2012 Open for Business - our biggest season ever

We are very pleased to open fully for our biggest ever season. In 2012 we will be organising over 60 events; these include the multi award winning Outlaw Triathlon – which has less than 150 entries left, a series of 24 nationwide schools triathlons on behalf of British Triathlon called TATA Kids Of Steel before we mention our new flagship event Cambridge Half Marathon, that sold all of the 3000 slots within a week. We are also expanding our range of events and locations. Our first race in early February, Mud N Madness is based in Essex.

2012 is going to be a big sporting year for everyone, so why don’t join us, we really do have something for everyone.

We are starting our season early, on February 4^th we have our very first serious adventure challenge Mud N Madness – and boy are we looking forward to it. Having spent two days designing the course at Stubbers Adventure Centre, we are convinced this has something to challenge everyone. Interestingly, when we had a ‘triathlete versus adventurer’ challenge, the ‘adventurers’ only won it by 20 seconds.

Next we move further south, to visit The Triathlon Show at Sandown Park on over first weekend of March. Not only will we our own stand but we are again organising the Saucony 10k around the famous race course. No doubt, we will again be attending the 220 Awards on the Saturday night, so don’t forget to vote for The Outlaw to see if we are lucky enough to win two years running.

Just one week later on the 11^th March, we are then in Cambridge for our first ever Cambridge Half Marathon. A truly legendary race in the making. A fully closed road half marathon taking all the sights & sounds of Cambridge city centre. The event filled within one week with 3000 entries. There are a few relay team entries still available but we expect these to fill soon too.

After a short break, we return to one of our favourite venues, Clumber Park for the Clumber Classic Duathlon on Saturday 24^th March. For the 12^th year, this early season will run bike run event will be taking place in the beautiful location of Clumber Park & the rural rolling roads of north Nottinghamshire. And again, we will be offering two separate distances, the sprint & the standard.

Our next event is the start of our triathlon season & we are starting off at David Lloyd Lincoln Triathlon, Race 1 in the Midlands sprint Triathlon Series. On Sunday 24^th April, we will be based at the luxury David Lloyd Health Club just a couple of miles from Lincoln city centre. A great event to start our triathlon season, which always attracts a high percentage of newbie’s to the sport. We simply love this venue, it is perfect for a pool swim sprint triathlon & the new canal side run route was really popular.

For the 16^th year, on Sunday 13^th May, we will back in Southwell for the Southwell Sprint Triathlon. We feel very at home in Southwell & it seems so do our athletes. Race 2 in the Midlands Sprint Series, will again no doubt attract over 600 athletes, with as many as 200 novices. Another great pool sprint triathlon, with a few more lumps & bumps than David Lloyd, especially on the run, but for some reason, everyone goes faster. The backdrop is great, racing whilst enjoying the view of Southwell Minster is incredible.

Next is our big weekend, The Nottingham Triathlon Weekend, based at the National Water Sports Centre, a perfect closed road venue for triathlon. The weekend includes a huge amount of events. Starting with the VUE Emergency Services Triathlon at midday on Friday 25^th May, straight into the Speedo Big Work Place Challenge on the Friday afternoon. Saturday sees The Nottingham Triathlon, a sprint distance triathlon, with three waves, starting at 9am, 12 noon, 3pm. Followed by the British Universities Championships that will be taking place on Sunday, including an elite drafting wave & a mass participation wave.

On June 3^rd, we will be visiting the very beautiful Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire for the Woodhall Spa Triathlon. This will be the final event of the Midlands Sprint Series. The venue - Jubilee Park - offers a perfect mixture of relaxation and recreation. The swim takes place in a massive 33 metre, heated outdoor pool, before then progressing to the bike section, along beautiful virtually traffic free country lanes and very flat. The run course is straightforward and equally flat. This event gets more & more popular & in 2011 attracted over 500 competitors.

Two weeks later, on Sunday 17^th June, we return to Essex & probably the most unique venue for any triathlon in the country. The Lakeside Triathlon, based at the Lakeside Shopping Centre, Europe’s largest shopping centre is not the average location for a triathlon, but this one really works. The open water sprint triathlon, starting in the Alexander Lake, being over looked by numerous cafes & bars. The bike & run course uses surrounding roads, with a totally closed road run course. Entries are very limited on this event, to 500, so if you’re considering this one, then please be quick.

On the first weekend in July, we return to the second time to the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham for our major event of the season. The multiple award winning Outlaw Triathlon. On 1st July join us at the world’s toughest one day endurance challenge, and, as long as you can cover the distance in 17 hours or less, you too will become an Outlaw. We currently have over 850 entries, so if you are considering becoming an Outlaw, get your entry in quick, we can only accept 1000. If Iron Distance triathlon is not your thing, then there is also the Speedo Big Swim on the Saturday. It’s your choice whether you go for 1500 metres, 3000 metres or 5000 metres swim & you can even choose if you wear a wetsuit or not.

Then on the last weekend in August – Bank Holiday, we return to the National Water Sports Centre for the third time in 2012. The Club Relays is our biggest triathlon of the year & easily the most exciting. In 2011 over 2400 people took part in the Club Relays, a truly unique triathlon experience. Race as part of team where you complete a triathlon with a short rest whilst your team mates do the racing. Really an event not to be missed.

Moving into September, we have the Rother Valley Triathlon Festival taking place on the 15^th & 16^th at the fantastic venue of Rother Valley Country Park, Rotherham. The festival aims to engage the local community, children and adults, as well as attracting athletes from around the country. 2012 will see a change in format with the introduction of a new one mile Big Swim on Saturday afternoon. On the Sunday, there will be a sprint triathlon which acts as a qualifier for the 2013 European Sprint Triathlon Champs British Age Group Team.

On week later, on the 23^rd September we return to Southwell for a repeat of our season pool sprint triathlon, the Esendex Last Minute Sprint Triathlon. A great opportunity to test whether you are fitter & faster at the end of the 2012 season. Our Last Minute event historically has always attracted more competitors than our early season version, not sure why, but we don’t complain.

After over one month’s rest, we then return to Sandown Park on the weekend of 27^th / 28^th October. This time it is for The Running Show. Whether a complete newbie or a seasoned runner , the Running Show is for you. The show features seminars, workshops and the finest kit from top brands in running, we will have our own stand & again be organising another Saucony 10k around the famous race course. A great opportunity to compare your time from the start of the season.

On November 11^th & our final event of 2012, we hop, skip & jump to Sherwood Pines Forest Park in north Nottinghamshire for the Robin Hood Adventure Challenge. We really love this event & not just because it is our last one of the season, because it is a really fun event, with something for everyone. The day starts with an off road duathlon, using the perfect paths of Sherwood Forest. Followed by a children’s 2k stampede, we should call it a run, but you need to see it to believe it. We then finish the day & biggest season ever for us, with a 10km forest trail run using the beautiful paths inside Sherwood Pines.