Your year in cycling

iain_j

So how was 2008 for you? How many New Year Resolutions did you keep?

Mine started well. For the first time in a few years I didn't have a winter lay-off, so I arrived at spring in good nick. Came close to beating my PB for distance in one day without even trying. It was all going fine, then - bump - had an accident on the way home from work and had 6 weeks off the bike. At least it coincided with the worst of the summer rain. Felt unfit again, but my first "take it easy, see how it goes" ride after the lay-off was 75 miles, so I was on my way again

Despite the 6 weeks off I've ended up just 20 miles short of my "record" for miles ridden in a year. Was thinking of going out today for a short ride to bump it up, but when I got up and saw the rain I thought "sod that" Plan B was clean my bike, and I didn't do that either.

2009 resolutions:

1. Get some multi-day tours in, at least some weekends. Bought some panniers early this year but thanks to "life" getting in the way they're still unused.

2. Look after my bikes properly - clean them at least

3. Fix my Giant! Took it all apart after the accident in the summer to inspect the damage and replace what needed replacing, but I still haven't put it all back together. Shame on me :roll:

meagain

After a lowly c. 2,500 miles in 2007 (over 7,000 in each of 2005 and 2006) as a result of 6 weeks off post-surgery and getting back into m'cycling, decided to aom for 4,500 this year. Revised a few months ago to 6,000 - 69 to go! Quite pleased (100 miles per year of age!) especially as lost at least 4 weeks when on holidays. Just over half the total on fixed.
Shall target 6K for 2009. And I have an ambition to do the C2C Hadrians Route, but that probably won'y happen because of domestic considerations.
Good luck with the resolutions iain - and everyone else!

mr_hippo

Mine? Well, it only started on March 2nd after suffering for the last 91 days with shingles and only had 10 days riding that month. I bought a new bike in April - a Trek 7200 hybrid - a nice bike in a coppery bronze colour but after only 541.9 kms was killed by a Bangkok bus along with a new top, a helmet that I bought the day before and an ATC2K camera! Virtually no damage to me but I remember nothing of the incident. A few days later, it was a trip to ProBike to get a replacement - another Trek 7200 (The bus insurance company paid out within days!)
A few good months followed and then we had the wet season and it was wet! I don't cycle in the rain nor do I after very heavy overnight thunderstorms.
I'm ending the year on a high note (I hope that I haven't spoken too soon!). I have ridden on 24 of the last 25 days and am feeling great! I'm not happy about my weight loss but it took a long time to put on so it will take time to come off.
Next year? I want to increase my distance, do longer rides and get another bike. I'm planning to ride from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and back. The provisional plan is 5 days to Chaing Mai (about 750kms), my wife travelling to Chaing Mai by train and spending the weekend with me and then 5 days cycling home: the back up plan is to get the train back with my wife.

iain_j

meagain wrote:

After a lowly c. 2,500 miles in 2007 (over 7,000 in each of 2005 and 2006) as a result of 6 weeks off post-surgery and getting back into m'cycling, decided to aom for 4,500 this year. Revised a few months ago to 6,000 - 69 to go! Quite pleased (100 miles per year of age!) especially as lost at least 4 weeks when on holidays. Just over half the total on fixed.
Shall target 6K for 2009. And I have an ambition to do the C2C Hadrians Route, but that probably won'y happen because of domestic considerations.
Good luck with the resolutions iain - and everyone else!

Blimey :shock: I only managed 1010 miles, and that's the most I've done in a couple of years now.

Actually that doesn't include commuting distance, so let's see... adding the commute (3.5 miles each way) makes it 2515 miles. Sounds a bit better.

Next year will have more miles I promise

Good luck with your resolutions too!

Rich-Ti

Got back into road riding and now prefer that to my MTB - never thought that'd happen!

Didn't do as much as I'd planned on road or MTB, but still did a whole lot more than in 2007, as well as commuting daily by bike for much of the year which is a first, and massively improved my fitness on its own. Next year will be the same as '08 only a whole lot harder and a whole lot more intense - I can't wait.

gkerr4

an awful year - plagued by injury and two bouts of knee surgery :-(

here's to a better 2009!

Lagavulin

Expensive is probably the best way to describe 2008. It was, if nothing else, the year I decided to invest heavily (as a % of my wage) in road cycling as a hobby.

