my ultimate challenge, the New York Marathon. Except that when I crossed the finish line, it didn’t feel like such a big achievement. I’d trained so well and got so fit that running 42 kilometres no longer felt like a big deal, and I felt I needed more. A friend suggested an ultramarathon, so I signed up for one in the Amazon.

My training programme involved running in the heat and rain as well as building up my fitness. One challenge was to get used to running with a backpack. I knew I would have to carry at least 2.5 litres of water every day, and that’s a lot of weight! Luckily, the human body can adapt quickly. Covering more kilometres in a day wasn’t a huge problem for me. But the tough thing about ultra-running is getting up day after day and persuading your tired, aching body to perform again. This was what really tested me.

I arrived at the base camp on 31 May, three days before the start of the race. My journey there had been long, but fairly straightforward, and I had got a reasonable amount of rest along the way. The tents provided for us were quite big and fairly comfortable. The weather wasn’t brilliant, but the forecast was good, so it wasn’t a huge concern. I spent a lot of time over those few days chatting to the other competitors, comparing notes about training and experience. They were all very friendly and keen to offer help and support, which I hadn’t expected. Then it was time for the race itself.

I knew I would have to deal with running over rough ground, with lots of ups and downs and sometimes in the dark. I was also well prepared for the psychological highs and lows, the inner battle that all runners experience, with one voice in your head telling you to just give up and go home, while the other urges you forward. What I hadn’t bargained for was the physical effect of running with wet feet, due to the many streams we had to cross. My feet were sore and bleeding by the end of day one. In the end, though, it was my legs that let me down. On the third day, they simply couldn’t do any more and I had to stop.

Of course, failing at anything is not as good as winning, but, to my mind, having a go at one of the toughest challenges in the world, even if it ends in failure, is hardly something to be ashamed of. I travelled home with no medal, but by no means defeated. And when friends asked me, ‘Are you going to try an ultramarathon again?’ I had no hesitation in saying ‘no’. I am not sorry that I took part, but have accepted that I have my limits and in future I will be happy to stick to standard marathons!

31 According to the writer, people take part in ultramarathons mainly because
A they are determined to win.
B they find them enjoyable.
C they want to see how much their body can achieve.
D they want to prove that they can do it.

32 The underlined word ‘it’ in Paragraph 2 refers to
A the writer’s running career.
B a big achievement.
C completing the New York Marathon.
D training so well.

33 Which part of training for the ultramarathon did the writer find the most difficult?
A learning to run while carrying a heavy weight
B running much longer distances
C learning to run even when she was exhausted
D practising running in difficult weather conditions

34 How did the writer feel at the base camp, before the race?
A tired after a difficult journey
B surprised at the attitude of other runners
C disappointed about the accommodation
D worried about the weather conditions

35 The phrase ‘hadn’t bargained for’ (Paragraph 5) suggests that running with wet feet
A caused some unexpected problems.
B was not a particularly difficult challenge.
C had been part of the writer’s training.
D was not as unpleasant as the writer expected.

36 What feeling does the writer have now?
A determination to succeed in an ultramarathon one day
B pride at having taken part
C disappointment at having failed to complete the race
D regret at trying to do something too challenging

For this task: Answers with explanations :: Vocabulary