Race the Sun | Lake District Keswick Off-Road
Sat 6 Sep 2025 Keswick, Cumbria, UK Fundraising required Cancelled

Race the Sun | Lake District Keswick Off-Road

An incredible dawn-to-dusk triple challenge off-road through the Lake District for teams of 2 or 4 to bike, hike and paddle in a race against the setting sun.

  • Sat 6 Sep 2025
  • Fundraising required
  • Cancelled
Old Pencil Factory, Keswick

Race the Sun | Lake District Keswick Off-Road

08:00

Age 16 & over

Pairs entry fee

£49.50

Minimum sponsorship

£950.00

Team entry fee

£99.00

Minimum sponsorship

£1900.00

  • 0.5 day mountain biking
  • 10.5 miles hiking
  • 2 miles kayaking

Overview

A new triathlon-style team challenge for 2024! 

Get together with friends and/or workmates to Race the Sun in the stunning Lake District National Park and round-off summer in style.

Highlights

  • Team triple challenge

    Race the Sun through stunning Lake District by bike, canoe and on foot.

  • Conquer Skiddaw

    Summit the mountain which dominates the skyline of this area for great views.

  • Twos or fours

    Ideal for pairs, couples and groups of friends, family and colleagues.

  • Challenge leaders

    Equipment and guidance is included so you can focus on the task in hand.

  • Mental and physical health

    Set an achievable goal for 2024 and stay motivated with your training.

  • Top organisation

    Brought to you by one of the most experienced charity events teams ever.

  • Action Medical Research

    Race for a reason and save the lives of sick babies and children.

Event video

  • Newcomers
  • Spectators
  • Teams

Who is it for?

Race the Sun serves up enough adventure to challenge those looking to lay down a fast time, as well as those who just want a fun, exhilarating day with friends and family. 

pairs
Pairs
teams of 4
Teams of 4

It's achievable by people with a reasonable fitness level who are prepared to train beforehand. The more you train, the more you’ll enjoy it.

It’s a great incentive to get fit and work different muscles, knowing you’re raising funds for an excellent cause at the same time.

Bike type

Gravel bike, hard-tail mountain bike or e-bike. Not road or hybrid bikes.

You will provide your own bike which should be in good working order. Getting your bike serviced before the event is recommended.

On-site bike mechanics will be available at registration on Friday evening, and throughout the event to help with mechanical issues encountered on the event.

In the interests of fairness using an e-bike means the entire team will not be eligible for any of the ‘fastest team’ award categories.

Please ensure to carry spare batteries, or other spares specific to e-bikes, as these may not be available from the bike mechanics.

Prefer to ride on road? View the on-road challenge

  • Bag storage
  • Free parking
  • Mountains
  • Rural
  • Toilets

Event HQ

Old Pencil Factory
Main Street
Keswick
Cumbria
CA12 5NH
UK

  • First aid
  • Food stations
  • Marshals
  • Mountainous
  • Out and back
  • Undulating
  • Water stations

Stage 1 - Bike

Setting off at sunrise, you will embark on a bike ride that takes in the exciting mixed terrain of Keswick.

Skiddaw, one of the highest mountains in the UK, will offer a stunning backdrop to the ride and a reminder that you’ll soon be heading for the summit on foot!

Once you've completed this thrilling off-road course will you head back to base in Keswick to change and refuel before starting on the next phase of the challenge!

mountain bike

Stage 2 - Hike 10.5 miles

The 10.5 mile round trip begins with a steep walk up to Latrigg, a small hill on the outskirts of Keswick.

From here the slopes get steeper as the path zig-zags upwards. Before long you will be standing on the summit of Skiddaw which has an altitude of 931m. From the summit, you will have a bird's eye view of the cycle route and Derwentwater below where the water phase takes place.

hiking

Stage 3 - Paddle 2 miles

A short walk from the event hub takes teams to the shores of Derwentwater.

Launching from the open air theatre, the home of the Keswick Mountain Film Festival, teams set out on a 2-mile circular route on the Lake District's third largest lake. No canoe or kayak experience is necessary, and everything you need will be provided.

kayaking

Once completed, all that's left is a short walk to the finish line for a well-deserved drink and a celebratory BBQ!

Sustainability

  • Public transport links

  • Chip timing
  • GPS tracking
  • Medal
  • Post-race meal

Included

what's included
  • Challenge leaders and marshals
  • Safety briefing
  • Way-marked route
  • Canoes/kayaks, paddles, buoyancy aids
  • Changeover stations with drinks and snacks
  • BBQ and celebratory drink at the finish
  • First aid support
  • Bike mechanics
  • Timing tracker
  • GPX route files
  • Inspirational fundraising support/materials
  • Finishers medal
  • Team awards

Not Included

  • Bikes & helmets
  • Accommodation if required
  • Travel to and from the event
  • Personal clothing
  • Personal spending money
  • Insurance

Bikes & helmets

Gravel bike, hard-tail mountain bike or e-bike. Not road or hybrid bikes.

You will provide your own bike which should be in good working order. Getting your bike serviced before the event is recommended.

On-site bike mechanics will be available at registration on Friday evening, and throughout the event to help with mechanical issues encountered on the event.

E-bikes

In the interests of fairness using an e-bike means the entire team will not be eligible for any of the ‘fastest team’ award categories.

Please ensure to carry spare batteries, or other spares specific to e-bikes, as these may not be available from the bike mechanics.

  • Fundraising materials
  • Fundraising required
  • Fundraising support
  • Submit fundraising up to 1 month after event

Sponsorship target

The training and fundraising are part of the challenge!

  • Each challenger will pay the registration fee and commit to raising the sponsorship target
  • A team of 2 people would need to fundraise £950
  • A team of 4 people would need to fundraise £1,900
  • Your team can have a joint fundraising page so it's a team effort

Action Medical Research

Race the Sun is organised by children’s charity, Action Medical Research.

By taking part, not only will you have a great time with first-class support throughout the day, but you’ll also be helping to raise vital funds to help sick and disabled babies and children.

baby
RACE FOR A REASON
Race for children like Jack

Jack was born extremely prematurely at 25 weeks, weighing just 1lb 15oz.

He needed oxygen, help with his breathing and feeding tubes to survive. He suffered a collapsed lung and brain bleeds and contracted the potentially deadly bowel infection necrotising enterocolitis. Jack went on to endure many more serious health problems and spent four and a half months in hospital fighting to survive before he was finally allowed home. Jack's mum is so grateful for the work that Action does:

It is so important that studies like those funded by Action Medical Research are done. Without research, we wouldn’t have medical advances, and Jack probably wouldn’t be here.

  • Age 16 & over
  • Entries closed
  • Enter online
  • Fundraising required
  • Series discount

Keswick Weekender

There's now the option to take part in both Keswick challenges over the weekend:

  • Keswick (road) - Saturday 7 September
  • Keswick (off-road) - Sunday 8 September
     

Teams will only pay one registration fee (and they can still apply the 50% discount as well), and have a combined fundraising target of £3,000 for 4-person teams, and £1,500 for 2-person teams. 

I can highly recommend getting involved with an Action event, not only for participation in a personally challenging event, but also to support a very deserved charity. I will definitely participate again in the future!

We had a fantastic weekend, and loved the novelty of doing 3 different disciplines. What took the event from being really good to being really special was the atmosphere created by the Action staff and the other participants who were all incredible!

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