The Run Rider – The Bristol Off Road Duathlon

Press Release / 22.09.2011

The Run Rider 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 popular Bristol Oktoberfest (<a href="#" onClick="javascript:newsitewindow('http://www.bike-fest.com')" class="main">www.bike-fest.com</a>) 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 the 16th 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.

The location for the Run Rider will be Ashton Court, Bristol, which is just a stone throw away from the Clifton Suspension Bridge and the centre of Bristol itself.

The Run Rider is a 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 2nd running leg. (The event is entirely run off road.) The distance varies depending on the category and competitors are either entering as solo athletes (doing all the legs of the event) or as pairs.

<b>Courses</b>

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 built 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 they 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.