Merida Bikes MTB Marathon Series Overview 2007

The biggest and best series ever took in six rounds, four countries, two festivals a brand-new round and venue, and over 6,259 riders. It was quite a year.

The 2007 Merida Bikes MTB Marathon Series promised much and it did not disappoint: with more events than ever before building firmly on the foundations of the preceding years, the series was the best yet. Period.

Spread out across seven events in four countries, ranging from Wales, Scotland, England and Austria, the tried and true formula of great camaraderie, scenery, riding and support went a whole notch further. The Merida Bikes MTB Marathon Series took centre-stage as part of two major festivals - the Cumbria BikeFest and ‘The Outsider’ festival in Scotland - to add a further zing of the country's biggest and best mountain bike series. Simply put, the best got better, and - if the smiles were anything to go by - so did the riders' experiences.

ELBNO and Spring Marathon
The season started - as it had for the last few years - back at its spiritual home of Builth Wells, mid-Wales in mid-April. With the 40km Exposure Lights Big Night Out (ELBNO) night marathon on the surprisingly mild Saturday night, followed closely by the 25km, 50km or 75km day marathon on the Sunday, the ELBNO began the 2007 season kicking and screaming and full of riotous nocturnal energy. Sunday's day marathon was the perfect chaser and, without the full fat 100km option, a perfectly mellow(er) way to spin the night time fatigue away.

Penrith round – Cumbria Bikefest
Ding-ding, round two and the Merida Bikes MTB Marathon Series moved over the Welsh border and up into Cumbria for the first ever English marathon over the weekend of the 11-12th May, and star billing at the Cumbria BikeFest festival of cycling, near Penrith. But what stood up even the festival was the course itself: a proper, physically and technically testing challenge that showcased the Lakeland riding and its very best.

For some, it proved too tough and caught some out with its severity of physical and technical demands, but - just as Selkirk is non-stop flowing and beautiful trail - Penrith exerted its own, resolutely Lakeland character with lung busting climbs drenched with stunning scenery and chased with frenetic and rocky descents. For those with their bit in their teeth thirsting for a real sense of adventure it delivered right on the money, as the tough challenge made its conquering all the more sweet: "I put myself up for the 100km course and was smiling from ear-to-ear peddling through the fields on the initial sections," Dan Morgan told Mike and John afterwards, "After about 15km I was already feeling knackered because of the very boggy terrain. But was the course really too hard? I'm sure I read that we should approach the events as adventures, so no I don't think so. It took me 7hours 22mins and I came off/crashed about five times, but I wouldn't have changed a thing.” It was loads of fun and I'm really proud of myself for finishing the event. Now armed with the experience of one marathon behind me, I'm better informed on the pre-marathon training I need to do before my next marathon. Thanks for a great day."

Aviemore round – Outsider Festival
After the Cumbrian excursion, the series then headed north to the gateway to the mighty and majestic wilderness tract that is the Cairngorms at Aviemore, Scotland for the second festive hook-up of the season with ?The Outsider Festival?.

The festival itself was a celebration of landscape, outdoor activities and entertainment with live music from the likes of KT Tunstall and Crowded House. Although the weather was 'quintessentially' Scottish this super interesting blend of the outdoor recreation and life together with music, comedy, art and film was fantastic. With the marathon taking place on the Saturday as opposed to the traditional Sunday of the rest of the series, riders could clip out, shower, rest and then kick back and make the most of the festival itself.?" I completed the Selkirk event last year for the first time and I'd say that Aviemore was at least as good - it's certainly different," Duncan Nisbet told the team afterwards, "I really do hope that both the Merida and the Outsider are back next year and you can take my name now."

Builth Wells round
Then everything came back home for the second time as Builth Wells again took its marks as the centre piece of the whole series. With all the usual magic that has made the round so special and enduring through eight years of MTB Marathons (it was here that the very first MTB Marathon took place back in the swirling mists of time).

But although it's always good to finally come home after a long season on the road, it's also great to see home made over all fresh and sparkling. That was exactly John's mindset for last year, as he went to work to create a new set of courses for 2007 that would eclipse the previous years, and eclipse they did. So much so that they were acclaimed as the best courses that Builth has ever had: "A truly great course," wrote Nik Wilkinson afterwards; "The most enjoyable course I have done for some time," concurred Dave Connell; "the best Builth course I have done," said Martin Zepler; and many more. With a mixture of everything for everyone, plus the killer views that Builth has in abundance up on high, and the sweet singletrack descents, John ensured that Builth more gone from strength to strength. As co-organiser Mike explains, "This was down to the fact that John is constantly trying to improve the course and he hit the nail on the head with the right combination of climbing, descending and singletrack." So the challenge is, can he up the ante of for 2008? Here's hoping.

