Reacting To One of Our Craziest Challenge Videos
Two years ago, right at the beginning of The Running Channel's existence, we took on one of the most fun, but probably the
strangest challenges in my time.
Now some of you might have seen this already, but for those of you who haven't, we took a group of runners, dressed them up
in inflatable Zorb outfits and pitched them head to head on the track in a 400 metre race,
all competing for the coveted title of the ultimate Zorb champion.
Now I'm joined by Sarah today to relive this a few years on, which is a little bit scary in itself, but I can't wait to
watch it again.
Andy Baddeley running in a Zorb ball - I am so excited. A Zorb
challenge sounds like absolute mayhem.
It was absolute mayhem and bear in mind,
Rick was involved, too, which always adds in a level of carnage.
I remember at the time thinking, What am I doing here?
This is only going to end one way, and that's bad.
I am so excited to watch this. We should get stuck in, but before we do, if you haven't already, please hit
subscribe, and
give us a like. Now let's dive in. Oh, the music.
It's epic, but terrifying as well. You can tell something terrible is about to
happen.
The world's first bubble running race.
I'm Andy from The Running Channel.
This is an athletics track, and today you're going to watch one of the weirdest running races you've ever seen.
Oh, this is very early in my presenter days, so be nice to me. Baby Andy.
Take 10 runners, ask them to run 400 metres or one lap of the track.
Sounds easy enough.
But we're going to ask our runners to be wearing inflatable bubble costumes, obviously,
severely limiting your arm movement, spatial awareness and ability to see - what
could possibly go wrong?
But before we get started, as well as doing weird stuff like this, we also
do how-tos and guides on how to improve your running form. It's not just this.
So running in a Zorb ball, pretty out there.
How did this idea come about?
I don't know the original idea, but basically, it's hard making YouTube videos all of the
time, and we needed something that was new and exciting and possibly went a little bit crazy and a little bit
too far with this idea.
But yeah, we'd seen the people running down hills in New Zealand, I think's where it comes from.
Yeah, yeah. I'm actually - fun
fact - as old as the Zorb ball.
It's not a fun fact.
It's absolutely not a fun fact, because I was, whatever, 15 or 16 when they were invented.
So yeah.
Smug, smug face.
Ah, that actually hurt. My favourite bit.
That's my favourite
bit on the day and we've got to do that about 10 times because we did multiple takes.
Amazingly, people have volunteered for this, so big thanks to our friends at London City Runners who are helping
us out with this, quite frankly, mad challenge.
The 400 metres is one of the iconic Olympic distances - think Michael
Johnson World Records tumbling, one brutal lap of the track.
However, no one before has attempted it in a Zorb. But all
races must have rules,
so here are ours. The beauty of this is we got to set our own rules.
Amazing.
So did you start off by wanting to run a 5K and then getting into the Zorb and realising that wasn't gonna happen?
I definitely didn't ever want to run a 5K in it, but as soon as I put it on, they're really heavy.
Getting up when you fall over's really difficult.
And, yeah, just the carnage of multiple laps.
We have been there all day.
We were already there for hours filming this.
You are kind of like a beetle on its back when you're, I've been in them before and
you're literally helpless.
There's nothing you can do.
You kind of just roll around trying to find your way.
And Rick did take the brunt of multiple people's wrath.
Basically, I think they all picked on him.
So, poor Rick. I'm sure he gave as good as he got.
He deserved it for sure.
Our race will begin here, a heat of runners lined up in groups
ready to take on the track.
They will then converge on the first bend for 400 metres
for one brutal all-out war.
I can't see what could possibly go wrong with all that. So, from our heat,
the top runners will go through to a grand final and awaiting the overall winner
is absolutely nothing except the glory,
the kudos, a lifetime of fame from being the first winner of the
400 metres Zorb championships. We were very serious about the rules.
We probably should have had a prize.
I mean, they're literally risking their lives and you're giving them nothing, savage.
