A person with white hair is standing in an outdoor pool, wearing a black swim cap with a rubber duck and a small bucket on top. Colorful triangular flags are strung in the background, above the pool. The person is smiling and pulling a string of small rubber ducks.

Best of British

Us Brits regard eccentric behaviour as a positive trait and unsurprisingly the UK race calendar reflects our love of the obscure.

1 / Cold Water Swimming Championships 2019

Are you thrill to the chill? Brave the icy depths of Tooting Bec Lido in our series of races: freestyle, breaststroke, relays. This biennial event has become a must for cold water swimmers, attracting both experienced swimmers and those trying it for the first time. Age and ability are no barrierโ€ฆ with waterโ€ฆ
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2 / The UK Wife Carrying Race

Wife carrying could have originated in the UK when Viking raiders rampaged the North East coast of England, most likely carrying off unwilling local wenches! Wife carrying was re-introduced here by the UK Wife Carrying Race in 2008, after an absence from these shores of nearly 900 years. Males or females carry aโ€ฆ
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3 / Eroica Britannia

4,000 riders on pre-1987 bikes will gather once again in Bakewell, in the beautiful Peak District for 'The World's Most Handsome Bike Ride' - 3 routes in glorious, jaw-dropping, British scenery, resplendent in the English Summertime. Riders will observe 10 Commandments, such as: heroic bicycles only will be permitted;โ€ฆ
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4 / The Norfolk Superhero

A team event consisting of pairs of either male or female or mixed. Teams must complete the whole course together which involves swimming, kayaking, cycling and running.
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5 / The Swimmer Classic - March

Inspired by the John Cheever short story and Burt Lancaster film, 'The Swimmer' is a relaxed half-marathon journey from north to south through London's finest outdoor pools, parks and ponds. Four cold swims and 13 miles of running... Why not start your weekend with a little bit of an adventure?
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6 / Man v Horse Marathon

The Man v Horse Marathon came to be in June 1980 following a chat over a pint (or three) about the relative merits of men and horses running over mountainous terrain. The course was changed in 1982 to provide a more even match between the man and the horse, resulting year on year in very close finishes, but it took 25โ€ฆ
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