A measly 2,380 miles logged so far this year. I’d aimed for 4,000 but given my Wilier was delayed by nearly two months, my Allez was off the road at the same time and the so-called “summer” we had I’m not overly disappointed. I think the fact my most productive month (450 miles) was September speaks volumes. :oops:

I certainly hope for a more productive ’09 though and wish everyone all the best for the New Year.

geoff_ss

Not sure exactly how far as I don't bother with computers on every bike but around 3000 miles at most. Still, I enjoyed the new bike I built early in the year. It did limit the amount I could spend on buying toy aeroplanes though which was bad

Highlight was conquering the Ventoux from the west (Malaucene) which is quite hard and a circuit including the Col d'Aspin. We decided to give the Tourmalet a miss because of apalling weather in late May. Our month in France in late May/June was marred by horrible weather so it wasn't just in the UK that the Summer was crap.

Low point was getting a urine infection in late August which took a lot of shaking off. It was so painful i wouldn't even wish it on Clarkson or Parris Only recently got over it and now the weather's crap again. I really don't like icy roads and the lanes we prefer have been very slippery lately.

Geoff

tlw1

08 was the get fit & back into cycling year.

Just shy of 3 stone lost & a wife that knows I am going to go cycling at every opportunity! Got some new cycling buddies & got a few friends into cycling so the social MTB rides has improved.

09 is the year of structure, I just haven't decided what that structure is (other than a 24hr race)! But this thread has given me the desire for a mileage aim - thanks!

singlespeedexplosif

A good year, on the whole.
should just get to the 10,000km target despite 2 big chunks of time off through viral infections. Got a coach. Got PBs at 10, 25 and 100. Got my new Madone 6.5. Lots of great night rides. New riding buddies, new areas tried.
Next year should be even better...couple of big targets including the Cingles du Mont Ventoux. No new bikes though ;(

Infamous

Started riding a steel hybrid last boxing day, did 1800km on it, bought a road bike in May, done 6200km on it (mostly in the last 3 months).

Resolutions, ramp the training up to 15-20 hours per week. Ride the track.

Crapaud

Nothing to report here. Well, nothing much.

A new job with crappy hours, low pay, no commute and weekend working meant that I've done bu88er all. The Pedal for Scotland and a handful of rides with the local campaigning group is about the sum of my cycling this year. It's not worth counting up the miles, to be honest.

Plans are already under way to correct this in 2009.

penugent

Yesterdays ride gave me 9574 miles so far this year; which included both metric and imperial century rides during the summer.

During '09 I'd like to top 10,000 miles and include at least one organised bike event of some sort - as I've never done one!

bagpusscp

Well everything went to plan.Cut my working week to 22 hours as of last September.Used the extra time to start get fit again.100+ miles most weeks since then ,Fat is slowly starting to go :oops: Had an ace holiday in the USA. As for 2009 I have a another stone of lard to shift. A friend has just recovered from cancer and is planning to go toTexas to ride the Lance Armstrong event next October so we will be doing some cycling together.

salsarider79

Having left Norwich in 'summer', my cycling has gone from 150-200miles a week to about, well, um, including today, this week about 60miles. I try to aim for about 100miles each week, but with no riding buddies, its a dull and unimportant task. Oh, and Bath has too many hills.

I miss cake stops, the banter on the road. I need friends. I need to move back...

p.s. 10000miles a year is 27.4miles per day. That sounds so easy, I feel positively lazy...

Red Rock

2008 marks my first full year on a road bike. Fitness was improving week on week until my off in March Five weeks off the bike and then ignored the doc and got back on it, being careful not to put to much stress through my shoulder. Soon found I was getting even faster Since September I've struggled to find time to get out except at weekends and I've noticed my average speed is dropping off But really pleased to have today pushed my yearly total to just over 3000 miles

I've really enjoyed my hours on the bike this year and will endeavour to extend the length of my rides in 2009. Lets just hope the weather is better

One last thing... I can't help thinking that Gats would have blown us all away with his yearly account. I seem to remember he missed his target last year and was hoping to put things right this year... take care out there everyone.

Red Rock

SCR Pedro

Red Rock wrote:

2008 marks my first full year on a road bike....

Same with me. It was mostly a good year. The winter miles were lean, but when April came around the tendonitis started to clear and I started getting the miles in, and extended my loop a bit. Then in the summer months I was setting personal bests regularly.

In August I took the bike to France. Although it was my heavy winter bike, I made it up the one of the Ballon d'Alsace mountains. It was my first mountain, and as a result I went too hard too quick and suffered to the top. It's good to get those hard lessons over with though.

