Alex and Peter complete National 400k Audax

The National 400K Audax took place this year on the weekend of 28th June. It started in Great Dunmow and followed a route described as "a tour of Essex, based on the Kingdom of the East Saxons route, featuring chalk uplands, market towns, Constable Country, the ancient port of Harwich (home of the Mayflower), the Sunshine Coast and many estuaries."

The event started at 10:00 on the Saturday and riders had to finish by 13:00 on the Sunday - so 400km in 27 hours. Food was provided at the start, at Reed (39km), Great Bromley (203km), Great Dunmow (266km - also the sleep stop) and again at the finish back at Dunmow. 

Wheelers Alex Powell and Peter Walton rode the event, which was made especially grueling by record temperatures often above 30⁰C. They finished the ride - actually 415km - with an hour to spare despite suffering in the heat and from the almost continuous rolling hilly terrain. Alex said the event is "certainly worth trying once if you want a very sociable test of ability to suffer".