Triathlon great Alistair Brownlee will tackle one of fell running’s most iconic events this weekend – The Three Peaks Race.

Dubbed the ‘marathon with mountains’ it has been a fixture on the racing calendar since 1954 and it starts and finishes in Horton-in-Ribblesdale in the Yorkshire Dales.

It’s actually a little under marathon distance at 24.2 miles but that’s more than made up by the elevation gain of nearly 1,600 metres as the runners conquer the peaks of Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough.

The race is part of the World Mountain Running Ranking which showcases and rewards the best mountain running athletes and races.

Celebrations for 70th edition

Interruptions due to foot and mouth and Covid means the race this Saturday (26th April) will be the 70th edition – and there is a first-ever relay event to mark that fact, allowing more people to get a shorter taste of what is a tough event.

And Brownlee’s presence adds plenty of star quality on a weekend which is like no other for marathon runners in the UK, with both London and Manchester taking place the following day.

Alistair retired from triathlon at the end of last season after an unparalleled career which saw him became the only person to successfully defend the Olympic title.

And he vowed to throw himself into plenty of new challenges going forward, with this clearly ticking that box and relatively close to his Yorkshire base.

‘Can’t wait to get stuck in’

Writing on Instagram, Alistair said: “Looking forward to a new challenge this week.

“Training’s been going well and I’m looking forward to lining up for the Three Peaks Fell Race this Saturday.

“It’ll be the 70th edition of this race; it’s 24 miles across some of the most rugged and spectacular terrain in the Yorkshire Dales, with over 2,500 feet of climbing. A proper classic.

“Tough course, big hills, and a special atmosphere. Can’t wait to get stuck in.

“First of a few events I’ve got coming up over the next month or so, more on those soon.”