Once upon a time, races were rather straight forward. You show up at the start line, run in a single direction, turn around, run back and cross the finish line. That definition has long since changed with the emergence of obstacle courses that would have you go vertical, shimmy sideways, and crawl down low before rewarding you with a medal for your achievement.
The latest such race to make its way to the desert of Kuwait is the Hannibal Race. Drawing its inspiration from the infamous Carthaginian general, Hannibal Barca (before Barca was cool), who in addition to being one of the greatest military commanders in history, was also one of the first to employ elephants during battle, a monstrous creature never before seen by the likes of his enemies. Suffice to say, he was a genius, and so is the race that is his namesake.
As a seasoned regular runner i.e. one that runs on a mostly even surface, I could never wrap my mind around the appeal of obstacle course races. Why would someone put themselves in such a position, where the slightest mishap could spell the end of your running career? Is the adrenaline rush really that enticing? What is the point if you are not setting a personal record or aiming to break one, since these races rarely have such a commodity as personal bests?
It was not until I journeyed to the Land of the Phoenicians to witness this spectacle for myself first hand, that I finally understood the reason why people opt for such races, and from my perspective at least, it had nothing to do with the race, and everything to do with the racers themselves.
In any given event, there are two types of people; those that attain a podium finish, and those that take part in the experience. Although the former is a small group (3 of each gender, so total 6) whilst the latter boasts a much larger audience, and if you have the power to help someone cross the finish line, then that puts you in a unique new group that can never be replicated in a regular race.
Let’s face it, words can only do so little in terms of motivation. Placards, thumbs up and high fives also, and that is the extent of the assistance you can offer a regular runner during a regular race. In an obstacle course however, you can give them a leg up to jump over an obstacle, grab their hand and pull them up the steep incline or even help them place their feet properly on the giant cargo net on their way to the top. And that provides its own sense of accomplishment that is impossible to replicate even atop the podium.
Obstacle races provide runners with the opportunity to focus on their finer qualities, and not just their speed. You need a lot more than that to claim victory at the finish line, for it is a challenge to every muscle in your body and every fiber of your being. The specter of failure is always looming beside the next obstacle, and with 25 of them, you will feel the constant draw of giving up to spare yourself the pain that tomorrow will bring should you dig down deep and find the courage to climb, crawl, jump, roll and sprint through said obstacles. When that sense of morose kicks in, you need only look to your nearest competitor for the phantom of a smile to renew your determination and shift your gears into overdrive, propelling you forward (and upward, and sideways) towards the finish line.
Of all the medals in my collection, the Hannibal Obstacle Race in Jbeil, Lebanon holds a special place in my heart for it is at that precise moment I understood the appeal of obstacle races. Bear in mind, the Hannibal Obstacle Race is notoriously famous for its final obstacle; the Mud Bucket. So as not to give away too much, if you are signing up, make sure you pack an extra towel (or two).
The Hannibal race will be making its way to Kuwait for the first time on February 9th. The chosen location is Mutla’a, Kuwait’s most difficult running terrain.
Like the Rubik’s Cube, Ayman Nassar is multi-colored in his interests, from running to organizing races, stand- up comedy and internal audit, plus a little writing on the side. You can find him on YouTube or follow him on Instagram @lordaymz.
