Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 59, June 2014 | Page 41

OBSTACLE RACING Take on the Impi Up, Over, Under, Through… Getting past some of those daunting obstacles may look impossible at first, but with a little bit of strategy and a whole lot of determination, you can take on anything. Start with these great anti-obstacle tips. – BY SEAN FALCONER 1. Cargo Net Climb What it is: Rope webbing slung vertically between two posts. Conquer It: Climb as close to the side supports as possible, because the net is tighter at the edges, and if you can jump up, you’ll save yourself the first three steps. 2. Barbed Wire Crawl What it is: Spiked strands tied extra low over mud or ground. Conquer It: Stay to the sides, where the barbed wire tends to be higher, and if there’s room to roll, it is much faster than crawling, and uses far less energy. 3. Monkey Bars The playground mainstay all grown up - and usually slicked down with water or grease. Conquer It: Dry your hands on leaves or brush as you run toward the monkey bars, or grab some sand and chalk up like you would in a gym. Even better, wear gloves. 4. Traverse Wall What it is: Vertical wall with hand- and footholds to climb over. Conquer It: Push with your legs instead of pulling with your arms, keep your knees apart and your body as close to the wall as you can, as most people slip off when they get their centre of gravity away from the wall. 5. Tyrolean Traverse The IMPI Challenge is an adrenaline-charged opportunity to challenge yourself and play like a kid. There are four options for entries, with the IMPI Elite heading up the list: 28 obstacles in 15km to 20km of hills, mud, water, ropes, walls and fire! For the slightly less obstacleinclined, there is the IMPI Challenge (18 obstacles in 10km to 12km) or the IMPI Dash (5km to 7km with 12 obstacles). Entrants must be 18 or over for the Elite and Challenge, or 10 and upwards for the Dash. For kids aged six to 10, there is the IMPI Mini, which is approximately 1km long, and they can complete as many circuits as they wish. Participants can enter individually or as part of a team, and team members start together but do not need to finish together. Another highlight of the IMPI events is the awesome prizes up for grabs for the best-dressed participants. IMPI Challenge 2014 15-16 March: IMPI Gauteng #1, Van Gaalens, Hartbeespoort, North West 4-5 April: IMPI Cape Town #1, Lievland Wine Estate and Wiesenhof Legacy Park, Stellenbosch, Western Cape 27-28 September: IMPI Gauteng #2, Van Gaalens, Hartbeespoort, North West 18-19 October: IMPI Cape Town #2, Lievland Wine Estate and Wiesenhof Legacy Park, Stellenbosch, Western Cape Entries: All entries done at https://impirace.nutickets.co.za/events, or e-mail [email protected] for enquiries. More info: [email protected] / www.impichallenge.co.za What it is: A thick rope over a water-filled ditch. Conquer It: Some like to cross the ditch on top of the rope, while others like to hang below it, walking their hands and feet across. Staying on top is usually faster, but it requires great balance. BONUS TIP: Watch, Learn and Conquer Images: Cherie Vale/Newsport Media The first time you do an obstacle race, it may be better to forget about your finishing time or position and rather focus on just getting through the race. So when you get to an obstacle, it helps to first look what others are doing – and see why they are getting stuck or being slowed down big time! A bit of watching and learning can help you come up with a strategy to take on that obstacle, and soon you’ll be ahead of those participants who just plunged straight in. 39