News

Chris Martin, Assistant Accountant based at our Penrith office gives us his review of the gruelling Fred Whitton cycling event, which he completed with his father.

On Sunday I completed the Fred Whitton.  The Fred Whitton challenge, known as ‘the Fred’, is a 114 mile cycle sportive event which travels across the major passes in the Lake District, covering an elevation gain of just under 13,000 ft.  It is described as one of the hardest cycle sportives in the UK.

My journey began in September 2019.  I had just completed the coast to coast and was looking for my next challenge.  I had always been aware of the Fred Whitton through my father Rich’s participation.  My father is one the directors of Cyclewise, a business he started with my mum Sue and their two business partners.  They operate the running of Bikeability in schools across Cumbria, deliver mountain bike leadership courses and sell and service bikes from their shops in Cockermouth and Whinlatter forest.  He would often have a few of his staff members participate as riders.  With the original date being in the year he turned 50 we decided it would be a passing of the torch moment, where his last attempt would be my first.

If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail.  There is a reason the Fred has the reputation it has.  Going over passes such as Kirkstone, Honister, Newlands, Whinlatter, Hardnott & Wrynose where gradients can be 30% in places, I’ve had many tell me they would struggle doing that in a car, let alone on a bike.  It’s not uncommon either for both bikes and owners to be badly damaged if they crash on any of the descents.  This meant spending a lot of time on the bike, doing large distances and a lot of climbs to get my fitness and strength as well as improve my bike handling.  It also meant doing all the passes before hand, gaining knowledge on what they’re like and how to approach each one.   I pushed myself and found where my limits were so I could improve upon them and become stronger and faster.

The event got delayed twice.  The first time from the initial June 2020 date from the outbreak of Coronavirus and again from the rearranged date of May 2021 from the number of cases rising again.  This meant I had two years of training under my belt when the day of the event eventually came to pass.

Before the day, the only concerns I had were the descents from Hardnott & Wrynose.  The climbs would be off putting to most but that was where I felt strongest.  I just wanted to make it down from the climbs safely.  I knew I prepared right, I felt strong and I had a plan.  We also had a support team positioned over some of the climbs where we could swap bottles and be passed food for the next leg.  My aim was to do it in under eight hours.  My Dad’s was eight and a half.  Knowing it would be the only time I would get to ride it with my Dad, with it being it his last attempt, it felt right that I should do the majority of the riding with him.  So, I decided we would get to the last two passes before I would go off ahead and meet him at the finish.

On the day we set off from the start line just after 7am.  The first 60 miles were enjoyable, and I arrived at the top of Whinlatter feeling great.  On the way down my Dad punctured and we had to stop to change it over.  As we were changing his innertube the heavens opened and for the next 40 odd miles it was a case of rain jackets on and getting on with it.  Shortly after, not convinced his tyre was inflated properly my Dad let me off earlier than planned so as to not hold me back.  It was harder by myself but looking at the grimacing faces surrounding me from the other riders, tired and wanting out of the rain I knew I’d be fine.  I could feel fatigue starting to set-in, but I still felt strong. The worst part was the last 14 miles after coming off Blea Tarn.  Just looking at the distance on my bike computer slowly increasing to 114 was torture knowing I was so close to the finish.  Eventually the finish came.  I had done the Fred.  It was a relief having finally completed it.  Legs still feeling good and body in one piece, knowing all my training had paid off.  I felt proud for completing something many would consider impossible.  My official time was 8:11:48 with my moving time being 7:40:49.  My dad finished with a time 8:31:26.  We were both very happy with our times and were looking forward to a rest!

I will definitely do it again one day, looking to improve upon my time.  Until then, on with the next challenge.