Adrenaline-pumping obstacles excite participants at the IMPI challenge

When the advertising of this years IMPI challenge started earlier this year, a few of those that participated in last years event, jumped at the opportunity to take part again. They asked who would be interested and in no time at all the 10 spots were taken.

The ‘Komati Gang’ was formed and plans for a fun weekend began.

With four of the team having done the challenge last year, there was decided that they as a team needed to prepare for the event. In August they got together and began to train every Monday and Wednesday afternoon.

The sessions where short yet intense and exhausting, and the word got out and others joined in. Sweaty bodies could be seen dashing across the rugby field, dropping to do push ups, planks and then doing lunges and squats.

Usually, the effects of the training were felt in the following days with stiff bodies not used to this type of training. They persevered and have bonded well as a team and have grown to enjoy the tough workout sessions.

The Impi challenge took them through an obstacle course spanning over 12km. Participants were faced with 18 adrenaline busting obstacles which include leopard crawling, scaling a 2m high wall, wading through mud pits and also jumping off a 12m high scaffolding structure into a dam. All designed to challenge you on height, water, dark, confined spaces, dirt and mud, endurance. No course is ever the same so even last year’s participants did enjoy the new layout that was full of surprises .

This years IMPI Challenge participants: Arthur Oosthuizen, Kobus Mans, Russell Clark, Kerry-Anne Clark, Paul Nel, Tanya Kruger, Colin Pretorius, Billy van Niekerk, Neliza van Niekerk and Avril Pretorius. They worked great as a team and everyone helped each other. Avril Pretorius said: “We all have some bruises and scratches, but it was not noticed so much, because were having such fun.” One of the men broke his finger but still finished the race, although he had to skip a few obstacles. A female member got sick at the end, but it didn’t stop this team to end their race succesfully.

The IMPI challenge’s official race charity is the Woodside Special Care Centre, a non-profit private residential home for intellectually and physically disabled children and young adults. An added way for participants to give back to communities, is with the ‘Shoe power initiative’. All participants in the IMPI Challenge were called upon to donate their slightly worn running shoes for this project. A local beneficiary will be identified and the shoes will be handed out to underprivileged individuals, who cannot afford their own.