UK multisport race organiser One Step Beyond (OSB) is now open fully for next year, with 2012 set to be its ‘biggest ever season’. In 2012 OSB will be organising over 60 events; these include the multi award winning Outlaw Triathlon – which (at the time of writing) had less than 50 entries left.
In addition, OSB is organising TATA Kids Of Steel, the series of 24 nationwide schools triathlons on behalf of British Triathlon; and a new flagship Cambridge Half Marathon event, which sold all of its 3000 slots within a week. OSB is also expanding its range of events and locations. The first race in early February, Mud N Madness is based in Essex.
Mud N Madness
Starting the 2012 season early, on 4 February, Mud N Madness is OSB’s ‘very first serious adventure challenge’. Having spent two days designing the course at Stubbers Adventure Centre, the team at OSB is convinced this event has something to challenge everyone. Interestingly, when OSB had a ‘triathlete versus adventurer’ challenge, the ‘adventurers’ only won it by 20 seconds.
The Triathlon Show 2012
Next OSB moves further south, to visit The Triathlon Show at Sandown Park taking place on the first weekend of March (2-4 March 2012). Formerly the TCR Show, OSB will again have its own stand at the UK’s number one multisport event. The OSB team is also again organising the Saucony 10K around the famous Sandown race course.
Cambridge Half Marathon
Just one week later on 11 March, OSB is then in Cambridge for its first ever Cambridge Half Marathon. Billed as ‘a truly legendary race in the making’, the fully closed-road half marathon takes in all the sights and sounds of Cambridge city centre. The event filled within one week with 3000 entries. There are a few relay team entries still available but OSB expects these to fill soon.
Clumber Classic Duathlon
After a short break, OSB returns to one of its favourite venues, Clumber Park for the Clumber Classic Duathlon on Saturday 24 March. For the 12th year, this early season run-bike-run event will be taking place in the beautiful location of Clumber Park and the rural rolling roads of north Nottinghamshire. And again, OSB will be offering two separate distances, the sprint and the standard.
David Lloyd Lincoln Triathlon
The next event is the start of OSB’s triathlon season – kicking off at the David Lloyd Lincoln Triathlon, Race 1 in the Midlands Sprint Triathlon Series. On Sunday 24 April, OSB will be based at the luxury David Lloyd Health Club just a couple of miles from Lincoln city centre.
Mansion House Duathlon
One week later, on Saturday 28 April, OSB returns south to Mansion House, Bedfordshire, for the Mansion House Duathlon. This is another of OSB’s new events for 2012, and is run in partnership with Tri One. A stunning venue and a unique kind of event, the Mansion House is located within 500 acres of magnificent parkland, most of which will be visited during the run-bike-run event. Most of the run course will be off-road, to enjoy the Mansion House grounds, whilst the bike course will be road-based using local rural and country lanes.
Southwell Sprint Triathlon
For the 16th year, on Sunday 13 May, OSB will be back in Southwell for the Southwell Sprint Triathlon. Race 2 in the Midlands Sprint Series should attract over 600 athletes, with as many as 200 novices.
The Nottingham Triathlon Weekend
Next is OSB’s big weekend, The Nottingham Triathlon Weekend, based at the National Water Sports Centre, a perfect closed road venue for triathlon. The weekend includes a number of events – starting with the VUE Emergency Services Triathlon at midday on Friday 25 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 GMT. This will be followed by the British Universities Championships that will be taking place on Sunday, including an elite drafting wave and a mass participation wave.
Woodhall Spa Triathlon
On 3 June OSB will be visiting the 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 mixture of relaxation and recreation. The swim takes place in a 33 metre, heated outdoor pool, before then progressing to the bike section, along beautiful virtually traffic free country lanes and very flat for fast bike splits. The run course is straightforward and equally flat. According to OSB, ‘this event gets more and more popular, and in 2011 attracted over 500 competitors.’
The Lakeside Triathlon
Two weeks later, on Sunday 17 June, OSB returns to Essex and arguably one of the most unique venues 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, is overlooked by numerous cafes and bars. The bike and run courses use surrounding roads, with a totally closed road run course. Entries are very limited on this event, up to 500.
Award winning Outlaw Triathlon
On the first weekend in July, OSB returns a second time to the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham for its major event of the season: the multiple award winning Outlaw Triathlon. Taking place on 1 July 2012, the iron distance Outlaw is an iconic event on the UK tri calendar. The weekend also sees the Speedo Big Swim take place on Saturday 30 June 2012, with a choice of 1500 metres, 3000 metres or 5000 metres swim distances – and swimmers can choose to wear a wetsuit or not.
Club Relays
Then on the last weekend in August, the Bank Holiday, OSB returns to the National Water Sports Centre for the third time in 2012. The Club Relays is the company’s biggest triathlon event of the year. In 2011 over 2400 people took part.
Rother Valley Triathlon Festival
Moving into September, OSB has the Rother Valley Triathlon Festival taking place on 15-16 September at the 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.
Esendex Last Minute Sprint Triathlon
One week later, on 23 September, OSB returns to Southwell for a repeat of its pool sprint triathlon, the Esendex Last Minute Sprint Triathlon. The event is positioned as ‘a great opportunity to test whether you are fitter and faster at the end of the 2012 season.’ As the company points out, ‘our Last Minute event historically has always attracted more competitors than our early season version, not sure why, but we don’t complain!’
The Running Show 2012
After over one month’s rest, OSB then returns to Sandown Park on the weekend of 27-28 October. This time it is for The Running Show. Whether a complete newbie or a seasoned runner, the Running Show features seminars, workshops and the finest kit from top brands in running. OSB will have its own stand, and again will be organising another Saucony 10K around the famous race course.
Robin Hood Adventure Challenge
On 11 November, for OSB’s final event of 2012, the company hops, skips & jumps to Sherwood Pines Forest Park in north Nottinghamshire for the Robin Hood Adventure Challenge. As the company points out, ‘We really love this event and 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 paths of Sherwood Forest. This is followed by a Children’s 2K ‘stampede’! The day is finished off with a 10K forest trail run using the beautiful paths inside Sherwood Pines.
