Only a couple of days now before we go back to the birthplace of the Merida Bikes MTB Marathon Series - Builth Wells (7-8th July). After the opening event earlier this year this will be the 2nd time the series goes back to its roots.
Builth here we come
Builth Wells event will bring us back to familiar territory yet will surprise even the hardened Builth Wells riders with a new and exciting course. John has been spending again pretty much the whole year riding his home trails with only one thought - keeping Builth fresh and exciting. And he has managed exactly that. The new course heads towards the Epynt (Training Area) and makes its way along the new Epynt Way before heading into the much loved Crychan Forrest which is littered with singletrack. You can find the profiles with course distances and service stations at
www.mtb-marathon.co.uk As in April this summer marathon will also pitch up at the White House Farm which is just a couple of minutes from the centre of Builth Wells. The event village will be signposted from Friday lunchtime onwards and will be open from Friday to Monday morning. So if you want to make a weekend out of it - no problem!
Cycle Active skills classes
The expert coaches at CycleActive are also preparing for the 2nd event of the season in Builth Wells and already their sessions are starting to get booked up. If you'd like to get out for a ride and develop your skills with some of the UK's top trainers then now's the chance, and best of all - it's completely free. There are two levels of skills ride to choose from, they last for about 1.5 hours and they depart on the Saturday at 12pm, 2:30pm and 5pm. Numbers are strictly limited to ensure good learning, so email admin@cycleactive.co.uk now to reserve your space. You'll also get a goodie bag from skills sponsor Buff and a voucher off any full CycleActive training course in The Lake District.
High5
The guys from High5 will be there with lots of special offers - please make sure you take enough High5 out on the course with you and remember it may not be hot but it will always be hard and sweaty so make sure you carry some extra EnergyGels and Bars - just in case you or a friend needs them. For details of the product range please visit www.high5-online.com
Weather
With the last few weeks being dominated by rain wherever you were in the country the weather forecast on the Met Office site for this weekend is looking rather positive. The ground should get a fair chance to dry before we get the ride going but be prepared for a partly muddy ride.
Tyre choice
Lots of riders have been in touch again asking us what tyres to run. This is always a very difficult question to answer as there are so many options out there and different riders like different tyres. Considering the possibly slippery conditions we would recommend a nobly tyre with great bite and good cornering grip. We (the organisers) would recommend a closer look at Schwalbe's Nobby Nic (www.schwalbe.co.uk/shop) or the old favourite Jimmy. If you don't have any of these tyres in your collection, make sue you see Chris from Schwalbe over the weekend and find out where you can get some for the next rounds.
Time table
The ride will start at 10am on Sunday the 8th July '07 at the White House Farm in Builth Wells. Registration will be open from 12am (noon) - 8pm on Saturday and from 7 - 9am on Sunday. Please make sure you get there in time. For further details on the Builth round go to www.mtb-marathon.co.uk.
Entries
There are still places left in case you haven't entered yet. So if you are looking for the ultimate summer marathon in the birthplace of the marathon series then make sure you get your entry is quickly. To enter go directly to the entry page www.mtb-marathon.co.uk to secure your entry for this great event. You will be able to enter on the day but day entries will be subject to a £2 surcharge
Next event after Builth Wells
After Builth Wells we are heading back to Scotland to one of the most liked courses of the series - Selkirk. Some of you might have had the chance to ride some of the fantastic trails around Selkirk already in this year's TransScotland event and the feedback was fantastic. So if you missed out on that or want to get another go make sure you make your way to Selkirk on the 4-5th August.
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