Mad dogs and Englishmen flat out in the midday sun

Last Sunday saw the Anglo Mules take on the 112 mile Flat out in the Fens Sportive.
This coincided with the hottest day of the year with temperatures in the high 80's.
My twin brother Paddy in Texas remarked 'That's cold........I'd be wearing a coat in that weather'
I hope he was joking for any coat wearing would have surely have created the same affect of the culinary 'boil in the bag effect'
I would literally have been poached Shrimp !!!!



The course was flat if not monotonous and when the wind got up in the afternoon there was no hiding place. With long straight stretches over 5 miles at a time I saw numerous mirages in the road.
Not surprisingly they all looked like watering holes, the type that serve Ice cold beer in comparison to the warm juice that was simmering in my water bottle.With the earlier sportives seemingly choreographed by a tango instructor. It was pure joy to move away from the quick, quick, slow, of the Alpine wolds to dance a repeated quick step on this more benign terrain.

My peddles pured with the high tempo, sometimes being sent into a spinning frenzy.

My heart not so enamoured, repeatedly played catch up like a father chasing an errant child in the park.

What the Fens lacked in visual enjoyment they more than made up for in other ways.

When you are able to follow a back wheel at 2" away with speeds over 20 mph for hours on end, When you are able to feel part of the collective movement of a chain gang,

When the wind you feel is created by yourself and not by nature

Then you really know why you do it.

Next weekend five of us anglo Mules are plannning to Cycle 24hrs for Charity.........................................Life gets no easier