The Elgin Mountain Bike Marathon is the official name for what started out as “The Elgin Eighty” and also goes by “The Elgin Mountain Bike Race, the Toughest Mountain Bike Race in Atlantic Canada.” We created the race to raise funds for the Elgin Eco Association. Members of the biking community believe in our event and their support is vital for our community projects.
Starting at 7am on October 5th, racers and non-racers can start with a hearty breakfast at the Maple Tree Café in Elgin. The seniors do this every year and are a great help on race day.
The races start in rapid succession. The 120-km starts early and has a cut-off time at the halfway mark; if you can’t make that time, you’re not allowed to continue. The last race is the 20-km race which starts at 12:15 pm.
A free children’s race starts at 12:45 pm in the Elgin Eco Park. Bring your bike for this fun and exciting event. On the Elgin Eco Park’s Pump Track, young and old can practice bike skills or race each other.
Around 3 pm, the awards dinner starts. During this great get-together, the racers devour the many delicious dishes served up by our community. This meal is included in the price of the three longer races. Observers and participants in the 20-km race can buy a ticket for the dinner if there is space available. (For details, see raceroster.com/events/2019/24610/elgin-mountain-bike-marathon-2019.)
This is a big event for a small community and needs all of us on board. Everybody in our community contributes to its success from the year-round work of making trails to many people working on race day. We are proud of this accomplishment; it fosters community connectedness. We have great sponsors who are needed to help defray the cost of organizing the event.
Not a mountain biker? Why not come and ride your recreational bike along the beautiful Pollett River or hike in our Mapleton Acadian Forest Nature Preserve and enjoy the fall colours. Still not convinced, you can rent a kayak to paddle up the Ducks Unlimited pond.
For more information, visit www.eeanb.com, www.facebook.com/groups/elgineco or email [email protected]. Register for the race at www.raceroster.com or in person on the day of the event.