The half way through the year review thread.
Discussion
It's half way through the year so I thought it would be a good time to reflect on how the year has gone so far.
Being in the RAF a good number of my seasons have been interrupted by various 'adventures', this year is the first I've had a good run uninterrupted.
So far I've completed 3100 miles this year, 1000 in June alone, I'm taking part in my first race this week and I'm feeling as strong on the bike as I've ever done.
Goals for the rest of the year are to develop my 'top end' end further and participate in the inter-services championships, I should really compete in my local Cat 4 race but I always seem to find an excuse not to.
I also need to drop another stone but that's coming along in it's own time.
Being in the RAF a good number of my seasons have been interrupted by various 'adventures', this year is the first I've had a good run uninterrupted.
So far I've completed 3100 miles this year, 1000 in June alone, I'm taking part in my first race this week and I'm feeling as strong on the bike as I've ever done.
Goals for the rest of the year are to develop my 'top end' end further and participate in the inter-services championships, I should really compete in my local Cat 4 race but I always seem to find an excuse not to.
I also need to drop another stone but that's coming along in it's own time.
BMI is down to 19.5 - want to have it back down to 19 for LEL1400km at the end of July, but suspect that would be quite a low BF% - was 7% by DEXA when I was scanned at 1kg heavier than I am now. Not far off...
Ridden >5700km, which is ~ 1800km behind where I'd have been last year.
Climbed > 68,000m, which is way, way ahead of what I'd done last year, and most of it has been on fixed. Really been getting the hills is as much as I can.
Got around Pendle600KM (UK endurance ride) within time and in good shape.
Despite moving house and job, I feel as strong on the bike as I ever have, so pretty pleased all in.
Ridden >5700km, which is ~ 1800km behind where I'd have been last year.
Climbed > 68,000m, which is way, way ahead of what I'd done last year, and most of it has been on fixed. Really been getting the hills is as much as I can.
Got around Pendle600KM (UK endurance ride) within time and in good shape.
Despite moving house and job, I feel as strong on the bike as I ever have, so pretty pleased all in.
ttest year (so far) I've ever had on a bike. Knee injury keeping me off the bike in any serious sense since March, all fitness lost (after a good winter), a good 10kgs gained, and to round it off said knees are playing up again. 2013 can go fWow. I'm way behind a lot of folk on here.
369.4 miles for the year so far. All on the MTB
In my defence, I hardly rode at all until May.
350 MTB miles in two months sounds marginally more respectable
More effort required, but I'm back in the swing of things now. Next step is to buy a GPS to make record keeping a little easier.
369.4 miles for the year so far. All on the MTB
In my defence, I hardly rode at all until May.
350 MTB miles in two months sounds marginally more respectable
More effort required, but I'm back in the swing of things now. Next step is to buy a GPS to make record keeping a little easier.I've covered just over 2500 miles already this year, which was where I ended last year, so an improvement at least. Completed two century sportives two weekends on the bounce too which I enjoyed.
However, I'm now 5 weeks out from Ironman UK which I entered last year, and I've had to rest up this weekend due to hamstring trouble. Which I think has originated from my road bike position. Going to have to work hard now and for the rest of the year. Looking forward to concentrating even more on my cycling though post Ironman.
However, I'm now 5 weeks out from Ironman UK which I entered last year, and I've had to rest up this weekend due to hamstring trouble. Which I think has originated from my road bike position. Going to have to work hard now and for the rest of the year. Looking forward to concentrating even more on my cycling though post Ironman.
Got some catching up to do then!
710 miles so far this year, according to Strava. (Probably 700 of those on the road bike, and 10 on the MTB with the trailer on the back!)
However, I'm definitely heading in the right direction, as 336 of those miles were in the last 28 days! 55 of them today.....
710 miles so far this year, according to Strava. (Probably 700 of those on the road bike, and 10 on the MTB with the trailer on the back!)
However, I'm definitely heading in the right direction, as 336 of those miles were in the last 28 days! 55 of them today.....
About 1000 miles for me (994.9 on Strava, but I didn't bother to log a few of the shorter rides), which I don't think is bad for a non-roadie. Given that my year end goal is 2000 miles, I'm almost dead on target. Though I may have to raise that goal a little as I've massively upped my mileage recently - mostly by virtue of dragging myself out of bed a little earlier - having put in almost a third of the distance so far this year in June alone.
I have plenty to look forward to for the rest of the year too, including the BHF London - Brighton off road this September which I've just signed up to. Hoping it won't kill me...
