The Vitruvian

06 September 2008
Competitors: 1000
1900m Swim - 85km Bike - 21km Run

The Vitruvian is fast becoming a legendary race within the triathlon community. In 2007, we received over 1000 for a race limit of 800. This year, we have increased the race limit to 1000 but again expect it to fill in record time. Don't worry if you don't get in though, do the same as hundreds of others and support the wannabe Vitruvians. We estimate there were over a thousand supports around the course and that's what makes this event so special!!

The Vitruvian is still a race that will be even tougher to finish than it is to pronounce or even get into. Starting with an initial 1900 metre swim which sets the standard for the rest of the race. The following 84km bike which includes two climbs over the notorious Rutland Ripple and incorporates nearly 1000m of climbing is just the second stage of suffering before the 21km run gets under way just to finish things off. The good news is at least the run is flat.

Whilst closely related in distance to what are commonly referred to as half Ironman or a middle distance triathlon, the Vitruvian is devoutly none of the above for the simple reason that it is neither common and nor is there anything half or middleing about this event. This is a full on tough quad crunching, lung buster of a race that will push even the toughest of the longer distance triathletes to the limit.

As for the name, that's simple. The term Vitruvian stems from Leonardo Da Vinci's attempt to demonstrate through the study of art and mathematics that it is possible to establish perfect human proportions.

In direct contrast to Da Vinci, and having devised one of the toughest courses in the UK, we believe that you do not need to possess perfect dimensions to be a Vitruvian, but you will need to be in good shape to finish it.