This month we take in the bike course of one of the most popular, and arguably fastest standard-distance events in the country: Milton Keynes (MK). 2008 will see the ninth running of this event, run by the highly regarded Big Cow organising group, who also promote TriFest, CowMan and many other events during the season. It is a popular race, regularly attracting 600+ competitors, and has previous winners including Tim Don, Andrea Whitcombe and Sam Herridge. The bike course has changed in recent years, and is now a single loop having previously been two circuits of the 'Sprint' course, regularly used in the Big Cow Sprint races.

Despite the name, the MK Triathlon is actually based at Emberton Country Park, which also doubles as a caravan and camping site. There is plenty of on-site parking available on the day too, all located within easy walking distance of the start/transition area.

The bike route starts within the Park, on a path parallel to the main A509. You ride a couple of hundred metres on the path, before a sharp right turn through a gate, across the grass, (generally covered with matting), which brings you out into a (traffic free) layby, in order for you to access the main road on to the course proper. Take care as you join the A509 as traffic can me moving very swiftly, even early on a Sunday.

Into Olney, then turn left

The first kilometre is a flat section into the pretty village of Olney, where you take the first left in the village centre, signposted to Weston Underwood. For those of you that have raced a Big Cow Sprint event or Cowman middle-distance, this is exactly the same start. A short uphill (not steep) section brings you up to a mini-roundabout where you need to turn RIGHT. The old MK standard distance (2-loop) course used to go straight over the roundabout here (the Sprint races still do), so don't make that mistake. Another kilometre or so brings you to...another roundabout! Take care - this is a downhill section on smooth new road, you are likely to be travelling pretty fast, and the turn is quite sharp. Take particular care if it's raining (as there were a few spills here at CowMan).

Right at the first roundabout...then left at the second.

Once past this you can forget about roundabouts for while, as you head out towards the village of Yardley Hastings. This section is rolling, and in aggregate does represent a small climb. However, like a lot of the course it certainly isn't hilly. To prove that to myself, I deliberately rode all of the course in the big chain-ring, quite comfortably, and I wouldn't consider myself a particularly strong cyclist. Under race conditions, I'm certain that most experienced athletes would do the same. Bear left at the T-junction onto the main A428 headed west, sign-posted towards Northampton. As always, don't assume marshals will be controlling traffic, which could be approaching from your right at high speed.

You are now on a prime A-road, with good road surface and have almost a six kilometre stretch before your next turn. The road is 'rolling' but fast, and you should be able to maintain good speed throughout. The next turn is left, in the village of Bradfield-on-the-Green, signposted to Horton / Hackleton. This turn isn't too sharp, so you shouldn't lose much speed here:

While you are now off of the main A-road, the nature of the course continues as previously: good road surface, rolling, but not hilly. You have around a 7km stretch of quiet road ahead of you. You'll pass through Horton, and continue until you reach Eakley, where you turn left at the T-junction. At this point, you are well over half-way through the course. You are also at the highest point on the route, and can now look forward to 10km of gently downhill, fast riding with plenty of opportunities to stay aero!

You are now headed towards Newport Pagnell, but just before you get there (at around the 31.5km point of the course), you take a left turn signposted Sherington / Chicheley / Bedford. A swift kilometre or so and you'll then be faced with what is really the only hill of note on the course ahead of you. It isn't especially steep, and you certainly don't need to be too concerned about having large ratio gearing on your bike, but with just 5km to go, it will get the legs pumping a little. At the top of the hill, you approach a roundabout that brings you back onto the main A509 road for the final section of the course. You will be directed left down the slip-road (see picture), just prior to the roundabout proper. Take particular care through this section when joining the main road - it's something of a boy-racer paradise, so be safe.

Left before Newport Pagnell, up the rolling hill and then left towards home

You really are almost there now, and it's a great finish too: around 3km of flat or downhill riding back to Emberton Country Park. You'll pick up a lot of speed, as well as possibly giving your legs a little breather with the run to come. The final descent is fast, so get aero and enjoy it. However, beware of the boy-racer drivers, and don't veer across the road. As you enter Emberton you turn left into the Park (where you'll almost certainly have driven in earlier in the day), before being directed onto the path within the park, before approaching the transition area and dismount line by the tree in the corner of the transition area. Just 10km of running to go...

Almost home, and transition is in sight.

Have a good race, and good luck.