The Scott MTB Marathon has been running since the year 2000, and now comprises six events across four UK locations. Singletrack is a series sponsor, and of course, as with most races, you see images like the ones below of people riding bikes and standing on podiums.
What’s it like for the organisers though? Running events isn’t easy, particularly repeating one successfully for seventeen years, and this nice little video documentary gives you a glimpse behind the scenes with the organisers, Dave Evans and Gareth Rowland:
(No video embedded above? Follow this link).
In case you don’t know what it’s about:
“This series is widely regarded as being THE original single loop off road mountain bike event in the UK. Conceived almost a generation ago, it gave riders the opportunity to experience the big mountain wilds with the security of being fully supported, 3 or 4 route options from 25km through to 90km lets riders select a route to suit their stamina. 16 years on YOU can join us for a big mountain experience in a safe, fun and friendly environment.”
The idea for the MTB Marathon first came about in 1999, the first race the year after that, and it was eventually taken over by Cycle-Tec in 2014. Since then the series has focussed heavily on inclusivity, welcoming riders of all abilities for a fun weekend at each event. Every race offers several different distance options from around 25 to 90Km, making it accessible to novices while still fulfilling more ambitious types.
A few of 2017’s events have already passed, but there are more to come. The next event in the series is Minehead, Exmoor on July the 9th. After that, the series will be heading to the Hope Valley in the Peak District for September the 2nd and 3rd. You can enter on the day if they don’t sell out, but entering online is cheaper. Full details, entry links and prices are at those links.
