I think the answer is it depends what you fancy, budget and how far you are willing to travel 🙂

I also enjoyed the Merida/Scott/Hope mtb marathon series back in the day.  I did the Minehead one in 2018 after a long break and liked the course.  However, from 2019 I favoured shorter multilap XC races or just casual riding .. or not at all!   During the Rapha Festive 500 I started thinking again about “marathon”/XC in 2024.  Other options-

https://coldbrew.events/xc-mtb/deadwater-100/ 100km.  I did the Kielder 100 (miles) way back and due to the weather (torrential rain just before the event) found it a log.  This course looks easier and I might give it a go.  BC National Marathon Champs but anyone can ride.

https://www.yorkshiremountainbikemarathon.co.uk/ I haven’t done it previously but read it has a nice atmosphere.

XC (multiple laps of short courses)

Beastway (north east London) – I did the series in 2019.  Obviously a short course but the organising put effort into having a little variety.  I was a bit miserable at the time and always looked forward to it as

BC National series – I have done the odd round before in sport cat (but never a full series).  2024 is my first year as a vet and kinda semi vaguely tempted.   https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/mtb/article/20231108-mountain-bike-British-Cycling-announces-2024-mountain-bike-endurance-calendar-0

https://www.fnssmtb.co.uk/2024-race-calendar.html – Not done any recently but back in the day these were fun.

Edit: your formatting is fixed now 🙂

Are free events allowed? http://www.thecyclestudio.co.uk my LBS are hosting this on 27th April.

@thecyclestudioredditch are hosting a gravel/ATB ride,

Routes will be from 20 to 40 miles with a healthy mix of off road, quiet tarmac and car free paths in North Worcestershire. Beer and food available at the finish

More details to follow on the shop website or on my insta https://www.instagram.com/ukgravelco?igsh=MWZrYnJoaDlpaHE1Zw==

I’ve got in the Calendar so far –

Cannock Winter Classic XC this coming weekend – never been before, firmly in ‘dont crash dont die’ territory.

Fox Antifreeze at Coed-Y-Brenin – March 9th. Looking forward to this.

Hamsterley Beast ‘Funduro’ 12th May – never done, should be good alternative to Boltby which I didnt get in for.

Yorkshire MTB Marathon 26th May – Great event, highly reccomended. Always enjoy this every year. Long and hard but some super fun stuff to ride. https://www.yorkshiremountainbikemarathon.co.uk/

Glentress 7 / Enjoyro August Bank Holiday weekend. Never been, booked onto the 7, might book on the Enjoyro too, I asked if there can be a special category for anyone who does both on 1 bike 1990s style too!

Will possibly do a couple of the Crank It XC races too depending on how I do at Cannock next week. Find XC racing for an hour much, much, much harder physically and mentally than doing a 6 or 8 hour long marathon ride!

Scottish xc races as per British Cycling website:

Sunday 17/03/24

SXC Series 2024: Round 1 (Cathkin Braes)

Cathkin Brae MTB Tracks, Glasgow

Saturday 20/04/24

FJBC Double Trouble MTB Pairs Race

Kinneil Estate, Bo’ness

Saturday 20/04/24 – Sunday 21/04/24

British Cycling 2024 National Cross Country Series Round 2

Kirroughtree Forest, Dumfries

Sunday 05/05/24

SXC Series 2024: Round 2 (Lochore Meadows)

Lochore Meadows Country Park, Lochgelly

Sunday 02/06/24

SXC Series 2024: Round 3 (Tarland Trails)

Tarland Trails, Tarland

Saturday 22/06/24

SXC Series 2024: Round 4 (Chatelherault)

Chatelherault Country Park, Hamilton

Glorious Gravel have plenty of events.

Home – Glorious Gravel

The SouthernXC series is starting on 31-03-24 at Matterley Basin. All of the details and other round dates are at Home – southernxc

The Pippingford Park MTB Marathon will be on 6/7 July with the eMTB Challenge on saturday and race for analogues on Sunday – details out very soon.

Singlespeed UK in the Quantocks in September.

TBF that’s more of a beer festival though

The Hamsterley Beast has always been a single lap endurance event in past years and not a multi stage enduro race, not sure if that’s the case this year

A few others:

Yorkshire Mountain Bike Marathon 26th May

https://www.sientries.co.uk/event.php?elid=Y&event_id=12699&fbclid=IwAR2rPtJWNTYYd2dHUFkW6JL7PVxbsR0xmAA7lRL4ISdJJjoyZaiIsZwG95c

Yorkshire 300

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-2024-north-york-moors-300-individual-time-trial-tickets-850362937437?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl&fbclid=IwAR1Rv9KVav8Gqy1s05F7OXI4G6I0pttWdSSXFl_rYOslua1kHxKOSzUWyII

And a cheeky local evening gravel ride next week at Sutton Bank – North Yorkshire
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sutton-bank-off-road-gravel-fun-bike-crit-thrash-tickets-855715045737?fbclid=IwAR1gr0slTaVfdZeCHeaD9OVbHLvn205ZgLw0KyObp2W8rRSZEwFImm8HfQg

ardmoors just announced 10-11june, tickets soon

pmba enduro series AE forest dumfries mid august

or kirroughtree mid April

Only 1 event in the calendar so far this year and it’s a road one.

Cycle Tour du Leman.

100 mile lap of Lake Leman (Geneva)

Been on my list for year, finally looking like it will happen.

For those Bikepackers out there,

The North York Moors 300. Now in its second years and from the creator of the infamous Yorkshire Dales 300.

300km of North York Moors delight. Gravel bike friendly. Perfect on a HT MTB.

The North York Moors 300 ITT

Start and finish at RedSky Bikes in Thirsk. Breakfast before you start and a hot meal when you return.

Click the link for route info and all you need.

Free to ride, £6 for food but that’s not compulsory, just covers costs

April 27th

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/out-of-the-ditch-tickets-861615092937

Sunday 12th May – Colne Valley MTB Challenge near Huddersfield.
20 & 30 mile routes, eBike, Gravel, CX & MTBs all welcome.
http://www.cvmbc.co.uk

There’s a separate thread specific to the event, but a plug on this one can’t do any harm too.

I feel that my racing days are over, but I did have a hoot at many a Sleepless in the Saddle and 10 Under event in the past. Nowadays, I take things at a more sedate pace and this is one of my favourite events. It’s the 10th anniversary ride this summer and I’m gutted I won’t be there, but it is a lovely event.

Velo Retro Vintage Cycling Event

Here’s Mrs Beagleboy and I from 2019. Google seems to have hidden last years photos. Probably in embarrassment, as I’d forgotten to put my lenses in before the start and accidentally led a whole bunch of people onto the long route rather than the short!

Ard Moors looks great, but I can not do it.

Am doing Ard Rock (Sunday, I just want to get round the course level). Hopefully I will be able to completed it this year!

Southern Enduro and Pedal Hounds good for anyone located in South East.

I know lots of you have enjoyed the Vittoria MTB Marathon at Pippingford in the past – it’s had a change of name this year and will be known as the XTERRA MTB Marathon but it’s the same event and now has a monster 90km option – all of the details are here

And the details for the eMTB event on the same weekend are here 

I’m one of the organisers so if you have any questions please fire away