Now I'm getting out about once a week and doing intervals on the Turbo twice a week. My speeds have tumbled, but I am doing an extra 5-10km on my summer time loop.

Next year I want to do a 100 miler, up my power/speed a tad and just continue enjoying it.

Cheers
Pedro

Nuggs

Lots of people seeming to have their first proper year on a road bike in 2008.

No different for me.

Until March this year, I hadn't been on a bike for 15 years. I took up cycling following back surgery throughout 2007; my physio thought it would be good for stretching out my spine.

AND WHAT A YEAR IT'S BEEN!

I have loved every minute on the bike. I work long hours in the City and getting out into glorious countryside at the weekends has been a great thing to look forward to while stuck at my desk and a great reliever of stress (and back pain!).

My first ride of around 10 miles nearly killed me. I bonked halfway around and how I made it home, I'll never know. Three months later, I completed my first metric century.

I've come from knowing nothing about cycling, to building my own winter bike in November. Wheelbuilding starts in 2009!

I've even decided to sell my sportscar to turn the garage into a workshop/training room :shock:

A huge vote of thanks to the members of this Forum. I've learned so much and without doubt, your passion has fuelled my passion.

It's a great sport and I'm very happy to be a part of it.

lloyd_bower

A decent year, started with redundancy, now living the other side of the world.

Cycling wise, not sure of exact total km/miles as you several bikes and only note down the long rides. Nevertheless done a similar amount to last year, though more of it's been commuting this year, which can be danagerous with the roads and drivers here. Indeed had my bike wrecked and a couple of weeks off the bike when I got knocked off by a car in Oct.
Break probably did me good, since did my first group road sportive event. Next years resolution will be to get more off road riding in.

morite

Had a really good year this year.

Was quite consistent with commuting but leaving the house at 5:30 take sit toll after a while.

Maanaged to comple my first 50 and 12hr, chickened out on the 100 but that is next years target.

2009 is focussed around completing a 100 and improving my 50 & 12hr marks

jibi

The started in Tasmania, brilliant.
I saw a Dolan frame at a criterium, ridden by an Irish lass.
From there went back to the mainland to finish my cross Australia ride by going from Melbourne to Sydney. through the Dandenongs, the snowy river ( awesome), up Mt Kosciusko ( to Charlotte's pass), and Canberra.
Flew to Bangkok and met a friend to ride down to Kuala Lumpur together.
I left him at Taiping and went off to tour Malaysia then Phillipines, Indonesia, and visited Singapore.
Came back to UK beginning of October, rode from Oxford to York, then did the transpennine trail , over to Preston.
Got bored so cycled down to the Mediterranean for a paddle, 6 weeks there and back. followed canals and rivers for most of the way, Met a few friends.

Now back in Uk house sitting in Abingdon, gave the bike away.

A great year

http://picasaweb.google.com/imjibi
http://picasaweb.google.com/imjibi2
for a few pictures

george

meagain

OK george, now that the rest of us have turned a most unfetching shade of green, what modest plans have you for '09????

jibi

only Preston to Bejiing so far.

Then down to Malaysia

not much really only one ride LOL


george

Nuggs

jibi wrote:

Stuff

Oh yeah. There's the rest of us: "managed my first century", "got up a hill without getting off and walking" etc etc.

And then someone rocks up and is all like "I cycled 'round the world and racked up a million miles a day".

:x

(great effort by the way )

mm1

Terrible year, injured knees in May and loads of domestic / financial problems meant I didn't get going until the end of the season - didn't even get within a minute of last years best "10" and average weekly mileage is 30 less than last year (it shows on my waist line and fitness). This was supposed to be the year when I returned to road racing and updated all of my TT PBs (having done a pb 10 in 2007, 29 years on from my previous best). Even got hit by a car (not serious) for the first time after 32 years of riding.

Next year will be great.

Anonymous

jibi wrote:

The started in Tasmania, brilliant.
I saw a Dolan frame at a criterium, ridden by an Irish lass.
From there went back to the mainland to finish my cross Australia ride by going from Melbourne to Sydney. through the Dandenongs, the snowy river ( awesome), up Mt Kosciusko ( to Charlotte's pass), and Canberra.
Flew to Bangkok and met a friend to ride down to Kuala Lumpur together.
I left him at Taiping and went off to tour Malaysia then Phillipines, Indonesia, and visited Singapore.
Came back to UK beginning of October, rode from Oxford to York, then did the transpennine trail , over to Preston.
Got bored so cycled down to the Mediterranean for a paddle, 6 weeks there and back. followed canals and rivers for most of the way, Met a few friends.

