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So, after plenty of late nights in the lead up, months of planning, and a fair bit of blood, sweat and tears, our Nu Image Race to Base event finally rolled around.
The day was a blur, but it was also a roaring success, minus one team that went slightly astray… (more on that later).
We were over the moon with the turnout from some incredible businesses in and around Norfolk, the line up included some of our fantastic clients but also some new faces too. In the morning itself, we’ve never seen our studio so full – 16 teams raring to go, there was a real buzz in the air. Once check in, bag drop off, a safety briefing and Ian’s speech had concluded, every team was keen to get into a car, despite being blindfolded, and dropped off at a random location in the sticks to walk 12 miles back.
It was all good fun on behalf of raising awareness and money for a fantastic charity.
A little bit about the NCCSF
The Norwich City Community Sports Foundation is a local charity that’s really close to our hearts, particularly for our director Emily. They use the power of sport to bring our community together, doing incredible work supporting disabled and vulnerable people as well as championing mental health and wellbeing.
They run all sorts of programmes and workshops, including:
- Coffees and Comrades: coffee mornings where veterans and serving personnel can get together and socialise.
- Duncans Club: a support programme for people with dementia.
- Pan-Disability Football: Inclusive sessions for players of all disabilities.
Every penny raised goes straight back into projects like these, which is exactly why our teams were so keen to lace up their walking boots.
The challenge
The challenge was quite simple (on paper, anyway). Teams of three to four were dropped at a secret location, drawn at random, and had to make it back to our Thorpe Road studio on foot. No phones, maps or GPS, and definitely no sneaky hitchhiking.
Each team was given a sealed emergency pack with a phone and some cash, just in case they found themselves hopelessly lost or in need of help. The catch? Breaking the seal meant forfeiting the game.
Back at the studio, our team kept a close eye on everyone’s progress with trackers, so friends, family and colleagues could follow along from the comfort of their desks.
Tactics varied wildly. Some teams planned to run a good chunk of the way to get ahead early, a few were convinced they could use the sun to navigate home (we’re still not sure how), whereas others made finding a pub stop their top priority.
How it played out
Once everyone had been dropped at their locations, it was clear some teams meant business. Arkscape Landscaping, KLM Engineering and Breakwater IT ran nearly the whole 12 miles back. Which is frankly terrifying yet very impressive, taking the top three spots and completing the challenge in under 3 hours.
However, for others, it was less about speed and more about paying attention to clues and their surroundings. Visit Norwich Team 1, Voicehost and Meantime Media all clocked the directions their drivers took and mapped routes back in their heads. A remarkable approach which saw all three of them arrive back safely in the top half of the pack.
Remember that some teams made the pub their top priority? Nu Image Top Dogs put that plan into action and stopped for a pint, only to watch Clapham & Collinge stroll straight past the window and overtake them. A tough lesson, but we admire their commitment to the cause.
Another team who saw an opportunity for some rocket fuel along the way was Visit Norwich Team 1, made up of Helen, Holly, Tom and Stephan. The team made a quick pitstop for some tequila shots, and it paid off. As well as the competitive spirit of Race to Base, the two Visit Norwich teams had an inner rivalry going on over who would make it back first. Having drawn their teams at random, they just so happened to end up as the seasoned pros versus the rising stars, with Livvie, Konstantina, Michael and Harrison making up Team 2. And the rocket fuel did exactly as intended, with Team 1 coming in 7 minutes quicker than Team 2.
As teams made their way back to the studio and over the finish line, it was truly brilliant to hear some of the stories surrounding challenges they encountered, moments where they had to get themselves out of a pickle, and all the many different approaches to finding the main route that would lead them home. Speaking of challenges faced, probably one of the most ‘hats off to you’ moments was Stephen from Zagwear powering through despite both soles of his shoes falling off around 3 miles into the trek back. Perhaps it would be more fitting to say shoes off to you?
And, it wouldn’t be fair to only credit the exceptional humans who put an absolute shift in on the day, we had some four-legged friends who also did their part. A special well done to Timmy the border collie from Arkscape Landscaping, Barney the golden retriever from Voicehost, and our own Amelia’s dachshund Ada. All received well-earned medals for completing the challenge.
As for our team who went a little off piste… Nu Image Cat-Nav spent roughly two hours marching confidently in the wrong direction, convinced that heading towards Aylsham would bring them into the city centre. Spoiler: it didn’t. By the time they’d turned things around, they’d clocked up around 17 miles and made it back to base after everyone else had gone home. Nice guys really do finish last, but they finished, and that’s what counts. We’re thinking Cat-Nav might need a software update before next year.
And the winners are…
Taking the top spot, Arkscape Landscaping stormed back to base in 2 hours and 36 minutes. Each team member bagged a free Body Reset massage plus a £100 Blakely voucher.
KLM Engineering came in second, crossing the finish line in 2 hours and 51 minutes. They took home 4x sauna passes for the Lions Den and a £75 Blakely voucher.
Hot on their heels, Breakwater IT finished in third, completing the challenge in 2 hours and 55 minutes, winning a 4 ball session at City Greens Golf and a £50 Blakely voucher.
Thank you
What a day. Thanks to every single one of you, we’ve raised over £6,500 and counting for the Norwich City Community Sports Foundation. We’re completely blown away.
A massive thank you to all 16 of our teams who walked, ran and occasionally meandered their way back to base. Thank you to our brilliant prize donors for their generosity, to everyone who donated, and to all of you who cheered the teams at the studio, or followed along on Instagram. We really couldn’t have done it all without you.
As for next year? We’re already plotting. Keep those walking boots on standby and watch this space.