2012 Week 50

Week 50 (w/e 16 December 2012)

Miles: 102.1

In a couple of weeks time when I come to review the year's performance, I think this week will stand out for me as one where sheer bloody belligerence saw me to another 100 mile total in spite of difficult circumstances.

This week, the cold snap made an unwelcome return, and by heck it was cold too. I don't think the temperature got much above freezing for the first four days of the week and certainly dropped in the evening when - crazily - I decided to do some miles. Despite having "thermal" gloves, my fingers often felt as if they would fall victim to frost bite. 

Despite the clear and cold conditions, I started the week in a reasonable fashion, with a slow and careful 10 miles ride out around the dodgy country lanes on Monday afternoon, topped up with 6 more miles in the evening. For the latter I decided that caution was the better part of valour and so stuck to the main road. I repeated this for the next few days. I may have had to contend with a bit more traffic but at least the roads had been gritted. Tuesday was bitterly cold so I ended up giving the cycling a miss altogether. Wednesday's weather was also cold, but some cloud cover nipped the edge off the big freeze so I made a couple of trips along the main road through the neighbouring villages to move on to 34 miles.

Thursday was the coldest day of the week. I headed off along the main in the late afternoon, advancing to 43 miles in the process. I dragged myself back out into the sparkling frosty night at 9:30 and did another 8 mile loop up the A road. Wow, it felt cold. My poor fingers... The following day brought wintry rain, which was a relief. It was looking like being a complete washout which wouldn't be good news for my chances of bagging a ton, but fortunately the rain moved away inland by 8 so I was able to dash out at 10 pm and thus move along to 60 miles.

Saturday was overcast and dank, but noticeably milder with it. I made my customary trip into town in the afternoon, although I got caught by a fairly heavy wintry shower on the way back. This soon passed over, so I got myself out for the next ride before tea (attaining 76 miles in the process) and then got back out again at 9:30 for another 8 miles. Thus, heading into the final day I had 84 miles and an excellent chance of getting to 100. The forecast however suggested that heavy rain would be here by 6 pm so I took myself out a little earlier than usual on Sunday afternoon and rolled home with 102 miles. The rain eventually rolled in at 7:15 pm and stayed for several hours. So that was that. It felt like another great escape though.

The stats:
Time taken to get 100: 6 hrs 33 m.
Total for 2012: 6331.4
2012 average weekly mileage: 126.62
Consecutive 100s: 49 (new record)
Miles needed for 6500: 168.6
Percentage of target reached: 97.4%
With 2 weeks to go, average weekly miles needed for 6500: 84.3

The pedestrian pace for reaching 100 miles probably reflects my more cautious approach to cycling in slippery conditions this week.

With just two weeks to go, I need less than 100 miles each week to get that 6500 target done.

How was 1998 getting on?

1998 Week 50.
Miles: 105.7
Total: 6935.2
Difference: +603.8