Scores of wannabe Ninja Warriors will descend on Gloucestershire tomorrow afternoon for the official Ninja Warrior UK time trials.
Ninja Warrior has been a ratings smash for ITV since it debuted back in 2015, and now the general public has the opportunity to test themselves against the dreaded Warped Wall.
Hosted at the Ninja Warrior UK park in Gloucester, the time trials are available to anyone over the age of 12 to take on the notorious obstacle course and try and get themselves on top of the leaderboard.
While many of the people attending will be experienced runners, the organisers have stressed that the event is open to people of any ability, with both an expert course and an intermediate course available.
“The course is split up into two runs essentially.
“We have an intermediate section, which is more for the average person, the people who haven’t tried Nina Warrior before but have watched the TV show and want to know what it’s like.
“And then we have an expert section, which is for the real competitors.
“Bigger gaps, more difficult obstacles, more technical skills required.
“It’s a much longer run and much more difficult.”
Matt Murphy is one of the organisers of the event and a seasoned Ninja Warrior himself, and he is keen to encourage younger people to get involved and try it as an alternative form of exercise.
“I started getting into free running and parkour early days, so I’d be climbing trees and walls and buildings in the area where I grew up, and I’d be falling over a lot.
“I’d come home every day covered in fresh cuts and bruises, but I was completely hooked and have never really looked back.”
“It’s a lot nicer doing it in here where you’ve got the foam pits and the padding to break your falls and catch you, so it’s a much safer environment to practice and experiment in.
“So I would highly encourage anyone to give it a go, particularly younger people who haven’t really found another sport or exercise that they enjoy doing, because Ninja Warrior and obstacle running in general is one of the most fun things you can do.”
While Ninja Warrior community in general is incredibly welcoming, and the event tomorrow will be fun for amateurs or first time participants, the expert side of things is taken incredibly seriously.
Many of the best runners in the country will be in attendance, including previous contestants from the TV series, and Matt expects is expecting many of them to fly through the course in under 30 seconds.
“The level that some of these guys are at is insane.
“They’ll basically sprint through the entire course without slowing down, sometimes skipping entire obstacles, it’s really inspiring.
“But the best thing about these people is that they are so approachable, and they will be happy to answer any questions you have and encourage you if your struggling with a specific obstacle.
“They’re more than happy to share their tips and tricks, and maybe suggest specific exercises you can do to help you improve a technique, push yourself and achieve whatever goals you have.”
The time trial event will take place from 5pm-8pm at Ninja Warrior UK, Unit 2 Metz Way, Gloucester GL4 3DB.
