Obstacle races make me feel like a kid again – the mud, the teamwork and the challenges that present themselves at every turn mean they are about so much more than the distance finishing time you log.
While my mind is that of a child again, my body is actually 47-years-old, and my eyesight in particular is something I’ve struggled with when competing. For the reaper run I’d been given a pair of Crizal lenses to try. These state-of-the-art lenses have a special coating that protects them from rain, sun, smudges, dust and they’re scratch resistant. Perfect for an obstacle race.
As a glasses wearer I had always, until now, left my specs at home when racing for fear of scratching the lenses or losing them on the course. I’d been running a bit blind, squinting to see what was coming up next – never the best race tactic.
With the option of a day or night run, and the fact the race is built differently every time, even the most seasoned OCRs will be impressed by the variety when they take on the Reaper.
The night race is by far the most challenging I’ve come across and a unique element of the Reaper. Running with only a head torch to light your way means you lose your peripheral vision, making every step a gamble.
When Essilor Ltd asked me to take their top of the range Crizal lenses onto the course and put them through the ultimate challenge I can’t say I expected much. I’d worn previous lenses with so called anti-scratch and water resistance coatings but these had never been up to much. But Crizal and I took on the Reaper with 1,000 other runners on a wet autumn day and both crossed the finish line intact.
The 7ft wall, just one metre from the start line, and a reverse three-metre wall-climb, plus various mud pits and ever-changing terrain had us working hard. But we never gave up.
Being able to see clearly throughout the entire race was fantastic. I secured my glasses onto my face with a band to ensure they didn’t slip off. Once they were in place I stopped worrying about what I could and couldn’t do with them on.
As you can imagine, me and the glasses were pretty filthy by the end of the race – caked with mud, sweat and tears, but I cleaned them to find no scratches at all.
Taking on the Reaper with clear vision was a unique and amazing experience and I would absolutely recommend as a challenge to both obstacle runners and race runners. Plus, I won’t be running without Crizal again.
