Almost 1,200 athletes took to the water, roads and footpaths of Cumbria on Sunday for the county’s biggest Lakesman triathlon yet.
There was relief as the high temperatures of recent weeks dropped a little as the individuals and relay teams completed their challenge.
The Lakesman course, which starts and finishes in Keswick, involves a 2.4-mile swim in Derwentwater, a 112-mile cycle around West Cumbria, then a full marathon run of 26.2 miles.
There’s a half-distance challenge too with a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile cycle and a 13.1-mile run. The elite athletes finish the full course in around eight-and-a-half hours, with those with less experienced taking up to 16-and-a-half hours to complete the route. The half distance athletes begin to cross the line in around four-and-a-half hours.
Though the main race was on the Sunday, the fun started on Friday night with a swim sponsored by Maryport’s Eddie Shimmings store.
Then on Saturday it was the Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors’ Lakesmini race for the children of Lakesman competitors, followed by the Budgie Run, a loud and chaotic jog with participants in ‘budgie smuggler’ swimwear.
Most of the competitors and their families and supporters stay in Cumbria for three nights which brings a boost to the local economy. Last year that was estimated at around £2 million.
The event partners are Cumberland Council and GLL, with additional sponsorship from nutrition giant PowerBar, swim sponsorship from Interfresh and volunteer sponsorship from David Allen Accountants.
Event organiser Marie Whitehead, co-founder and race director of the Lakesman, said: “It’s seven years since the first Lakesman and the event just gets better and better. It was great to see so many of our 100 Club athletes on the course too – they’ve been with us since day one and keep coming back for more!
“We talk a lot about the Lakesman ‘family’ and they surpassed themselves again this year. They’re our amazing volunteers who work tirelessly on site and out on the streets of West Cumbria, the very vocal supporters around the swim, bike and run courses, the core team who use their expertise and enthusiasm to make sure every athlete is as safe and fast as they can be, and our brilliant sponsors who make sure the whole thing happens. We cannot thank them all enough.”
