It’s billed as a “crazy, fun and challenging” endurance test: participants run a four-mile obstacle course with their hands tied behind their backs and mesh-like bags over their heads.
Hostage Run organizer Mike Harris came up with the idea about three years ago as a way for athletes to test their mettle under extreme conditions. He drew inspiration from video games, scary movies and thrillers. The Nov. 26 run is the first of its kind for Harris who had a few people do a test-run of the course.
“It’s a fun project. It’s an obstacle run. It’s an extreme athletic event to primarily test an athlete’s mind,” Harris said.
But critics say the event slated to take place on a 204-acre historic Civil War battlefield in Hampton is distasteful and makes light of today’s global unrest marked by bombings, beheadings, terrorism and real-life hostage situations. It also poses a major safety hazard, critics add, since participants will be running with limited vision and without the use of their hands.
“It’s abhorrent that they would even allow that event to occur. It’s just stupid,”said a 36-year-old Fayetteville resident who asked that her name not be used for fear of reprisal. She contacted Henry County commissioners about her concern but only heard back from one who acknowledged the event was taking place.
The resident noted: “I would love to see Henry County pull the plug on the event.”
That’s not likely to happen.
“Keep in mind, we’re in America. We don’t censor stuff,” said Henry Commission Chairman Tommy Smith. “I looked at what was aired (in a video of the event). It didn’t seem offensive to me and I’m a military guy. From what I saw, it made me want to join the military again and go kick some ISIS butt.”
Harris insists he has taken precautions. He has a $2 million general liability insurance policy to cover the race. Participants must sign waivers to run. The battlefield was chosen specifically for its relatively flat, grassy landscape. Runners can have a companion who is not restrained run with them and runners have the option of running with their hands tied in front or loosened handcuffs. They also can run unencumbered. The head bags are lightweight, mesh-like, see-through and breathable material, Harris said. There will be ambulance and security on-site as well as check points every half-mile of the four-mile course, Harris said. No one will be chasing anyone. People can bow out at any time during the run.
“The first couple of miles is fun then after that it begins to wear and test your endurance,” Harris said. “It kinda messes with your head. It gets a little bit sticky and agitates you. It’s a mental test to see if you can handle being uncomfortable.”
Harris is aware of the controversy generated by Hostage Run, which has drawn more than 750 “Likes” on its Facebook page. He said a few dozen people have already signed up for the run with a few hundred more who are interested.
“We’ve had some people who like it and think it’s awesome and we’ve definitely had some complaints,” said Harris, founder of GC Events, an events production company in Fayetteville. “I don’t think the timing’s ideal. Anybody who’s been looking at the news in the Middle East may think this is negative.
“It’s like anything else on TV and in the movies,” he said. “They basically produce a lot of video games that have hostage situations in them. This is mainly for people to test their endurance. It originated as an entertaining event. It’s still a risky concept but I think it’s still a lot safer than all of the obstacle runs where you’re running up 10, 12 foot walls. We’re keeping it on the ground.”
ABOUT THE EVENT
The event is Nov. 26 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Nash Farm Battlefield, 100 Babbs Mill Rd. in Hampton. Cost: $50. Details: hostagerun.com.
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