What is it? An obstacle course race that isn’t aggressively unpleasant to participate in. Who knew such a thing existed?
How much does it cost? Between £30 and £40, depending on how far in advance you book.
What does it promise? It’s an obstacle course race where the focus is on having fun, not on underlining your macho credentials in the most tediously stereotypical way imaginable.
What’s it actually like? I’ve never done an obstacle course race without being incredibly ill for a week afterwards. Tough Mudder, Nuts Challenge, all of them – I’ll inevitably end up swallowing dirt and pond water and suffering through ridiculous flu-like symptoms as a consequence. But there was none of this with London’s Gauntlet Games (there will be events in Brighton and Hertfordshire later in the summer). It’s a fun, beginner-level course, only 5k in length, that’s full of foam and inflatable balls instead of mud and monkey bars. Dotted along the course are topless men – gladiators, they’re called – who’ll intermittently try to bop you on the head with a space hopper, but never too violently. Plus – and this is possibly the biggest-selling point of the whole thing – there’s a giant slip-and-slide quite near the end.
Best and worst bits Perhaps the course is a little too beginner-level; nobody seemed at all tired during any point of it. The best bit? Not hacking up brown muck for a week afterwards.
Is it worth it? If you want to do an obstacle course race, but you’re put off by all the grimacing beer-boys, absolutely.
