All competitive races can be analysed in terms of these components. A 42 kilometre marathon is much the same, all that differs is the challenge (42km as opposed to 100m). a typical horse race is again similar, except with differing restrictions as well as challenge. Jockeys will be disqualified for attempting to complete the race on foot. An interesting alternative is the La Mans 24 Hours – an other similar 'endurance' motor races. This race has competitors attempt to cover as much distance as possible within the given 24 hour time period, it therefore sees the roles of challenge and medium reversed from those of a typical motor race, such as the Formula One Grand Prix. Where a Grand Prix's challenge is distance and medium is time, as in a 100m sprint, the challenge of Le Mans is time, and the medium is distance. In other words, racers must traverse the 24 hours while achieving the greatest distance possible relative to other competitors. The restrictions in both races are similar. Ultimately, the challenge of a race is fixed while the medium is not. In scientific terms, the challenge represents the independent variable while the medium represents the dependent variable -the thing that is measured.
The challenge:time format of race design can also be observed in some eating contests, where competitors attempt to consume as much as possible within a given time. Also compare a surfing heat, (or skateboarding, BMX, wakeboarding, as well as a multitude of other “extreme sports”). In these events competitors are given a limited time to perform as many tricks as possible, or as well as possible, and receive points for the overall quality of their heat. Note that these events are not judged by average speed, as conventional races are. Extreme sporting heats are instead judged by average quality (quality over time). This is a similar format to that used in competitive dancing as well as singing contests. A surfing heat is scored by points over the heat period. Due to the sport's reliance on nature and high degree of luck with regard to desirable waves appearing within the heat, a contestant may find themselves forced to sit on their board waiting for an appropriate wave, effectively wasting time. This is equivalent to a sprinter standing still. The competitor is reducing their available challenge space, resulting in a worse medium result. This means that their average score – measured in time/distance or points/time – must be higher for the remainder of their run/heat in order to successfully compete with those opponents who did not waste time. Although races are usually thought of as a contest for the highest velocity, they are not generally scored as such. Velocity is measured by distance/time, whereas races are typically scored by time/distance. Inverting this equation results in the winner being he with the lowest score, which is precisely how conventional races are scored. In these cases the challenge is again time, however the medium is points from tricks or quality. Each competitor must reach the end of their time limit (their heat) while amassing as many points as possible. If teams in the Le Mans 24 Hours are awarded one point for every meter the car travels, the challenge-medium relationship would be identical to that of a surfing heat, in the end. Of course, the means to achieving those points – the restrictions – are different. These heats also follow the time trial format where each competitor performs separately. Only one competitor has access to the surf (or racetrack in the case of motor racing qualifying time trials) at a time. This is primarily to avoid competitors interfering with one another.
Consider a race in which contestants must consume a given quantity of hot togs in a short a time as possible. There is no need for this race to be organised as a time trial since each competitor has access to his own pile of food and cannot interfere with other competitors. There is also no need for a time trial format in the 100m sprint, as each competitor is confined to his own lane and cannot legally interfere with others because of this separation I would class both the eating contest and the 100m sprint as time trials, although the term is now less relevant. Each competitor is segregated from others within their own sub-challenge-space. That is, each sprinter must traverse the distance of their own lane, and each eater must consume their own bowl of hot dogs. These are in contrast to races where competitors share the challenge-space, such as the Tour De France, or Grand Prix. In these events the other competitors become a part of the challenge; they become obstacles to be negotiated in a similar way to hurdles.
The next competition to be analysed is a boxing match. Fighters must score the most points within a given time frame, so the challenge of boxing is time, while the medium is points (or knockout). The idea that boxing and surfing heats may be discussed as races may be met with some opposition, however they both involve some contest of speed: measured in points over time. These events are races precisely as much as the Le Mans 24 Hours can be considered a race.
All events discussed so far have used time as either medium or challenge, and therefore have been some contest of speed. However a more abstract notion of speed can be imagined, using some other measure instead of time, for example, turns. Vegas rules solitaire, otherwise known as patience, removes time from the contest, allowing the player to deliberate and carefully consider each move. This places the pressure on efficiency of turns, rather than of time. Solitaire contains a challenge of putting all cards away in the required order and manner, and the medium of turns. Many tabletop and board games share the medium of turns. The goal to complete the objective in the least number of turns is similar to the format of a 100m sprint.
Solitaire's most defining feature as a race, and as suggested in the name, is the lack of opponents. Because of this it is one of the few games to be scored absolutely, rather than relatively. As may be becoming apparent, the components of challenge, medium, and restrictions apply to what are commonly considered to be games, rather than races. It is here that I would argue that they are the same – that every game is a race.
Take the game of Chess. The great difficulty in chess strategy arises only because your opponent and his pieces exist as part of the challenge-space. Their moves are calculated in order to inhibit your ability to reach your goal – checkmate. They can do this by directly inhibiting your attack (i.e. playing defensively - removing attacking pieces from the game, having their king “run” from attacking pieces), or by forcing you to postpone your attack in favour of defence (playing aggressively).
Tournament Poker is an interesting game under this analysis. Ignoring bluffing and betting (that is, within a single hand) the medium of poker – the thing that is measured and compared between players – is hand strength. However when betting is included, and when the entire game is looked at as a whole, the medium is net money. The challenge-space again involves other players as obstacles, but these players also comprise the actual challenge-space. The single challenge of tournament poker is to be the last remaining player.
