THIS IS HARDCORE

3366m Elevation gain on the 183km route

After over seven hours in the saddle, the moment I’ve been dreading and sweating over for months has finally arrived. The 33 per cent inclines are almost comically steep, the tarmac as cracked as my mental resolve. I strain every sinew to rotate the pedals. My speed hovers at 5km/h and a fellow rider pushing his bike overtakes me. This is Hardknott. This is hardcore. And this is the Fred Whitton, the most famous and feared sportive in the nation, gracing the Lake District after an enforced hiatus last year.

Held in memory of Fred Whitton, the racing secretary of the Lakes Road Club who died of cancer in 1998, the Fred began life in 1999. It’s since raised millions for charity and also raised plenty of heart rates, with the iconic climbs of Kirkstone, Hardknott and Wrynose in its midst along the 183km route. Almost as tough as crossing the Fred finish line is getting a spot in the