I know obviously *I'm not* wasting my time as I enjoy doing them but…

Did Grassington yesterday and finished at 4.15 so took me six and a quarter hours, lots of people had packed up and gone, the field was mostly empty (I know the weather had a hand in this)and felt like Oliver Twist at the catering tent asking for a burger as they packed up around me. This is my general average for all marathons I enter

I was tired but could have carried on for a while longer but don't feel I could have done it much quicker

Should I drop my distance and pick up the pace? should I just not bother at all?

I only do them as a challenge to my self and any competition is between the group I ride with

So am I wasting my time on the full length course (which I always do)

Of course you're not. If you enjoy it then surely that's what it's all about?

Stop eating burgers untill you start doing sub 5 hr laps! 😕

I've never quite seen the point of them myself – if I want to do an all-day ride i'd rather do it with a couple of mates and pick our own route and pace.

Why not try something new – trailquests for example!? You still get to do a long ride, but you plan your own route and manage your own time – you may even place well, its not necessarily the fastest riders who do well in them. And unless you get seriously lost everyone finishes within an hour or so of each other so you don't get that 'last one in' feeling!

Personally i like these organised events for the atmosphere.
Yes, i can create my own rides/routes etc and make it as long as i feel but that's not what these events are about IMHO. I did the 50k and went pretty flat out all around it (for me anyway). If i was doing it on my own/as part of a group of mates the speed would be lower & with more photo stops etc.
It was nice to be able to camp for 'free' and spend the weekend in a nice place with like-minded people.

Wish there was a beer tent though!

I second a beer tent, The pub simply couldn't cope on Saturday afternoon and that was before a lot of folk arrived! Which distance did the OP do? I agree though I could also do a long ride when I feel like it but the atmosphere is great. We bought the missus a GT avalanche 1.0 last night because she enjoyed it so much and plans to do it next year! 🙂

I really enjoy them, it's you against you, not you against the other entrants.

I'm a bit gutted SSUK is full as I really fancied that.

the-muffin-man wrote, "I've never quite seen the point of them myself – if I want to do an all-day ride i'd rather do it with a couple of mates and pick our own route and pace."

I kind of feel the same, with racing in general… I was supposed to be racing 10 at Kirroughtree next week but I've pulled out, I can get a better ride in any day of the week without entrance fees or restrictions. Sitting in the car park at nevis range thinking "I could have spent the entrance fee on a day ticket for the gondola" was a bit odd for me. It just ended up being a good way to spoil a day's riding.

But of course that's just my opinion, some folks obviously love it.

I did the last one at Builth,really enjoyed it. I could have got round quicker,could have opted for a shorter route,but I finished and felt good.
If you enjoy it,carry on. That's the whole point of events like these.
See you at Ruthin.

It's not a race, it's a day/weekend out on the bike in new terrain with all the hard work already done for you. £30 covers the camping & free food so the rest is free i reckon!

I know where you're coming from. The way I (try to) look at it is that there are ALWAYS faster people, so rather than depressing myself comparing my times with the fast guys, I just try and see how I've done compared with before, and if it's better, great.

And if you enjoy it anyway, who cares.