Tuesday 1 January 2013

cycling end of year wrap up and new goals

I did not make my goals for the year with my bicycle but still managed to have a terrific year with my two wheeled machines. In 2011, I rode 8345km on all of my bicycles combined. For 2012, I managed a total of 7938km split evenly between commuting/around town riding and faster road and rail trail riding. My goal was to exceed the km ridden in 2011 during the 2012 year.

While the mileage for the two years was similar, the way 2012 panned out compared to 2011 was quite different. During the 2011 calender year, my job saw me working in the same city that I live in. I was able to commute all winter and through until the end of spring. This resulted in about 30km for every day that I rode to work - free km if you will. Steady constant cycling all year round brought me to my best year yet in terms of mileage. During 2012, my work assignment was in the next city over, and riding in the winter to that city is problematic at best, and dangerous at worst due to lousy roads, and unploughed (but existing at least) bicycle infrastructure. This meant that most of my mileage during 2012 was compressed into the warmer months of the year with only a little around town riding through the winter months. Even though the total km ridden did not match what I rode in 2011, my 2012 season saw me faster and more powerful on the bicycle and finally approaching the levels of fitness I had back (way back) when I was 29 or so due to the kind of riding I did. Happily, I managed to get fit enough that I could largely ignore the wind - it still slowed me down of course, but it was not the torture that it has been in years past.

So what of 2013?

Work sees me back in the city again, at the same location I was at two years ago. This means I can commute every day again and gain a free 30km per day. The commuter bike is heavy, with studded tires during the winter, and takes a lot of effort of move quickly. The intention is to do what I did last time. I will use the ride into work as a relaxing clear the cobwebs of sleep out of my mind warm up to the day, and use the ride home as a sweaty heart pounding as fast as I can workout. Hammer hard enough, and I will get some decent winter rides in and keep my conditioning up. Combined with all of my running around town for social reasons and shopping, things should be looking pretty good come spring time.

Once the warmer weather arrives in the spring and the roads clear of snow, ice, and road salt, I will add to the commuting several road rides a week. I also hope to get out on the mountain bike once a week as well since my off road skills are fading away to nothing through lack of use.

Essentially, the idea is to combine the best of 2011 with the best of 2012. I am fortunate that I am in a situation where I can do this without impacting the thing that matters most to me: my family.

My daughter is getting older, and is interested in cycling as well. She got her first adult bike for Christmas, and is looking forward to riding with us come spring time. My wife is recovering from some health concerns and is looking forward to getting her bike legs back. We honeymooned at a mountain bike resort a long time ago, and both really miss riding with each other. Our riding together has been hit and miss for a long time. This year looks promising for many family outings along local, and some not so local,  rail trails together. I am really looking forward to this.

So here is hoping that it works out as planned. May your year be good for you, and full of the things that make you happy. There are other things coming up for our household that I won't mention in this blog that make 2013 look like a fantastic year, and I hope that the same is true for you.

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