The Run Rider – The Bristol Off Road Duathlon

The latest addition to the Bristol off-road calendar

Published: July 29, 2011 at 2:17 pm

The Run Rider (www.runrider.co.uk) is the latest addition to the Bristol off-road calendar and will offer runners/riders one of the best off-road duathlon courses in the country. Being run in conjunction with the popular Bristol Oktoberfest (www.bike-fest.com), the Run Rider will not just benefit from one of the most fun to ride mountain bike courses, but will also deliver a tough but beautiful off-road running course.

The event will take place on 16 October and rather than offering only one distance the Bristol Run Rider will have a Standard and a Classic option – so that everyone can find the right distance and level of challenge.

Location for the Run Rider will be Ashton Court, Bristol. Easy to get to and just s stones throw from the Clifton Suspension Bridge and the centre of Bristol itself.

Concept of the event

The Run Rider is an off-road duathlon where participants start of with an off-road run, then change to the bike for an off-road ride before finishing on a second running leg. The distance varies depending on category. Competitors are either entering as solo athletes (doing all the legs of the event) or as pairs. The event is entirely run off road.

Courses

The Bristol Run Rider combines a beautiful yet challenging running lap with one of the best mountain bike courses in the country.

Ashton Court is home to a variety of running and cycling events and has gained a national reputation of being one of the most beautiful city event locations the UK has to offer.

The running course is approx. 5.4km long and features approx. 145m of climbing. The course is a mixture of grass tracks, single dirt tracks, gravel roads and a very small bit of tarmac.

The cycling course in Ashton Court has been made famous through the Bristol Bikefest and the Bristol Oktoberfest. Both events are relay mountain bike event where competitors complete as many laps as possible in a certain time frame. The Bikefest which is now over 10 years a solid force in the UK cycling calendar attracts up to 1,500 riders who just can’t get enough of the well flowing and fun packed Ashton Court course. The cycling course is approx. 9km long with approx. 155m of climbing in it. The purpose build all weather course offers a combination of dirt single tracks, gravel climbs, grassy double tracks and heaps of fun.

Both courses are open all year. They are not marked but if riders/runners get the chance to visit Ashton Court prior to the event you will get a great feel for the terrain and for the two courses.

The Run Rider offers two different course lengths so that beginners and well as duathlon regulars can match an enjoyable distance to their abilities.

Earn your special OMM Event Tech Tee

Each Run Rider will be rewarded with an OMM Event Tech Tee (worth £ 25) when crossing the finish line.

Who is supporting the Run Rider?

The Run Rider is supported by OMM, VDO, Moti, ZeroG, For Goodness Shakes, 220 Triathlon and Out of Hand.

The Standard Run Rider – a challenging but manageable introduction to off road duathlons.

Competitors will start of with a 5.4km running route (approx. 145m of climbing), followed by 2 laps of the 9km long (approx. 155m of climbing per lap) mountain bike course bringing their event to an end in a further 5.4km running lap (approx. 145m of climbing).

Over all race distance: approx. 28.8km

Over all climbing: 600m

Entry fee: SOLO £28 PAIRS £40

The Classic Run Rider – not for the faint hearted.

Competitors will start of with two 5.4km running laps (approx. 145m of climbing per lap), followed by 3 laps of the 9km long (approx. 155m of climbing per lap) mountain bike course bringing their event to an end in a further 5.4km running lap (approx. 145m of climbing).

Over all race distance: approx. 45.2km

Over all climbing: 900m

Entry fee: SOLO £32 PAIRS £44

How to enter and further information

For further details on the event as well as for entry facilities please go to www.runrider.co.uk as well as the Run Rider Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Run-Rider-The-Bristol-Off-Road-Duathlon/202742976439125).