Been thinking of going for your very first obstacle race but are afraid to take the leap of faith? Questions and doubts fill your mind. “Should I do it? Will I survive?”, you ask yourself. “You are not fit enough”, that little voice in your head taunts.
Last month, some of our FuelFitters went for the Adventure Race organised by ActiveSG.
For many of them, it was their first time participating in an obstacle race. In this post, we interviewed the first-timers on their virgin obstacle race experience.
Here’s what they said:
What made you decide to sign-up for your very first adventure / obstacle race?
Amit: I had seen adventure and obstacle races on TV and social media and heard about them from some fellow FuelFitters (such as the Spartan race that happened in Bintan), and always wanted to participate in one as they seemed exciting. So when Saudi informed us that there is one coming up in Sentosa, I jumped (no pun intended!) at the opportunity to sign-up for it.
Radhika: FuelFit coaches’ (Saudi and Berni) encouragement and the adventure element in the run made me excited to join.
Sandhya: My Friend Selvi motivated me to try out the race
Stephanie: I was contemplating whether to sign up or not. However with the motivation from fellow peers, that made me decide to just go for it.
Sumit: Saudi and my friends at FuelFit inspired me to sign-up for the race. Although I was contemplating doing an obstacle race for some time, I was not confident if I would be able to clear all the obstacles.
Umang: To have fun and experience the adventure because normally I take part in marathons which are monotonous.
Did you have any concerns/fears about it?
Amit: No, I did not have any concerns or fears, as I always have been quite adventurous and open to taking reasonable risks.
Radhika: Yes, the swimming part made me a bit scared as I am not very comfortable to swim in the deep water and the very thought that the swim is going to be in sea water was more scary.
Sandhya: I was worried that I don’t have the stamina to finish the race.
Stephanie: My only concern was the water obstacle that time. Even though I am a swimmer but I never like to swim in the sea.
Sumit: I was not sure if I could swim in the open water and that too with shoes. It proved really difficult to run with wet shoes on the beach.
Umang: Yes, I was concerned whether I would be able to complete it and am I fit enough for the same.
How was your experience at the race?
Amit: It was great fun! Although the obstacles were not too many or difficult, still they made it more exciting than just running a race.
Radhika: Amazing experience and doing together in the team added to the fun element. Came to know more about the strength in me and that I can still push myself to more difficult races.
Sandhya: Felt great and was motivated by the enthusiasm of school kids participating in the race.
Stephanie: It was really good except for the running part as I dun really fancy running.
Sumit: It was great fun running along with a big group with everyone motivating you. Initially running on the sand followed by jumping and crawling was difficult but slowly I got the hang of it. The photo sessions before and after the run were awesome.
Umang: Fabulous!
What did you enjoy the most?
Amit: I enjoyed swimming across the short stretch of water, which was one of the obstacles. Apart from that, the time our FuelFit team spent together before and after the run was also very enjoyable!
Radhika: Obstacles like crossing barriers, leopard crawl, jumping tyres and walking down the trail was kinda fun.
Sandhya: The tyre jumps. It was fun.
Stephanie: The obstacles and peers doing together.
Sumit: The satisfaction of having done and dusted my first ever obstacle race! I also enjoyed the photo sessions and the attention we garnered from the organizers before the race.
Umang: The team spirit of our FuelFitters, Saudi’s constant motivation and the adventure itself.
What did you find the most challenging?
Amit: Running in the heat and humidity, especially on the sand during the last part, was quite challenging.
Radhika: Vertical climb up 11 storey was challenging for me as I started feeling tired after climbing 7-8 floors.
Sandhya: The vertical climb.
Stephanie: It’s mindset when we knew that we had to run 5km for the route.
Sumit: Running with wet shoes on the beach was the most difficult part.
Umang: Nothing really.
What advice would you give to someone who has never done an adventure / obstacle race before but may be afraid to try?
Amit: I would say it is definitely worth experiencing, so put aside your fears and go for it, even if it is a basic adventure / obstacle race to begin with. And after the race, you would agree that there is actually nothing to be afraid of!
Finally, thanks to Saudi and the other members of the FuelFit team for making this adventure race a group event. It was all the more fun because we all went there together, and I would definitely love to participate in more of such group events!
Radhika: “Go and try”! Unless you try you do not know what you are missing and what all strength is within your body.
Sandhya: Never be afraid of how you are going to do it.. Believe in yourself and you can do it!
Stephanie: Just go for it! Never try never know. I would like to relate to my childbirth experience. Before my labour, I heard many scary stories about long labour hours, awful pain, screams etc. The more I think of it, the more I’m scared. However, my own experience was totally different and awesome. Labour hour was really short like just 4 hours until I couldn’t believe it myself and the whole process was smooth.
Sumit: Just go for it . It is a great experience and there is lot of satisfaction after completing the race.
Umang: Believe in yourself and just enjoy it – it will look easy.