What’s the World’s Largest Duathlon?

On September 18, thousands of athletes will gather at Richmond Park for the London Duathlon, dubbed the “world’s largest duathlon.”

By my count, last year’s event drew nearly 2,000 athletes, most of which competed in the standard-distance du (10k-44k-5k). The event also includes a half duathlon (5k-22k-5k), an ultra duathlon (20k-77k-10k), a standard distance relay, and a 10k run (I didn’t count the run in my participant tally). For duathlon, that’s a large field!

For comparison, the USAT Duathlon National Championships in Bend, Oregon, saw nearly 600 finishers. The Apple Duathlon, one of the more popular events in the U.S., saw about 270 athletes this year. Compare that to major marathons that draw up to 20,000 people, or the popular Wildflower Triathlon, which has attracted up to 7,500 participants, and it’s clear that duathlon has some work to do in the numbers department.

It always has. For a glimpse into the UK’s state of duathlon, which provides a bit of history of the sport both in the UK and U.S., check out this article on 220 Triathlon.

Back to the London Duathlon. I’m sorry to say, it’s pretty much sold out. With a commitment to raise £400 for one of the event’s charity partners, you can run as a charity entrant. You can also compete as a member of a club or as part of a corporate team. Already running? Set a goal and race for free in 2017. The London Du has a PB Race Free promotion where if you beat your time from a previous year in 2016, they’ll give you a free pass into 2017.

Congrats to the race organizers for putting on what looks like a fantastic event! If I lived closer (much closer), I would be there!