Getting Involved: A Great British Adventure

PUBLISHED: 1 SEPTEMBER 2026

The UK produces some of the world's finest athletes, along with some of the world's craziest sporting competitions. This book will take you to the valleys, the hills, and the villages where athletes compete for little-known titles. It is barking mad, but absolutely brilliant.

James dives headfirst into some of the UK’s most eccentric world championships – from cheese rolling and bog snorkelling to hen racing and beyond.

But this isn’t just a story about turning up; it’s about going all in, chasing the unlikely goal of becoming a bona fide world champion. Along the way, there are moments of glory, near misses, and more than a few spectacular failures.

To stay in fighting shape, James takes on ten of the toughest foot races in the UK. When he’s not wrestling in gravy or carrying his wife around a racetrack, he’s pushing himself further – tackling some of the highest mountains the UK has to offer.

James loves all sports and a good challenge. It was the combination of his passion for adventure and competition that led him to compete in some of the UK’s most eccentric sporting events.

James Holden was born in 1981 in Manchester. He has spent the best part of two decades travelling the world in search of adventure.

Size: 234mm x 156mm

Page count: 174 pages

ISBN: 9781780916705

Ebook ISBN: 9781781563618 (available on Amazon)