There are two circuits. Event organizers found the most beautiful roads in northern Frederick County, with minimum hills that will help you generate the fastest times possible. These loops have produced some scintillating times and distances accumulated over the past years that the Endurance Challenge has been running!

The long loop (34.2 mile), which, if you are riding in the 12-Hour National Championship will complete three times – for a total of around 111 miles. For the Free State 6-Hour, you will complete two times. And for the Mason-Dixon, you will complete once.

Having completed the required long loops, you will then transition to the short loop (6.6 mile), which you’ll complete as many times as you can until the clock runs out.

At the end of each loop (long and short), you will pass through a timing station that will count your laps, and record your time down to a tenth of a second.

For the long loop

We start at the Mount St. Mary’s University campus. The route loops through northern Frederick County, and meanders through country roads and pastoral farmlands.

After 10 miles, you’ll pass through the Loy’s Station Covered Bridge, then follow one of the local cyclists’ favorite roads to the southern end of the loop. The first hill is around mile 15. It’s 0.4 miles long and climbs just 121 feet, at an average grade of 5.7%.

You’ll pass through the Utica Covered Bridge after around 17.5 miles, and almost immediately after the bridge, there’s a control point and snack station. You don’t have to stop, but our timekeepers will record your number as you come past that point.

The course avoids traffic by curving around the eastern side of historic Thurmont, then after passing through the Roddy Road Covered Bridge, you’ll be directed to back to the timing control, at the start-end point.

Click here for a RideWithGPS route description of the long loop.
Click here to download a GPX file for the long loop.
Click here to download a FIT file for the long loop.

For the short loop

The short loop is 6.6 miles.

We again start at the Mount St. Mary’s University campus. The route loops through northern Frederick County, then meanders past Tom’s Creek, crosses Story Branch, and turns north for a fast, flat run back to the timing station.

Click here for a RideWithGPS route description of the short loop.
Click here to download a GPX file for the short loop.
Click here to download a FIT file for the short loop.