EXPOSURE LIGHTS BIG NIGHT OUT event Ruthin 18th September 2010

The EXPOSURE LIGHTS BIG NIGHT OUT night marathon has been part of the MTB-Marathon series for more than six years now. And for 2010 we are not only running the round in Builth Wells (10th April) which is the opener to the season, but we will also run a EXPOSURE LIGHTS BIG NIGHT OUT night marathon at the final round of the series in Ruthin.

Following the same concept as the spring round the autumn round will take place on the Saturday night of the event weekend and will be followed by the day marathon on Sunday morning.

The EXPOSURE LIGHTS BIG NIGHT OUT, introduced to the MTB Marathon Series in 2004 has since found lots of fans amongst the marathon and 24 hour riders. Since the start of ‘marathon night riding’ more and more riders have given this rather different and unique event a try to test themselves and their equipment against the elements. For a course, John will be putting together an approximately 40km long loop full of fast flowing double track sections, sweet single track, as well as some open moreland and forest roads to make this event a real challenge without taking the chance of a weekend double (riding the event on both days - £15 discount if you enter the ride both days) away.  
The ELBNO night marathon (18th September 2010) will take place on the same weekend and will be based at the same location as the main Ruthin marathon (19th September 2010). Both events are part of the newly titled sponsored, Chain Reaction Cycles MTB Marathon Series 2010.
Camping will be available (included in the entry fee) from Friday night through to Monday morning at the Rugby Club in Ruthin.

Download Course and Profile PDF's HERE>>

Camping, registration and start time:
Start times:
The ‘Exposure Lights Big Night Out’ (night marathon) will start at approx.
7.30pm on Saturday the 18th September '10 at the Rugby Club in Ruthin.
The main marathon will start at 10.00am on Sunday the 19th September '10 at the Rugby Club in Ruthin.

Registration opening times:
Saturday from 12pm - 8pm
Sunday from 8 - 10am
The ELBNO will have only one distance to choose from but the main marathon (run on Sunday) will have the typical four different courses to choose from.
mini marathon – approx. 25km which is more aimed at the younger and less experienced rider
half marathon – approx. 50km. The Half Marathon is more demanding from a technical riding point of view as well as from a physical point of view
middle marathon – approx. 75km
full marathon - approx. distance of 100km

If you are taking part in the night marathon and any of the Sunday marathons the price will be only £45 rather than £60 and you will obviously get ‘double’ the treatment (tea and cake when you get back from the ELBNO, finishing present/T-shirt, energy food and technical support around the course).

Your entry fee for the Sunday round of Chain Reaction Cycles MTB Marathon includes:
• Ride entry
• Free pasta party (held on the Saturday night before the ride on Sunday)
• Free usage of service stations
• Free usage of facilities
• Free skills and riding tuitions (run on Saturday)
• Finishing T-shirt
• Free camping and parking

Your entry fee for the ELBNO night marathon includes:
• Ride entry
• Free post event food (when you come over the finish line on Saturday night)
• Free usage of service stations
• Free usage of facilities
• Free skills and riding tuitions (run on Saturday)
• Finishing present
• Free camping and parking

CycleActive Skills Arena
Due to popular demand in 2009, the Skills Arena, brought to you by the UK’s leading mountain bike instructors at CycleActive will continue to be a big part of the event village in 2010.  This will be the place on Saturday to learn to hop, drop, manual, corner faster, brake harder and control your bike in testing situations. 

“As in 2009, we’ll be running focused, intensive 1 hour sessions in a custom built skills arena.  We’re building the woodwork this winter, so be prepared for some timber trails and exciting riding,” said CycleActive boss Chris Ford. 
We’ll bring you more on this as the season progresses.  Skills sessions will have restricted numbers but you’ll be able to sign up online closer to each event. All the sessions are free as well, so take advantage of this chance to learn from the best in the business, and push your skills up a level before the Sunday event.

