The Norwich 200

Sunday morning the alarm went off at 4am and the realisation of what I had planned for the day suddenly slapped me around the face like a large cartoon fish.
Had I seriously agreed to ride 200 miles for charity in one day, oh yes!
With a fair amount raised already and endurance pride at stake there was no backing out now! So slapped on a heavy dose of nappy cream got the kit on and loaded the bike in the car and drove the short distance to my work in Norwich centre. If it wasn't early enough being dark, having to drive through the drunks piling out of the nightclubs added to a almost surreal experience.
This got stranger as I cycled from my office down the main strip of clubs in full race Lycra.
I found the BHF crew setting up their tents etc but it was still to early for any of their staff to witness my start so I gave my feed-bag, bottles etc to one of the workman to pass on and I set endomondo to start and I was off.
I had decided to do the a loop of the 50mile route first in order to return to the start to join the main 100 route riders and this first lap was of course quiet with barely any traffic and of course no cyclists, it went reasonably quick and I was back in well under 3hrs to stock up on bottles and food, ditch the gillet and arm-warmers and join the front of a 100 miler group.
Got a nice shout out from the MC and the other riders when it was announced that I had already completed 50 and had another 150 to go!
The weather had hotted up now and it was possible to save a bit of energy and draft some bigger groups in order to save some energy, I was getting a few looks whilst doing this and really wanted to tell them my plans for the day but thought better of it.
I had planned not to stop at any of the feed-zones and just use my water/food on-board and this was true to form except for a toilet break at 70miles, which was the only one allday!
The worst point of the day for me is when in the 100 group I reached the mid point of 50 miles or 100 for me and realised I was halfway there.
The hundred was done sub 6hrs and seeing a lot of friends drinking pints of adnams at the end, made it all the harder to get back out there and do another loop of the 50mile route.
This last leg was made a little harder as the organisers had assumed no more riders out there so had removed the marshals and directions but I could recall most of this from the dawn ride.
Lots of gels and another 3hrs later I was back at the start/finish and my missus and kids were waiting for my arrival along with a ice cold pint of Adnams bitter! Would I contemplate doing something like this again.....you bet so watch out there might next year be something even bigger!