From Cali to Maryland; to hell and back

Somewhere late at night in June, after crossing the Mississippi, the legs will begin to burn and the dark night will close in. That’s when the cyclist begins to question their sanity

DONNCHA CUTTRISS cycled from his home in Cork to Liverpool via the ferry to Holyhead on Friday night. The rest of us worry about the size of our carry-on — Cuttriss just makes sure he can carry it on his back.

He was nonchalant about this when I spoke to him over the phone on Monday — ultra athletes are often deadpan about their incredible feats, apparently oblivious to how maddening this is to the rest of us.