Bison Hill Challenge - The UK's Toughest Duathlon

There are acres of space with fabulous views over the Vale of Aylesbury and along the Chiltern Ridge. Dunstable Downs is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Chalk grassland, rich in wildlife, spot the gliders soaring over the glorious landscape! Not that you will get the chance to enjoy them. Well not until you have finished as this will be a serious test of your endurance!

Do not be fooled by the distances, this race will sap your energy and if that's not enough to deal with there is the wind which explains why it is a kite-flying and gliding hotspot. The race headquarters the Chilterns Gateway Centre is owned by Central Bedfordshire Council and managed by the National Trust.

With two separate events, this duathlon is a great event for all athletes, both new and old. Neither event will be a gentle welcome to the sport of duathlon. Both events will be a great measure of your end of season fitness.

There is nowhere to hide with the two runs taking you down and then up the downs on a mixture of trails and surfaces. As if this isn't enough the bike start will lull you into a false sense of security with a flat section and a fast descent followed by another relatively flat section taking you to the beast that is Bison Hill a 1 mile steep climb which will be repeated another one or three times. This will really bite!

Make sure you conserve some energy for that final run. You will definitely burn some calories so why not treat yourself to a Bedfordshire Clanger afterwards a local specialty available in the cafe. That's if your legs will get you there.

Event Charity

Iain Rennie Grove House Hospice Care (IRGH) offers specialist hospice care at home or in our day hospice for patients with a life-limiting illness in the Chilterns area of Bucks and the Dacorum, St Albans and Harpenden districts of Herts.

• IRGH services include 24/7 call-out hospice care in patients' homes -and support for all the family following diagnosis, during the illness and after bereavement
• IRGH tailors care to patients' needs, whether that is end of life care or support through treatment and into remission
• IRGH supplements nursing care with complementary therapies and spiritual support for patients and carers
• IRGH works with other healthcare partners to ensure patients have access to information about their condition at all stages and the best care possible
• IRGH needs to raise £6million annually to meet demand for its services, all of which are offered completely free of charge
• IRGH relies heavily on public support to fund nearly 90% of its services

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