Now back in Uk house sitting in Abingdon, gave the bike away.

A great year

http://picasaweb.google.com/imjibi
http://picasaweb.google.com/imjibi2
for a few pictures

george

Did you do the transpennine trail on a road bike? I would never have thought it would be suitable for some of the way?

Also here is my account of th year:

2008 for me has being a truly GREAT year for me in terms of cycling

I bought my first road bike in March time (Carrera Vanquish), was found to be too small for me, but I held onto it for about 3 months, covered almost 3500 miles on it, was doing about 1000+miles every month, at first I was only doing 10miles every day on my own and still in normal clothes, averaging about 15-16mph (not steady at the time).

I then build up, doing 20-30 miles, still in normal clothes, this still tired me out though!.

The I heard about Clifton CC, so I asked on their forum if I could go on the social ride and if I'd be fit/fast enough, they said of course, so I rushed out and bought me some lycra padded shorts! .

I turned up to the square with a fleece on, the padded shorts and a big backpack, I look back now and think what a Muppet I was! , but that ride was 72 miles, averaging about 14.5mph!, I got home after that, was really tired, but amazed I did it, this was in April, I weight about 13.5stone at the time. From then on I progressed quickly doing every single Saturday ride, and my average speeds increased.

I then heard about the Sunday club run, these where harder and longer, I did my first one about 6 weeks after my first Saturday run, the first one ended up being 114miles on a very very hot day, lots of climbing trough dalby forest in the North York moors, this was by far the hardest ever ride I had done!, I was amazed I did it.

I kept doing the Sunday rides after that and the distances where increasing every week, in June I got my Genesis Aether Road Bike, the first Sunday ride with that if I remember rightly was 160miles, and 2 miles from home my spoke snapped!, I was tired, mental power alone kept me going on that one!

I've had my ups and downs but it's being brilliant, and in 2 months I have lost 2 stone! and I started doing TT's, averaging 19-23mph and managing averages like 20mph over 50 miles in such a short time since starting proper cycling!
Cycling since August mileage slowed down a lot, but so far since March I totaled up around 8,000 miles.

Proud of how I have came along, I hope every year for cycling gets better and I want to get faster and stronger each year, it would be amazing to be able to race or turn pro but I think that is just a dream allot of people have and it’s not possible for anyone like me to every achieve that which is a shame. I feel I was sort of born to cycle, reason being it’s one of the very few things I like and one of the very few things I’m good at (Well I don’t know if I’m good at it, I guess I might be, I don’t know :shock: )

All in all great year

Next year I want to go along with the aim of improving my performance by 1mph average and being able to do longer rides, I'd like to do this lake district trip next year which is 240miles round trip, this year I was unable to do it as I would not be able to cope as the max I've done is 160 miles and it was torture!! I started off in March 2008 cycling, since I moved to Manchester my performance has dropped massively, I intend to sort of start from scratch again (quite abit faster though than I was in March when I first started), so 2009 I get an earlier start to improving myself (December 2008) and I hope this will mean I'll be able to up my performance and looking forward to it.

753forme

Well 2008 started terribly with my broken neck of femur meaning I couldn't walk unaided until end of April. Apparently ( i don't remember) the first thing I ask the surgeon when he came to see me after the op was 'will I be able to ride a bike again?' Given that I did it failing off my bike this might seem strange but this year has been all about recovery. By August got up to doing three hours steady and then found that by October the climbing was improving. Next year intend to get back to racing - got a great excuse if I never improve on what I did before. Three weeks into training programme for next year - just glad to be able to ride. Enjoy 2009.

meagain

Having exceeded (by 5) my annual target of 6,000 miles by way of a very pleasant pedal first thing this a.m., I am now tempted to rest until 1 Jan. But I probably shan't.

iain_j

jibi - OK you win. I can't even manage a weekend trip - I was about to book accomodation for one weekend in the summer, but I rode into the back of a car days later and broke my ribs :oops:


willhub - you'll go far with enthusiasm like that


Everyone - I've enjoyed reading all your tales, good luck for your 2009 season and whatever you do with it :P

meagain

"All in all great year" indeed, willhub!

Some considerable achievements there IMO - long may your enthusiasm continue!

howiejmidlands

My year was full of ups and downs..

If you want me to post all my blogs to C+ then you will need most of Boxing Day to read them and a large coffee.

If you want them let me know