The inaugural Ful-On Duathlon hosted by Ful-On Tri Club will take place on Saturday 26th April 2008 at the MOD Test Track at Longcross near Chertsey in Surrey. The venue, which has been featured on Top Gear, offers closed roads and challenging hills to tempt the racing snakes amongst you. There will be two distances on offer: a full 5k run (2 laps) / 20k bike (4 laps) / 5k run (2 laps) or a half-distance: 2.5k run (1 lap) / 10k bike (2 laps) / 2.5k run (1 lap).

The race limit is 300 and there will be prizes for the first three men and women; first three male and female vets, along with team prizes (men: 4 to score; women: 3 to score) to promote a little inter-club rivalry. Online entries opened today through this link.

The use of a closed road circuit brings with it the benefit of racing on a Saturday with a very civilised start time of 9am. The venue is ideal with grass areas for easy spectating and ample parking. Refreshments such as teas, coffees, sandwiches and cakes are available for purchase at Race HQ, along with any last minute bike spares.

Each run lap goes around one corner of the flat test track perimeter road before turning down the vehicle suspension courses and taking a right turn up to the challenging 1:4 incline of the vehicle/tank test gradients! The run then eases back down the hill towards the Race HQ and transition area. There will be a water station before transition, with water available on each lap of the run.

Each lap of the bike course takes you round the flat perimeter road of the test circuit before turning up the "Snake Course" which is a hilly/undulating route through the middle. A sharp left hand turn back onto the perimeter road takes you on an out-and-back stretch of the route with a dead turn at the end, before you head back towards transition and completion of the lap.

Ful-On Tri will also be hosting the second Surrey Legs of Steel: Dave Aitchison Challenge Ride at Box Hill on Saturday 27th September with all profits going to the SportsAid Dave Aitchison Fund. Details can be found on the Ful-On Tri website.

Ed: If the headline means nothing to you then you haven't been around duathlon that long! The original Tank Traks duathlons (and the later Chain Breakers) all used the same venue with its legendary hills.