Audax United Kingdom (known as Audax UK or AUK) is the foremost long-distance cycling association in the UK and the biggest in the world. It was established in 1976. AUK oversees the running of long-distance cycling events and, using a system of timed checkpoints, validates and records every successful ride. They provide an excellent opportunity for those wanting to get in training miles in and are also good social occasions.

The "classic" distances for AUK events are 200km (approximately 125 miles), 300km, 400km and 600km. Most AUK events are either 200km or 100km. However AUK aims to have something for everybody and events start from 50km (about 32 miles) and go all the way up to 1400km (about 875 miles), and even this is not the limit because there are set routes, known as "Permanents", which span the length and breadth of the country and go up to 3200km.

There are maximum and minimum time limits, which are designed to suit everyone from the fittest of recreational riders, to more occasional riders who have plenty of determination. Each rider carries a "brevet card" which is stamped at intermediate checkpoints and at the finish, and which is later returned to the rider as a certificate of their achievement. The maximum time allowed to complete the ride is measured from the time you set off, to the time you finish. There are no allowances for breaks, meals, rest, sleep or mechanical breakdown. So in practical terms this means you have to ride fast enough to generate your own time buffers, especially on the longer events where you will need to rest or even sleep for a while. This is not as tough as it may sound, as the maximum time limits are quite generous.

They are NOT races. People ride them more in the spirit of an event like the London Marathon, everyone riding to their own limitations with the primary objective to just "get round". These events suit everyone, clubmen, time-triallists, recreational riders, cycletourists, "'born again" cyclists, young and old, male and female. You'll see all sorts of machines - bikes, tandems, trikes, recumbents, and occasionally even stranger things...

The routes typically feature a few fast main roads and a lot of quiet, scenic lanes. Many events are quite hilly, some are extremely hilly, and even the flatter ones usually have one or two challenging climbs. Self-sufficiency is a highly-regarded quality in AUK. The success rate on these events is very high - probably only about 10% fail to finish.

For more information visit www.audax.uk.net or just contact us .