Entered my first MTB Marathon… any advice?

Hi all, have entered my first off road enduro type event which is the CRC Spring Marathon in April and will probably enter the others in the series as well. Any advice on equipment, training, logistics etc?

Also, are Crossmax SX's to hefty for this type of event?

Thanks muchly!

Jay

I did last year's Ruthin Merida Marathon and passed a bloke on a Surly Pugsley, complete with wide rims and fat tyres.

I think he's an STW member, actually.

He looked happy enough, but maybe a lighter set of wheels would be slightly easier to pedal uphill!

I did it on a hardtail last year, fitted with Hope ProII/DT5.1 wheels and Maxxis High Rollers – which were all okay.

My planning and preparation for the Merida Marathons goes as follows

1. turn up
2. Crack open a can of wife-beater
3. Put tent up
4. Crack open another can of wife-beater
5. Eat a gingsters pasty
6. Crack open another can of wife-beater
7. Go to the pub
8. Get back from the pub. Crack open another can of wife-beater
9. Possible strategic sausage roll and packet of monster munch
10. Keel over into tent. Snore like a drain
11. Get up. Burp. Fart. Bacon Butty
12. Stagger to start line.
13. Ride

Simple :)

I have done these SS before now, they are great events and well organised :)

I would just say take it easy, dont go off to fast at the start, and dont get to close to the frount at the start as well, the addrenalyn will kick in and you will go off like a rocket and try and keep up with the top guys.

Have fun, and stop at every feed station, and get lots of fuel (banans, enegery bars etc…)

have more fun ;)

Good luck

remember it is an event and not a race. If your just intent on finishing then take a bike your used to, put some semi fast tyres on it though, and pretend that your on a day out with your mates. Stop when you want, eat and drink loads, walk if you have to.

Main thing is have fun. If you dont finish then hey ho, maybe next year.

Training wise. Do rides that you are used to and gradually build up time and distance. Get out on the bike alot, even if its a half hour jaunt to the supermarket, or a quick sprint round your local woodland park.

For the Ruthin event last year my training consisted of doing the 60km Beast of Brecon route the weekend before. I'd hardly touched the bike for the previous four months due to an injury, so I thought I was going to keel over on the Gap Road, but I made it in the end!

And I'm no racing whippet either; it's fair to say I'm carrying a bit of spare weight!

I did the 50km route and just took my time. Stopped for a rest every now and again, and took advantage of the 10 million bananas laid on at the food stops. Ending up riding with the same group of people, who were all treating it as a leisurely day out in the country, with bikes.

It was a well organised event, which I thoroughly enjoyed. unfortunately I'm away working for most of the events this year, but I'll definitely be at Ruthin again, although I may do the 75km route this time around, especially if I get out on my bike more ahead of the event.

Just enjoy it, they really are good fun.