Chris goes the extra mile - and then some!
Market Drayton cyclist Chris Molena went more than the extra mile as his cycling club competed in the annual Devon Delight event – he went another 200!
Several members of the Market Drayton Cycling Club caught a lift down to the picturesque settings of the South Coast.
But 24-year-old Molena thought it would be a good idea to cycle 215 miles down to the coast on two wheels in an extended warm-up, writes Lewis Cox.
The event, held by Cyclists' Touring Club Devon, is a popular, nationwide meet, where members come from far afield to challenge themselves by posting a competitive time.
Molena said: "It is one of our big events. I wanted to make a big effort. Instead of sorting lifts I decided to cycle down.
"I have done similar things before. I am an endurance-style rider and it isn't too dissimilar to some events. I left on Saturday morning at 8am and arrived at Newton Abbot at 3am on Sunday morning."
The cyclist did not check himself into a local bed and breakfast he had booked but found the nearest, most suitable park and settled down for what was left of the night.
He continued: "After 15 or 16 hours, I reached a park and found a tree that looked comfy. It wasn't a particularly great night's sleep. I reckon I got about 20 minutes.
"The most important thing was that I was resting. At about 5am on the Sunday I made the short ride to the race venue and I didn't feel too bad.
"My muscles felt OK, my elbows and knees were a bit sore from the night. For the first 35 miles of the race, I was keeping along with the members.
"I dropped back and attached myself to another group. It's not meant to be a race. People see it as a chance to challenge themselves.
"I set a decent time, but it wasn't that much of an issue for me."
After a nice catch-up at the end of the meet, Molena's fellow club members attempted to convince the cyclist to stay overnight and get a lift home.
He said: "It was my intention to ride back. I was feeling good after a little bit of food and felt great for 50 miles.
"I'd found a nice field to sleep in at Taunton by about 9.30pm, but at midnight it began to rain. It got really cold at about 2.30am and I knew it was too dangerous.
"After much deliberation in the morning, I decided to get the train home. It seemed like the sensible thing to do."
