New Year, New Challenge! Base Mile Blast 2013

[Darkslider]

Thought we could do with a thread discussing the goals and aspirations of Strava's January challenge. I didn't sign up to the Festive 500 as it would've been impossible due to family commitments, but riding as many miles as I can this month is something I was going to be doing anyway so it'd be good to have a record of it!

http://app.strava.com/challenges/cycling-base-mile...

So Day 1 today, I believe the milestones go up in 200 mile incremements so I'll be aiming for 600 before the 31st. On my collection of mountain bikes and one hybrid I use for commuting, coupled with the almost certain naff weather it proves to be a challenge but I'm up for a go! Starting off today with a 5 mile commute into work, then I'll come the long way home and try and round it up to 15-20 miles for the day.

What about you lot?

[Rolls]

Ditto... Think 600 miles should be easily achievable for me long as the weather does turn really nasty... Will try for 800 miles if I think it's possible though.. The commute is 125 miles a week so we'll see...

[okgo]

Probably be touch and go for 1000 this month. Fly out to Majorca on 31st so might be possible.

[Darkslider]

Well, not started brilliantly, even took a longer route home from work which has given me a grand total of 12 miles on my first day! Not quite the 20 a day average I need to crack 600, I'll have to pull my finger out over the next few weeks!

Not helped by the fact my puny 300 lm Cree torch on my bars doesn't give enough light for the lanes after work, if my 1800 one had arrived by now I might be a bit more adventurous on the way home but as it is I'm sticking the the roads I know.

[Johnny]

It's a start! 12 miles is better than no miles

I've had a well earned day of no riding or training. I seem to have borked my right knee though so probably don't have a lot of choice.

Looking forward to hopefully getting some miles in Thursday & Friday.

[bakerstreet]

I've managed 52 miles since boxing day and I'm quite pleased with that. My enthusiasm has been helped by a Garmin 800 for xmas/birthday. I'v also signed up for the Manchester to London 24hr ride, so I really need to get the miles in.

I've just put all my rides on Strava, but I'm aiming to mainly track my progress using Garmin's connect site.

I'm not sure that 1000 miles will be possible by the end of January. Something like 300 or 500 might be. I'm hoping I'll be able to get out for a my 12.5 mile loop before work.

My work commute is 29 miles and I don't think that is something that I would want to undertake more that one or two days a week.

[XG332]

Total miles covered: 0

Going to hit the trainer hard tomorrow to make up for it.
Then hopefuly commute when I can and if its light enough. 15 miles on unlit, potholed country roads is less than ideal in the dark.

[McFsC]

XG332 said:

Total miles covered: 0

Going to hit the trainer hard tomorrow to make up for it.
Then hopefuly commute when I can and if its light enough. 15 miles on unlit, potholed country roads is less than ideal in the dark.

Bright, 1800 Lumen, lights work well - I will be riding in for the full month providing the rain isn't too heavy.

[XG332]

McFsC said:

Bright, 1800 Lumen, lights work well - I will be riding in for the full month providing the rain isn't too heavy.

Might invest

[burriana]

Tried signing up for this but i think you need to upgrade to premium. which I'm not bothered about.

[McFsC]

XG332 said:

Might invest

If you can ride in for a few weeks when other wise you wouldn't it will be worth it. Plus the extra miles you will be putting in can only be a good thing.

I think I paid £30 for one including a spare rear light which was half decent - there's plent on the MTB lights thread.

[Darkslider]

You don't need to upgrade to premium, I'm still on the free account. Currently on 7000 and something out of 20k riders with my 12 miles Might see about going a bit further afield today.

Getting fed up of waiting for my lamp to arrive from China so I think if it's not here by Friday I'm going to order an identical one, but pay an extra tenner to get it from the UK. Sods law will guarantee it arrives then, otherwise I'd be waiting till February, and when it does finally arrive I can have one for my bars and one for my helmet for off road night rides. Which should help crank the mileage up!

[burriana]

WTF! I've just seen the leader board and, we are only on the 2nd January are we not? ... Some guy in the States is already claiming 310 miles!

Seeing as it is still early morning over there, I'm calling foul!

[XG332]

Back from a quick 10 miler. Currently on 25 miles, back on the machine later for another session.

[McFsC]

I'm on 48 mile.

Very hard ride round N.Yorks Moors with over 3,200ft of climbing and a firm breeze. Knackered.

[Chicken Chaser]

Well was working yesterday, today and working tomorrow. No commute miles so need to get it in elsewhere.
All I've managed so far is 25 miles on the trainer - 45 mins last night, and 52 tonight. The trainer under-reads too (KK road machine) so i'm working harder for less miles!

Got Friday morning to get one in and also should manage one on Saturday. As per my NY resolution, I'm aiming for 300 miles a month, so with this little badge, I might squeeze a few more in for January.

[Darkslider]

Good going guys, I'm only on 32 miles currently a long commute yesterday and dropping a car off at my mates and cycling back is the only reason it's that high!

Binned it last night too, lost the front wheel taking a shortcut on the cycle track and it washed out, I hit the tarmac hard on my left side before I even had a chance to unclip or let go of the bars! Not my finest moment. Other than a dead leg and a painful elbow I'm alright this morning, but really lacking in motivation so I think it's just gonna be work and back today.

Still, it's another 9 miles on the bike instead of the car!

[Gizmoish]

Got the bike out of the shed from its Christmas exile last night, fitted the Garmin and signed up to the challenge. Aiming to ride in to work eight times (that's 320km), a couple of weekend forays, and do a 100km ride on one weekend. So: target 300 miles.

[okgo]

Will be at about 70 after today, haven't uploaded yet, tend to do a bulk upload at the weekends so as not to bore the world with my commutes

[Darkslider]

Well, I'm starting to struggle a bit, after months without touching a bike last year (and when I did it was the downhill bike so very little sitting down or pedalling) the recent burst of excercise is starting to take its toll. I've ridden every day since Christmas and cranked it up (well, by my standards) since the new year came in, currently on 41 miles since Tuesday.

My arse is constantly hurting, even with padded lycra tights I wince in the mornings when I get on the saddle. My legs are feeling achey, heavy and swollen, and after binning it yesterday on wet wooden path edging and hitting the deck like a sack of st I'm feeling a bit stiff today. As a result of which I only managed a measly 9 miles, rather than take the longer scenic route home after work I got on the straight and narrow and was home in 25 minutes. Not completely disappointed though as I was that knackered this morning I was so so close to just putting the kettle on for another cup of tea and taking the car to work. Somehow found it in me to get my gear on and drag the bike out though.

Arranged to be at a mates house 7 miles away for most of tomorrow, and I think fate is encouraging me on as I've not got a car for the day so it's going to be the bike again. So that should be another 14 to the total. I was going to have a rest day tomorrow as we've got a longish XC ride planned on Saturday which will be the first for ages, but I'm not gonna get a decent mileage total by resting I guess!

Here's hoping my legs will have recovered by the commute on Monday!