If you are intrigued by the art of word association, what image pops up in your brain when the word Himalayas comes up in conversation? According to people who study this science, study subjects mention Tibet, Nepal, monks, pilgrimage, monasteries, mysticism, sacred and mountains when queried. Nowhere is the word "rush" uttered because the Himalayan region invites pilgrims to slow down and experience peace and harmony in this sacred region.

But organisers of the Himalayan Rush want you to speed up at their upcoming cross-country triathlon, slated to take place on 31st March 2018 at Begnas Lake, Lekhnath, Nepal. If you are eager to meet a landscape described as a mix of brutal and beautiful-and you crave an extreme sport to make you feel alive and challenged—your inner warrior will take your place among other adventurers.

What to expect

Mountain majesty could easily divert your focus if you haven't visited this lush corner of the world before, so prepare for a sensory treat. You'll undertake this 6-year-old event with more than 500 other athletes, each of whom is as eager as you are to make their mark. You'll engage in off-road cycling drama, eclectic trail running and "brain-freeze inducing Himalayan lake water," likely to become your most indelible memory.

While your objective is surviving this triathlon, the three self-proclaimed crazy event organizers want participants to be surrounded by Nepal's riches—spectacular scenery, the warmest, most welcoming people on earth—and then there's that challenge: either swim, cycle and run or just bike and run, by signing up for the following categories:

• Bike - 40km, Run - 10km Swim - 750m,
• Bike - 20km, Run - 5km Swim - 1.5km,
• Bike - 40km, Run - 10km

What to do

Registration is fast and easy on Spacebib. Before you know it, you'll be packing a bag and anticipating that icy lake water with hope in your bones that you join the ranks of Wild Warriors.

Fly to mysterious Kathmandu and then take a shorter flight to Begnas, Pokhara. That's where athletes will convene to undertake this daunting challenge. You can pack a wet suit or tri-suit and don't leave your bike home!

But let's say you want to audition this unique event, but you're not quite ready for the full experience. No worries. Sign up for a 5km or 10km Himalayan Rush run to get a taste of this event and you can assess whether you want to up your game in 2019.

What to experience

First time visitors to Nepal will find the Himalayan Rush to be more than a physical rush; it's hard to resist the extras you'll acquire and bring home that include the standard entitlements-finisher medal, race bib, cap and signature t-shirt that tells the world you are an adventurer.

The memories you make can't be duplicated, but you can't make those memories if you don't head for the SpaceBib registration page before the 28th February deadline. Further, Spacebib's page is loaded with helpful information that makes traveling to this region effortless.

What will you decide?

Will you Rush across the designated route by tackling the full triathlon, the duathlon or are you going to start with a run? No matter which category you choose, you won't have to undertake high-altitude training because the Himalayan Rush takes place in a temperate corner of the nation.

Will you extend your visit to check out attractions? There's plenty to do. Book a day trek or a Yoga retreat. Go paragliding. Visit Poon Hill. Exploring sacred temples is a must. Perhaps the International Mountain Museum tops your must-see list—or you're eager to see Annapurna Base Camp where climbers and Sherpas have risked their lives over time to reach world-famous summits.

If you can't stick around to treat yourself to extra time in this magical land, no worries. The lure of this race will bring you back in the years ahead. That's the magic of this annual adventure and the land that hosts it.

When you compete in areas of the world that are beautiful and inspiring, are those gorgeous vistas a maddening distraction or are you so focused on your race, you may as well be competing on the moon?