Are you up for 105 miles on the South West Coastal path?

Yes that’s 105 miles between Haytor an Dartmoor and Plymouth on September 11,12 and 13 2008. The path has an incredible 10000m of ascent/descent – more than Everest in just 100 miles! So every mile you climb 100m and of course…..

It’s a RAW event because it is in the RAW format of camping and self sufficiency. The scenery is terrific,the landscape awesome and the challenge simply breathtaking. There is a granite tramway , sand,   sea  and cliffs……lots of them on this event. The path is in places treacherous and the River Estuary section provides particularly unusual running conditions. There is nothing quite like it.

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www.mobcoast.com

Event Profile
Distance: 105 miles over 3 days
Surface: Trail and Coastal Footpath
Route: Point to Point
Setting: South West Coastal Path
Profile: Hilly – Severe in places
Traffic Free: Yes

Picnics in the park? Unbelievable flora and fauna? Spectacular views on both the run and bike route? We must be at this year’s 2008 Chelsea and Westminster Health Charity London Duathlon. This is the event we all get excited about at the end of the season and the perfect way for triathletes and duathletes alike to round off in style.

Richmond Park is a beautiful place, once the base of the royal court of Charles II and still home to hundreds of deer. Cyclists love to come and train within these picturesque surrounding, but there is only one day each year that the park is closed to vehicles (well.. motor vehicles). The Chelsea and Westminster Health Charity London Duathlon is a landmark event and a must for all fitness enthusiasts and first time duathletes looking for a new challenge. Run-Bike-Run around the challenging yet accessible course, then celebrate with a glass of wine within of the UKs finest parks.

www.thelondonduathlon.com

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Run to the Beat offers a truly, genuinely, comprehensively, unique event experience.  On paper it is a half marathon; however, it is so much more than that.  We have teamed up with a scientist who has studied the impact that music has on sport for over 20 years.  His ultimate conclusion is that by listening to the right music (in training and competition) we can improve our times by up to 20%.  As a result, we will be working with all our entries to help build up the correct music to listen to when training.  Then, come event day, we will be playing live and recorded music in the right place around the course, at the right time to inspire all the runners along the way.  The start and finish will be at The O2 Arena which will offer music, entertainment and more before, during and after the event.  It will become London’s first half marathon and will all take place in the  Borough Greenwich with a course that goes past three 2012 Olympic sites and through a the Royal Park of Greenwich. 

www.runtothebeat.co.uk

Ford Ironman 70.3 Hawaii, held on the beautiful Big Island of Hawaii. The Kohala Coast will see athletes competing in this prestigious Triathlon. This event forms part of the world series. For information on the Ironman events held around the world, go to IRONMAN

3.8k Spring of Life swim • 180k bike • 42.2k run - Full marathon

The swim leg is in the crystal blue waters of Hapuna Beach Beach Park on the Kohala Coast of the Big Island. Hapuna means `Spring of Life` in Hawaiian and athletes will feel the energy in this beautiful and serene bay.

The Hawaii bike course is often described as both challenging and inspiring. The scenic route follows the northern half of the famous Ford Ironman World Championship bike course along the legendary Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway up to Hawi and then returns to the transition point for the run.

Beautiful doesn't begin to describe the marathon course as it winds through the breathtaking Mauna Lani resort grounds. It is the only opportunity the athletes will ever have to run on the gorgeous fairways of a world-class resort golf course without getting arrested! From rolling hills of perfectly green grass, to feeling the ocean breezes in their faces along the the stunning coastal bay, this run is truly a journey through paradise. The run then heads all the way out to the finish line at the Petroglyph Park.

For more race information and entry forms, go to IRONMAN HAWAII

Live tracking of this event will begin at 0600hrs local time.

The FREEDOM CHALLENGE is a mountain bike trail running across South Africa, focussing on remoteness and engendering a sense of wilderness. It is a fascinating ride, is fully serviced but ridden unsupported, and delivers tangible economic benefits to rural communities in a responsible and sustainable manner. Watch 40 top riders competing in this encredible endurance event, where navigation and stamina skills are tested to the limit.
Monday, 16 June - Monday, 21 July

THE ROUTE

MIDLANDS - Pietermaritzburg - Byrne - Hella Hella
Riders leave from Pietermaritzburg, heading through the Bisley Nature Reserve, and down to Baynesfield Estate which leads up to the Minerva Nature Reserve. A descent through the natural forest and into Byrne is followed by forestry roads and a dirt road descent to the Hella Hella crossing over the Umkomaas River.

SIZONKE - Hella Hella - Creighton - Ntsikeni - Swartberg - Taylerville - Matatiele
Riders begin with a climb up to Eastwolds before detouring up to Donnybrook and heading to the Centacow Mission Station through forestry plantations. A track over the Ngwangwane runs through to Riverside, after which dirt roads through villages lead the riders to the Ntsikeni Nature Reserve support station. After the support station, single track and dirt road lead to the Swartberg and down to the Umzimvubu River towards Taylerville before Matatiele comes into sight.

MALUTI - Matatiele - Mehloding - Malekhalonyane - Naude's Nek - Rhodes
After Matatiele, villages, mission stations and cattle tracks lead the riders below the escarpment of the Maluti Drakensberg to the Malekhalonyane Lodge near Ongeluksnek. Afterwards, the tracks hug the escarpment, heading towards the Vuvu support station, and then down, alongside the Tina River. A major climb up to the top of the Drakensberg escarpment in the Naudes Nek area before a dirt road descent into the small town of Rhodes.