Skills on Sundays
The Sunday sessions provided by CycleActive have been incredibly popular with younger riders, but also many adults who are not riding the event.  This year there will be a split of sessions on Sunday, with those for youngsters alternating with adult sessions. “We’ll use the same course as Saturday, with a few modifications, so youngsters and adults of all abilities can come along and learn something, and have a lot of fun too,” explained Chris.

Teaching great technique to young riders makes a huge difference.  This programme of CycleActive junior training is something we’ve seen at MTB Marathon events for 4 years now, and many of the youngsters who started with CycleActive back then are now blasting round the 25 or even 50 courses with real confidence.  Again, it’s completely free and you don’t need to sign up for the Sunday sessions – just check times on the board when you arrive.

EXPOSURE LIGHT BIG NIGHT OUT specific info:
• the event is limited to 300 people so please make sure you enter soon.
• there is an advisory list of items which should be taken on the ride. Please expect to be checked on this and if you can’t fulfill the requirements we reserve the right to deny your taking part in the event.

The following list is on top of our usual recommendations for any of the events of the Chain Reaction Cycles MTB Marathon series.
• Waterproof jacket
• Tools and inner tubes
• Energy food and drink
• Space blanket
• Backup light
• Sufficient lights for off road night riding with burn time in between three to five hours (depending on your abilities and how long you expect to be out there)
• Red LED rear light
• We strongly recommend that you have experience in night riding and endurance riding.
• The course is approximately 45km long.
• £15 discount if you do the night Enduro (on Saturday night) as well as the day Enduro (on Sunday morning). The exception to this rule is that you will get a £10 discount if you do the ELBNO followed by the Mini Marathon (only £25 entry fee) on Sunday.
• The start of the EXPOSURE LIGHTS BIG NIGHT OUT is at approx. 7.30pm on Saturday 18th September 2010 at the Rugby Club in Ruthin.
• Tea and cake at the end as well as at the feed station(s).
• EXPOSURE LIGHTS will be on site with a selection of their newest lights and light accessories.

Location and our man on the ground:
Ruthin is the location for the 5th and final round of the Marathon series (19th September ‘10) and the Exposure Lights Big Night Out - Night Marathon on the 18th September ‘10.
Our man in Ruthin is John Lloyd – I don’t think we have to introduce him at all. John is the main man behind the series and an expert when it comes to the trails around Ruthin.
Give him a ring on 01982 552923 if you have any more specific questions.

RUTHIN
Ruthin lies at the end of the Vale of Clwyd in Denbighshire, North Wales. Ruthin is an attractive market town with a population of about five thousand. It has good examples of Elizabethan, Georgian and Queen Anne styles of architecture, typical of North Wales. There are also Celtic and Roman remains to be found.

Since 1993 Ruthin has been twinned with Canton of Briec in Brittany. The Welsh spelling of Ruthin is Rhuthun, 'Rhudd' means red and 'din' means a city. This reflects the large amount of red sandstone that Ruthin is built upon.

From wherever you park in Ruthin, if you head uphill you find yourself in St. Peter's Square. This hilltop town centre is unique in its rich architectural mix and lofty views of the surrounding countryside.
See LINK for more details on Ruthin, its history and what you can do while you are there.

Local Information
For information about local services and accommodation please get in touch with the local Tourist Information Centres and check out the local web sites.
RUTHIN
Tel: 01824 703992
Fax: 01824 703992
email: ruthin@nwtic.com
Address: Ruthin Craft Centre
Park Road
Ruthin
Denbighshire
LL15 1BB
Web: www.ruthin-wales.co.uk

For information regarding accommodation, cycle facilities and the area for the Ruthin round of the Chain Reaction MTB Marathon Series, visit www.ridetheclwyds.com.

This website was launched at our first Ruthin event and now offers a wealth of information on mountain biking in the Clwydian Range area, some of the 3D flythroughs on the routes pages will also provide you with an insight into the kind of terrain you will be letting yourself in for.