It's alright. They all signed a waiver.
Fine, Right?
Yeah, absolutely fine.
As you can see, the runners behind me warming up meticulously.
Oh, and oh, look, here's a ringer.
It's today's presenter, double Olympian, Parkrun World
Record holder and a guy who used to look up to me as a cross country captain at school.
It's Andy Baddeley!
Yeah, I'm, I'm thrilled to be part of this, quite frankly ludicrous idea.
I'm really excited to get out there and test- well, I have quite an unusual running technique anyway.
But now I don't get to use my arms.
So I've got no idea how this is going to go.
And here we are in London Andy, you know, the place of the Olympic Games.
Just where you ran back in 2012.
Nice, nice facial expression that popped in there from you. Thanks from the editors, brilliant.
Is this what you thought your legacy would turn into? Um. No, not really.
Well, look at it another way.
This is a race here in London that you might actually win.
You're an idiot.
Okay, runners, take your
marks.
Get set.
Go!
A much slower start than I remember.
Yeah, It's not quite like the Olympics, is it?
Oh, this is brutal.
Someone got off to really fast start there.
Just staying out of the way.
How am I last?
Anyone that's familiar with Rick on the channel will know he's had a pretty serious knee injury,
but I want to reassure everybody it didn't happen here.
Yep, as it says in the original title, no one was seriously injured.
I did nearly break my leg at one point,
though, we'll come to that. Rick, absolutely hopeless.
I do think he had the entire field gang up on him right at the beginning though.
That's me.
absolutely stacking it on the inside, and I genuinely nearly broke my leg.
I could hear something in
my knee pop at that point.
Shudder, makes me feel a bit sick.
We've seen some spectacular heats.
The best Zorb runners are going to go through to the grand final and we decided to change it up a little bit.
Now, the Grand Final's gonna be over 100 metres for maximum carnage and hopefully a closer finish.
The final.
The grand final.
Made it to the big time.
Yeah.
Didn't look like you were very far ahead in the last race, though.
I'm sure I qualified by right.
Weird.
Weird you made it into the final.
Don't forget your running drills.
So, Dan, this must be a really emotional moment for you.
The culmination of everything you've dreamed of.
How are you feeling right now?
It's the highlight of my career so far.
I don't really know what to say.
I just need to thank a load of people, I guess.
My coaches, my family, the other competitors.
Trackside reporter Kate Carter.
He's just beaten in Olympian.
I mean, it wasn't hard, but he has just beaten in Olympian.
As you guys are keen to point out, I don't think it's ever hard to beat me.
You keep beating me.
It's really annoying.
Well.
One final question.
Where next from here?
I don't know if there is anywhere. I think I might have hit the pinnacle. Maybe retire at the top, I think.
Well Dan, congratulations
once again, we're all so excited by this moment, as you can see.
That's a wrap for the inaugural Running Channel bubble Zorb race thing
experiment challenge.
Probably the last ever one. Last ever one?
Do you think so?
Maybe I think the Running Channel viewers could come up with something even crazier for us to do.
But I'm gonna volunteer you this time.
Oh, no.
You've got to get involved as well.
I don't wanna be involved.
Just because of the stick I get from you verbally, let alone the physical damage that might happen.
But you might be able to win this one.
You've got to hold onto the hope.
Brilliant. This is what it comes down to every single time.
Oh, Andy, you're old, oh, I'll beat you. Brilliant.
Yeah. Not wrong, though, am I?
Thank you so much to everyone who came along and took part.
And congratulations to the ultimate Victor Dan.
So it's actually really fun reacting to a video that's this old, right from the early days of The Running Channel.
I know. It's amazing.
Are you a diehard Running Channel fan?
And are there any other videos that you would like us to react to?
Well, let us know in the comments. And if you've enjoyed this and want to see us do more
silly, fun-related, weird running stuff,
then give us the thumbs up and tap on subscribe.
And we'll see you next time here on The Running Channel.