‘Merida on holiday’ round in Bad Goisern, Austria
Next on the list was the traditional Merida Bikes MTB Marathon Series Abroad that saw the series making its fourth annual excursion to Austria as part of the world-class Salzkammergut Trophy. With four distances ranging from the sane 25km, 53km, 101km through to the epicly insane 203km, the British contingent joined thousands of marathon enthusiasts - including one of the Godfathers of mountain biking, Gary Fisher himself - who pedalled their way under clear blue skies through the UNESCO World Heritage region of Hallstatt-Dachstein-Salzkammergut. With sky scratching peaks, elegant shawls of snow draped across the horizon, shimmeringly refreshing mountain lakes and lush green meadows it's one of the finest international marathon experiences going. But more memorable was the unique crowd support from the Austrian locals who, beers in hand and CamelBaks, lined the route, offering hugely vocal support and dramatic interludes to help spirit riders along. It was European marathon riding at its very best.

Selkirk round
The penultimate round of the 2007 series took the Merida Bikes MTB Marathon Series circus north of the border once again, and headed to Selkirk in the Scottish borders. Once again, the diamond of the north was ready and willing to off-load adrenaline shots straight to the temple to underline why it's still the singletrack Daddy. Although, with the weather again doing its Scottish thing, it was the Daddy with a mudpack on.

Taking place over the weekend of 4-5th August, Selkirk was the only course in the entire calendar that blended the cream of purpose-built technical trails alongside A1 top-notch natural terrain for total riding kicks through an area of outstanding natural beauty. Course designer Pete Laing again managed to produce another undeniably world class course and despite the weather doing its best to upset proceedings by placing slippery and skittery conditions under tyre, the calibre of the course was too strong to be defeated: "This was my first race experience and I will definitely be doing it again next year," said a jubilant Dave Beggs. "The feeling when getting over the line and the people around watching cheering and clapping was great - even although I could hardly see due to having a mud caked face. A huge grin from the day which is still on my face!" Even when the conditions and the course was taking its toll, the indomitable marathon camaraderie can make all the difference to the ride: "I would also like to thank Nick Craig," wrote Gavin Hetherington, "who whizzed past me on the last long climb offering an encouraging, 'Are you ok?' "This kind of banter is a wonderful boost when you're on your last legs - as I was - and actually made me get on my bike and ride! It is that amateur/professional bond that unites us all as mountain bikers and is a lasting memory that will live with me for a very long time. Cheers Nick." And that's exactly what the Merida Bikes MTB Marathon Series is all about: camaraderie and grinning from ear to ear from the thrill of the ride.

Ruthin round
Rounding out the series was the now traditional Tail End Charlie of Ruthin, in mid-Wales. Following on the mud-fest of Scotland, bright skies began the ride before rain obstinately muscled its way into the party, together with some strong winds on the top of the mighty Clwydian hills. But no matter what the elements brought, there was no stopping the riders getting their slice of fun from the final round of the series.

The Clwydians themselves are a 35km long chain of hills that run from Prestatyn to Llandegla that rise to 554m at their highest point. They boast curvaceous singletrack that laces the length and breadth of their varied bulk, draped with open heather moor land, patch works of hedged fields and coppices on their lower flanks, limestone geology, wooded escarpments and forested river valleys. They're a bona fide mountain bike destination, with plenty of vertical to get your kicks and lactic acid fits upon and the perfect framework for the MTB Marathon team to squeeze every last drop of enjoyment from.

As ever, the support of the Ruthin locals was steadfast despite the weather, with over 60 marshals (courtesy of the LPFRA - Llanferres Playing Field and Recreation Association) hailing from the town putting in many hours out in the wet and windswept wilds to help ensure the enjoyment of all the riders. None of which was lost on the riders: "Ruthin was as enjoyable as ever and excellently marshalled," said James Andrews, "I'd like to say a big thank you to all of those people sitting and standing in the rain and gale-force wind by the gates. Even in my own world filled with the pain in my legs I felt for them, and they remained unfailingly cheerful."

But despite the weather turning sour towards the end, the 2007 Merida Bikes MTB Marathon Series was again a great success: with some new features, all-new rounds, but still the much-loved fundamentals that have helped make the series such a success through the years, you can be sure that for 2008 things are only going to get better.