July 4th saw 4 Rutlanders set out to cover 102 miles of the Peak District on a Windy morning in Sheffield to join 300 others to raise funds for Action Medical Research, a charity supporting research into diseases affecting children and babies.
Andy Ralph, John Smallwood, Marc Jacobi and Wojtek Siodelski left Sheffield Tigers’ Rugby ground with a smile which was soon to be wiped off their eager faces when they found that the only flat stretch of the ride was from Bamford to Hope.

The climbs were relentless from Mam Nik until the finish. Horrendous headwinds around Macclesfield and the surrounding moors made the stretch after lunch really hard. John had a broken chain at about 40 miles and Andy got cramp at about 90 miles.
We rolled back into the Tigers after about six and a half hours riding. John and Andy were then grateful for a free massage, courtesy of the event staff.

The event was well organised with support vehicles and a great lunch stop. It is running again next year on 26th June as the peak district 100.