Camel racers can sprint up to 65 kilometers per hour and maintain a continuous pace of 40 kilometers per hour. Camel racing camels begin training as young as two years old. The younger the better because they will have more time to learn the tricks of the trade. Camel races are held throughout the year in various countries including Egypt, India, Israel, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. There are three types of races: sprints, middle distances, and long distances. Camels can only run for a few minutes at a time so multiple races over several hours constitute a single event. Camel races are very popular in Egypt where they are held annually during Eid al-Adha (the Feast of Sacrifice). To participate, camels must be trained and licensed by the government. Only male camels are allowed to race because females are used for work and cannot handle the stress of racing. Even though women have equal rights with men in Egypt they still cannot vote or hold public office so this rule makes sense from an ethical standpoint as well. After their successful debut at the Cairo International Book Fair in 2015, Egyptian writer Alaa Abd El-Fattah brought camel racing to global attention with his novel "The Race," which is now a major motion picture.