Don’t look any further than the Blenheim Palace Triathlon if you’re looking to get your fitness back on track. It’s the only triathlon in the world to take place in a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and welcomes over 7,000 keen participants of all ages and abilities to swim, bike and run around the spectacular route.

The Blenheim Palace Triathlon is the UK’s second-largest triathlon (the largest is Royal Windsor Triathlon). It starts with a beginner-friendly, fresh lake open water swim, followed by a gentle undulating bike course and finishes with an inspiring scenic run around the Queen’s pool. There will be four different challenges across the weekend (28 – 29th May), which will appeal to pros and first-timers. What’s more, with a line-up of activities, you can turn the weekend into a great day out with a group of friends or for the whole family.

The Four Challenges
The Super Sprint distance consists of a 400m swim, a 13.3km bike ride and a 2.9km run, while the Sprint distance is a 750m swim, a 19.8km Bike – 5.4km Run. The course covers a fresh lake open water swim, a gently undulating bike course, and a picturesque run around the Queen’s Pool.

If you’re new to triathlons, you may want to consider entering as a Team Relay. A great introduction to triathlon, the concept is straightforward where one person swims, a second bikes and a third runs in turn. The ‘baton’ (timing chip) is passed between teammates in transition. All members can meet at the ‘team meeting point’ to cross the finish line together and take an obligatory selfie to celebrate teamwork. The distance covered is the same as the Sprint distance.

However, the ultimate test of endurance is the Weekend Warrior, which the pros among you may like to consider. Warriors must complete as many triathlons as possible during racing hours across both days of the event weekend.

The winner is the Warrior who completes the most. In 2020, a new Weekend Warrior record was set by Stephen Mott, who completed a mind-boggling 11 back-to-back Sprint triathlons in one weekend.

Get The Children Involved
It’s not fair to let the adults have all the fun, so why not get the children involved? Offspring can join in and let off steam with the Blenheim Palace Kids Duathlon Challenge. Hosted by Active Training World, the challenge is for children of all abilities aged between four to 14.

They can take on a 400m run and 800m bike laps to earn a medal, certificate, and a chance to top the leader boards. And once the children have had their fitness fun, there are plenty of places for everyone to enjoy a picnic, soak up the festival atmosphere and even factor in time to explore the historic palace.

In 2021 the youngest participant taking part was aged just 16, with the oldest aged 80. The divide between male and female participants was 60 – 40 per cent, respectively. Each year many of the entrants prefer to sweat for the causes that move them. Those wishing to take this path will be interested to learn that Cancer Research UK is the exclusive charity partner for the event.

Blenheim Palace has a fascinating history. It was built between 1705-24 by the English Parliament as a national gift to John Churchill- the 1st duke of Marlborough. Churchill was responsible for leading the English to victory over the French and the Bavarians at the Battle of Blenheim in Germany in 1704. With impressive grounds seeped in so much history, it’s no wonder the Blenheim Palace Triathlon is regarded as one of the country’s most iconic races and one people should tick off their list. Up for a challenge? You’re always only ever, just one step away from making a difference to yourself and others.

Blenheim Palace Triathlon – Where and How?

The Blenheim Palace Triathlon takes place at The Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, OX20 1PP on 28 – 29 May 2022, and the event is on between the hours of 08:00 am – 17:00 pm. For more information and ticket prices, visit Blenheimpalacetriathlon.com.

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