The nightmare of 2024 still stings in the legs of British triathletes, and the shadow of a forced duathlon is once again looming over Holme Pierrepont. With just days to go before the Outlaw Triathlon Festival kicks off, the endurance community is holding its breath following reports of blue-green algae in the regatta lake—the same venue where, two seasons ago, organizers were forced to scrap the swim leg just ten hours before the starting gun.
British Championships Under the Microscope
This year, the stakes are twice as high. Nottingham isn't just another date on the calendar; the Outlaw Original—the 226km flagship distance—is doubling down by hosting the British and English Long Distance Championships. This has resulted in one of the deepest and most competitive age-group start lists in a decade. Purists of non-drafting racing and the aero-tuck know that any change to the water segment would undermine a battle for national titles that is expected to be a total dogfight.
The 'Middle' Debut and the Record Hunt
While the main focus remains on the full distance, the big news this year is the debut of the Outlaw Middle within the July festival. Following the stratospheric course record set in May by Cormac Nisbet (3:48:47)—a former pro cyclist with Soudal-Quickstep Devo—the pressure to fly across the Nottinghamshire tarmac is at an all-time high. The course is an invitation to steady watts: a 180km bike leg (or 90km for the half) that, while marketed as fast, hides those leg-breaker rollers that punish the quads before the marathon.
The weather forecast predicts unusually high temperatures for the Midlands, adding a critical factor to nutrition management during the run. The four laps around the lake in the Outlaw Original can become a true psychological wall if the mercury rises and the headwind on the rowing canal decides to show up. There are no single tracks or technical trails here; just the raw asphalt, cruise pace, and the grit to cross the iconic orange carpet without bonking.