Get your bikes ready as there are only a few days to go until the Merida 'Outsider' and the Outsider kick off. On Friday the 22nd June the latest addition to the Merida Bikes MTB Series will open its doors and will get the event fired up with an incredible line-up of music and comedy acts as well as a never ending choice of biking activities.
Nice mountains!!
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The Outsider is waiting for you - more than you expect
The line-up featuring KT Tunstall (who will celebrate her birthday on the Saturday), Crowded House, Willy Mason, Idlewild, Guillimots and loads of others confirmed. For a complete (so big doesn't fit on here) list of who is playing check out the website www.outsiderfestival.co.uk. You can expect not only first class music and comedy acts, there will also be workshops and debates on environmental issues. There is also a huge choice of top mountain bike films on Friday night and Richard Moore will show a film and talk about his new book on Tour de France legend Robert Millar.
Other bike related activities include:
The 7Stanes display team is coming to show their incredible display
Cycling Scotland will have their North Shore skills course on site and will run training course throughout the weekend
Guided rides throughout the weekend for various riding levels (so even if you are not taking part in the marathon you can enjoy a ride taking in the breathtaking scenery) - bring your own bike but if you can't hire bikes are available
And there is more…see the whole list at www.outsiderfestival.co.uk
So as you can see there are lots of activities to keep you and your 'not marathon riding' family/friends entertained - so pack your bags and come and join us at the Outsider in Aviemore.
The Merida Outsider - the riding
David from Bothy bikes - our man on the ground in Aviemore - has been sending us regular reports about the great shape the courses are in at the moment. The courses are a mixture of fun doubletracks, some forestry road climbs, and oodles of classic pine forest singletrack. The Merida Outsider courses David has put together for you show off perfectly what made Aviemore one of the prime mountain bike destinations in the UK. Here the profiles of the 3 distances:
Middle course (middle marathon)
Distance: approx. 65km Total ascent: approx. 1250m Feeding stations at approx. 17 and 38km
Half course (half marathon)
Distance: approx. 45km Total ascent: approx. 1150m Feeding station at approx. 22km
Short course (mini marathon)
Distance: approx. 25km Total ascent: approx. 450m Feeding station at approx. 13km
Timetable for the Outsider Marathon
With the event being on Saturday everything is a little different at the Outsider marathon. The registration which is situated outside the main gate will open on Friday from 6 - 9pm and will reopen on Saturday from 8 - 10am. The start of the Merida Outsider is at 11am on Saturday. You have to be registered to be able to take part in the Merida outsider so please make sure you get there early enough to register.
Entries and entry on the day
We are still taking entries for the Merida Outsider. To enter go directly to the entry page
where you can enter either online or by downloading an entry form. You can also enter on the day by simply coming over to the registration which will be located outside the Outsider festival - please note that there is a £ 2 surcharge for entering on the day.
Skills classes
As always we will have a dedicated skills team on site trying to improve your riding and bike handling skills. At the Merida Outsider we have Cycle Wild Scotland's Jules Fincham on board who will be offering skills workshops & guided rides for all levels of mountain bike rider. For further info please check www.cyclewildscotland.co.uk
and to book please email us on info@cyclewildscotland.co.uk or call 01479 810 676.
The remaining marathon season
Once we have returned from Aviemore our attention will focus on the next two - more traditional - marathons in Builth Wells and in Selkirk. John Lloyd and Pete Laing have been busy working on the courses and have some nice new additions ready for the riders. To find out more about these two events check out www.mtb-marathon.co.uk
Tracy Toshney