I have plenty to look forward to for the rest of the year too, including the BHF London - Brighton off road this September which I've just signed up to. Hoping it won't kill me...
Been a bit of a start/stop year for me due to my current contract, I was planning on having a go at racing this year but my riding has been very inconsistent due to quite a bit of time spent away from home in hotels, so have not been able to do any structured training, so have just been getting in as many miles as I can when I have the chance 
Currently sat at just over 4,000 miles for the year which is not to be sniffed at given the number of nights spent away from home. Most annoying thing for me at the moment is that I seem to have 'plateaued' with my average speed and climbing ability, I will never be a sprinter (simply don't have the build) and really enjoy climbing but don't seem to be able to improve at the moment despite my best efforts..........could simply be age catching me up of course!
One of the 'younger' chaps who I ride with from time to time said on Saturday 'for an older bloke, you have a reasonably decent set of legs', I took that as a cloaked compliment!
Currently sat at just over 4,000 miles for the year which is not to be sniffed at given the number of nights spent away from home. Most annoying thing for me at the moment is that I seem to have 'plateaued' with my average speed and climbing ability, I will never be a sprinter (simply don't have the build) and really enjoy climbing but don't seem to be able to improve at the moment despite my best efforts..........could simply be age catching me up of course!
One of the 'younger' chaps who I ride with from time to time said on Saturday 'for an older bloke, you have a reasonably decent set of legs', I took that as a cloaked compliment!
Late starter here: Bought myself a bike in late February for commuting on (was first time I'd ridden since I was a teenager), and have covered a bit over 1400km since then. The original idea was that I'd only use it for commuting, but I enjoyed it so much I soon started doing a few rides in the weekends as well. And now I've started to add little bits on to my commutes to make them longer...
I've been commuting rain or shine, and have only missed one day so far (about the 4th day in when I thought it would be a good idea to give my legs a little break)
I've been commuting rain or shine, and have only missed one day so far (about the 4th day in when I thought it would be a good idea to give my legs a little break)
Stopped smoking & lost 2st. Bought 2 bikes. Done 2500 miles and c. 50,000 m climbed. Did my first sportive, got Gold time. Organised my best mate's stag do & rode Alpe d'Huez twice and then around to Cols Glandon and Croix de Fer. Next up mtb South Downs Way in 2 days, then (spurred on by Tony's recent effort!) Eastbourne to Paris in 24h.
Not a bad 6 months
Not a bad 6 months
I'm up to 2000 miles so far and that includes Turbo Trainer sessions. I'm pretty pleased with that. I'm also commuting now, so that should guarantee me at least 300 miles a month, depending on how many days a week I can handle the 30 mile round trip commute. I think four is the limit.
I keep an spreadsheet telling me how much money I've saved in fuel and that encourages me to keep commuting by bike
I'm hoping to make 4000 miles by the end of the year. That should see me loose my target of two stone and after that I shall reward myself with some Sidi carbon shoes or some blingy carbon bars and stem for the bike
I keep an spreadsheet telling me how much money I've saved in fuel and that encourages me to keep commuting by bike
I'm hoping to make 4000 miles by the end of the year. That should see me loose my target of two stone and after that I shall reward myself with some Sidi carbon shoes or some blingy carbon bars and stem for the bike
Very slow start to the year due to us having a baby. I went from being bike obsessed to hardly touching it from November onwards. During this period I managed to gain a significant amount of weight (circa 15kg) Between Jan and April I managed the total of 145 miles.
Mid-April I started riding properly again, and I have just completed my biggest ever month, covering 808 miles surpassing what I did even when racing. I have lost 16lbs so far, aiming for a further 28lbs to get back to 85kg
I didn't quite realise how slow, fat and unfit I had become. A 20 mile ride that was once easy and I wouldn't have had a second thought about became a massive challenge!
Out for a ride on Sunday and I felt epic. The power and strength is back, just need to shift the rest of the blubber. I'm now getting obsessive again. Might get back to racing again next year Winter Reliability rides are my first target.
Mid-April I started riding properly again, and I have just completed my biggest ever month, covering 808 miles surpassing what I did even when racing. I have lost 16lbs so far, aiming for a further 28lbs to get back to 85kg
I didn't quite realise how slow, fat and unfit I had become. A 20 mile ride that was once easy and I wouldn't have had a second thought about became a massive challenge!
Out for a ride on Sunday and I felt epic. The power and strength is back, just need to shift the rest of the blubber. I'm now getting obsessive again. Might get back to racing again next year
Winter Reliability rides are my first target.Edited by S10GTA on Monday 1st July 13:03
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