SOUTHERN DRAKENSBERG & STORMBERG - Rhodes - Bottlenek - Vaalhoek - Dordrecht - Pronskraal - Brosterlea - Hofmeyr
From Rhodes the riders face a roller coaster of steep ascents and fast descents through valleys before reaching Bottlenek. A picturesque to the Rytjiesvlakte before a single track crossing of the Southern Drakensberg takes them to the Vaalhoek Valley. More sharp climbs and steep descents take the riders to the Dordrecht. A dramatic single track crossing over the Bamboesberge, followed by steep dirt road into the Great Karoo and into the town of Hofmeyr.

GREAT KAROO - Hofmeyr - Allemanspoort - Mountain Zebra National Park - Swaershoek - Pearston - Karoopoort - Darlington Dam - Kleinpoort - Groot Rivier
The route heads towards Craddock, through farms before crossing the Great Fish River, emerging at the entrance to the Mountain Zebra National Park - where ironically, the longest single stretch of tar road on the entire length of the trail is to be found! A portage, push and climb takes riders out of the park followed by an exhilarating farm track descent and into the valley of the Little Fish River and on towards Pearston. Outside Pearston riders turn off to travel along the Karoopoort, down to the Darlington Dam in the Addo Elephant National Park and onwards to the Groot Rivier.

BAVIAANSKLOOF - GrootRivierpoort - Cambria - Studtis - Willowmore
After crossing the Groot River near the farm Bucklands a dirt road runs to the foothills of the Baviaanskloof Mountains before doubling back and climbing steeply to the Osseberg jeep track and sliding back down into the Baviaanskloof, with its abundant game and lush valleys. On to Cambria the route follows a series of climbs and descents interspersed with flat sections, a support station in the valley bottom, before finally emerging from the Baviaanskloof and continuing to the town of Willowmore.

SWARTBERG - Willowmore - Prince Albert - Vleiland - Anysberg
From Willowmore the dirt roads take riders through the Soetendalspoort and westwardsalongside the Droeberge to the town of Prince Albert. From there, rider head up the Swartberg pass, through Gamkaskloof support station, up The Ladder with a push through to the Bosluiskoof road to the Vleiland settlement, finally picking up the Ladismith road into the Anysberg Nature Reserve.

LITTLE KAROO & BREEDE RIVER VALLEY - Anysberg - Montague - MacGregor - Rawsonville
Riders continuing westwards through the Anysberg Nature Reserve, before turning southwards on a long, gradual downhill to Hoek-van-die-Berg and into Montague. The scenic Coegmanskloof to Ashton, a combination of tar roads, farm tracks and dirt roads takes riders through to MacGregor. From there the route picks up an old ox wagon route that running on the northern side of the Riviersonderend Mountains before dropping down and around the Brandvlei Dam where it runs into Rawsonville.

CAPE - Rawsonville - Paarl
From Rawsonville, riders head up to the Stettynskloof Dam. This is followed by the most testing part of the entire race. From the Dam there is a ten kilometre (8-10 hour portage) up the Stettyns Valley to emerge on the Elandspad jeep track in the Du Toitskloof mountains before descending to the foot of the Du Toits Kloof Pass. Its then up the Pass and down single track to Paarl.

In 2007, the BULL OF AFRICA did not materialise, however this year, it is back with a vengeance! Described as a race that will 'change your way of living, forever ...', it will take some of the best AR teams in the world on a journey into the heart of SA`s adventure paradise, the Eastern Cape - a largely undamaged natural enviroment with isolated, rugged and lonely areas, but also filled with magical wilderness, glorious coastline, solitude and quiet.

This race will give the international teams a chance to discover that natural beauty and wildlife, as well as the friendly people and rich cultural influences, from Settlers to Xhosa, found in the tapestry of towns in the area.
It is an opportunity for all teams to follow the drum of Africa, feel the bright sun, see the clear starlit nights, breathe the mountain and ocean breezes, be awe-struck by the natural beauty, and, most of all, embark on a personal journey that will be a milestone in their lives.

The stage is set for an epic adventure! The unsupported aspect of BULL of Africa captures the essence of a true expedition. As a member of the AR World Series, BULL of Africa is a qualifying event for the Adventure Race World Championship.
The BULL will cross 570km of diverse terrain, from the majestic Amatole Mountains to the rugged Transkei coastline, including the remote Eastern Cape rolling hills and country side in between. The variety of terrains is enormous, encompassing mountains, forests, waterfalls, grasslands, estuaries, dams, lakes, rivers and rugged coastline.

The Amatole Mountains are shrouded in mystery and are steeped in the history of Xhosa culture. Teams will thrive on the mountain biking, hiking and kayaking here. The Wild Coast, is as close to an untouched paradise as is possible beaches stretching for miles and miles. The area is unique, filled with adventure opportunities and age-old Xhosa traditions and customs, which Teams will have the privilege of experiencing.

For a detailed list of all the teams, and other information on the race, go to BULL OF AFRICA.

A multi-day, multi-discipline event, covering 180km's of scenic and remote countryside. Full event details will follow. To find out more, or enter the event, go to Eden Challenge