2014 Review

2014 started off with an aim of trying to reach 2,500 miles of cycling (an average of around 50 per week). That seemed a reasonable goal but did mean that I would have to be ono the ball for 52 weeks. As it turned out the annual mileage passed the 3,000 mile mark but not without considerable effort and fall outs about the amount of time spent cycling.

January saw 14 rides but only two saw rubber on tarmac. The difference was that I had purchased an Elite Turbo Trainer which wirelessly linked to the laptop. This allows riding of routes with automatic resistance to the back wheel as the gradient goes up. A much more realistic experience than the previous Tacx Turbo with a 1 - 10 residence setting. The Elite came with a DVD ride from Bardolino to Verona - 26 miles up and down hill. Coincidentally we would subsequently make a trip to Verona on a Treyn holiday and sit outside the Amphitheatre that marks the end of the ride on the DVD drinking coffee. Monthly total 255.64

February came and went but again the amount of fresh air experienced was limited - this time just one 18.07 mile ride on the Cannondale on February 7th. Monthly total 184.16

March saw little improvement in relation to actually getting out as only 3 rides were not undertone in the garage. The total for the month was however a good 345.58

April saw a reverse with only 3 turbo rides and 9 outdoor trips. Monthly total 204.99

May and a few wet days saw 4 turbo sessions and 233.71 miles

June added another 238.08 miles - halfway through the year and a total of 1,462.18 miles so far. With an aim of 2,500 miles I was well on target at this stage.

July, 16 rides, and another 300+ total (317.46). Jay started going out with me on a few occasions - well he managed 3 rides in July but it wouldn't be his last, although he only added two more before his enthusiasm wained.

August - 15 Rides, 285.66 miles 

September - 15 rides 259.27 miles. Jay came and did one ride on 15th September. The ride on 10th (usual evening ride including Allestree) saw an average of 18.7 mph for the 13 miles. On 17th the evening ride without Allestree averaged 18.6. Since this time I don't seem to have come close to any of these averages on the road despite feeling fitter and stronger, odd that.

October 14 rides 299.36 miles. Nine turbo sessions suggests that the weather in October was not great.
(if only I had realised that the ride on 31st October  (32.20 miles) - that I just needed another .64 miles to reach 300 for the month I'm sure I could have squeezed that extra out !!). 

November 10 rides 208.41 miles. Just one road ride this month, strangely as the last one of the month (28th 22.63 miles on the Cannondale). 

December ended the year with 11 rides (all Turbo) and 237.88 miles. The annual total for 2014 was 3,070.19 miles. An average of 59.04 miles per week. I swore at that time that I wouldn't do that mileage again - certainly not before retirement. Next years target will be back in the 2,000's. 

In the 3.5 years since returning to the bike I have cycling 8,145.45 miles, which if we count the first 6 months as a year ( yes I know it's only half a year bit bear with) then the average per year is 2,036.36. So by the end of 2015 I should have passed the 10,000 mile mark if I keep up that average. SO that forms the target for the current year.