Marmotte 2010

James

Just heard from Jez who you met last Friday before the ride on Saturday.

He writes:

Got back to work this morning. Unfortunately I came down with a nasty chest infection the day before the ride. Woke up on Saturday with leaden limbs, a soaring temperature and a very tight chest. I recognised the symptoms as I had a similar infection a couple of years ago. Despite that I started the ride. BIG mistake. I felt dead on the Glandon and even worse on the Telegraph and therefore abandoned half way round as have never felt that bad on a bike in my life.
Really really gutted; 8 months of training down the toilet, although by abandoning I at least avoided a nasty thunderstorm at the top of the Galibier. Every cloud…
Chris, Mike and Jon completed it and would have made the silver time (10 hours 40ish) had I not held them back. Chris is still pretty sore; he says it's the hardest thing he's ever done but give him a week and he'll say he loved every minute of it!