Man Vs Tech
Can high-tech running shoes and a GPS watch power our runner past a 339HP Range Rover along a muddy trail? There’s only one way to find out...
Is a Range Rover faster than a man kitted up with crosscountry tech on an off-road course? Let’s find out shall we…
the Race from Luke’s perspective:
The white Range Rover looks out of place in the dense forest. I stand beside it, trying to hide my pre-race nerves. The constant attack of flies, thick ferns and stench of stagnant water makes me feel like I’ve landed a part in a Star Wars film – except I have no back-up from Ewoks for this battle. What I do have is some top kit.
One of my choices is a pair of Adidas Response Long Tights, and I’m confident they’ll do a good job of keeping the flies from biting. Not that those critters will have much chance of keeping up once we set off.
We begin the race – I explode off the start line, trying to put as much distance between me and the car as possible. I can’t run flat-out, as I need to find the right footing in the undergrowth, but I still outpace the Range Rover, which is forced to slow for deep water. I imagine it being wet inside the car, too, from Spencer’s tears.
I head high through the trees to break out of the woods first. Between me and the finish line is a valley. While the Range Rover has to ease up to negotiate the hill, gravity enables me to waft down. I thought the Adidas Terrex Agravic GTX kicks would earn their worth in the mud, but it’s actually on steep declines that they impress the most. At some points, I come close to performing a bum-slide manoeuvre, yet the Continental soles make sure I don’t fall flat on my face. Ultimately, that means I stay ahead. Until the terrain levels out…
The level field isn’t ideal. Even at full pace, the open stretches mean I’m soon eating Spencer’s dust. My Osprey backpack has a built-in water pack, so washing that dust out is a doddle. I’ve also crammed the quick-access pockets with Clif Bars and High5 Gels for a quick refuel. I then ditch the bag for the fastest possible finish.
Thanks to the maps built into the Garmin Epix watch, I’m able to see my paths clearly without having to dig out my phone.