I started cycling last July with the plan of cycling to work each day. It was a struggle to cycle the five miles each way, but I stuck with it. I set a target of 1000 miles by the end of the year.
By the end of 2010, I had cycled 1200 miles (in 100 cycling days), with the longest journey just under 50 miles, but mostly under 12 miles (average around 11)
This year, so far I have cycled over 1500 miles in 97 cycling days, but the longest journey was around 80 miles, and around a third of the time my mileage has been more than 20 miles (average around 16).
My best achievement has been to complete the 58 mile route for the Great Nottinghamshire Bike Ride with my daughter. Between us (and the tax man) we have raised over £400 for charities. A year ago, I could not have done that, but I am much fitter than I was and, frankly, I enjoy riding my bike. Although the route was supposed to be 58 miles, according to the bike computer, we did 82 miles in total including getting there and back.
So what challenges lie ahead? I set a mileage target of 2500 for the year, so I should achieve that if nothing untoward happens. I’m thinking of joining the night ride from Manchester to Blackpool in September, and still thinking about doing the Coast to Coast (C2C). I’m also being trained as a Rural Rides leader so need to work out some interesting routes for rides, fortunately the Erewash Valley Trail is on my doorstep so I’ve already led a ride around that anticlockwise (so still to do it the other way).
So the dilemma … do some work, or get the cycle out? Hmmm … no competition, methinks.
