The warning was in the Sheffield 100's tag line; "You suffer so they don't have to." Whether it was meant as a bad joke, motivational mantra or sheer inspiration, no one could ever complain that Action Medical Research hadn't cautioned us about what lay ahead. Even a cursory glace at the route revealed that the Sheffied 100 barely dipped a little toe into the leafy outskirts of the steel city before plunging headlong into the punishing peaks of the, err, Peak District.
A climb to the dramatic gritstone cliffs of Stanage Edge warmed
the legs before the adrenalin rush of the descent into Edale. then
out of the saddle for the slow grind up 
Mam Tor. It may not have been quite the torture
of Winnat's Pass on the south side of the Great Ridge, but its
contours were close enough together to force a handful of riders to
uncleat and push their bikes.
This sequence of rise and fall set the pattern for the day, lengthy, challenging climbs followed by short, fun and frantic descents. A bit like hours of foreplay followed by... well, you know.
Hill of the day was surely Long Hill, a thigh burning ascent out of Whaley Bridge that would be better named Ariston for its ability to go on and on. And on. And on. A brief reprieve by an inky reservoir then the road steepened again without forgiveness, 'you suffer so they don't have to,' became a defiant mantra between desperately gasped breaths.
Immaculate waymarking throughout removed the opportunity to use
junctions as excuses to catch your breath, although there was a
relaxed and happy atmosphere at the feed stations. Lunch, in
particular, was fit for a royal peloton, a vast spread of calories
to replenish weary legs and refuel them for the afternoon. The
rumour going round was that the hard work had been done and that
the return half of the route 
was decidedly easier, but it was more like
fighting Reggie Kray in the morning and then thinking you can relax
because you've only got to take on Ronnie after lunch.
And on this ride, Ronnie came armed with a wrecking ball gale that required serious balance to resist high on the exposed Staffordshire moors. Signs to the brilliantly named village of Flash passed by in slow motion as cadence battled the breeze, before finally the turn for home with the elements in our favour.
A last banana / flapjack / malt loaf boost in the gorgeous White Peak dales at Hartington, then homeward bound. Until that pit of the stomach feeling when riders who know the Peak know what's coming. First the hors d'oeuvre of the ride up to Monsal Head, the brief amuse bouche of the descent to Calver, and then the killer main course of the climb to Froggatt Edge. You suffer so they don't have to? Too right.
Freewheeling the final mile there was an exhilarating sense of achievement. A thrill and pride at pedalling 102 miles over the Peak District, along with memories of some breathtaking views. For those who could wait, complimentary sports massages eased exhausted muscles before the drive home. Many more opted to uncleat and let a pint do the relaxation work. There will be more Action Medical Reseach rides over the summer, but surely none so hard as this - we did suffer, but it was magnificent.
Action Medical Reseach is dedicated to helping babies and children, finding and funding the best medical research to help stop the suffering of infants. For more information on its future rides, visit www.action.org.uk/takeaction
Words by Jonathan Manning
Photography by Phil O'Connor
Posted on Monday, 9 February 2011
