This raises a very interesting point:
What if John and the 3 peaks organisers looked into the possibility of organising other races in the same style-perhaps in other parts of the country?
There is simply nothing like this race.
I have recently done a couple of the CX Sportives run by the people who do Trailbreak events
http://www.cxsportive.comThey are great fun, but don't involve the carrying/climbing element.