Miles: 67.3
The final week of the year arrived. Having set a record of 50 consecutive centuries, I wasn't convinced that I'd make this the 51st. It's no surprise that this should be the case in Christmas week, with festivities to be enjoyed, people to see, pints to be drunk etc. The nights seem darker and less inviting at the very end of the year as well. Mentally I'd accepted that I wasn't likely to get another 100, so if it didn't happen I wouldn't be too bothered. Still, I did have a target in mind and that was the 65.3 miles I needed to pass the revised target of 6500 miles for the year. By a happy coincidence, the same total would set my average weekly mileage for 2012 at 125 exactly. That would sound better than letting it slip to 124.x of course.
So how did I get on? Weather-wise, Christmas week was dank and drizzly, with plenty of showers passing through. Week 52 began with Christmas Eve. It was a dank afternoon, then heavy rain rolled in just at the time when I'd normally get the bike out. Although it turned fine in the evening, this being Christmas Eve it was time to head to the pub... Cheers! Christmas Day arrived and the weather was fine, but this wasn't a day for cycling. Boxing Day came next and the whole afternoon was wet. Although the evening was fine, I didn't feel like getting the bike out so I didn't bother. Hmm, that was three ducks from a possible seven. Normally I'd be feeling itchy by now.
Thursday afternoon was overcast but fine, so I got the chase underway with an 18 mile ride. Wintry drizzle set in for a couple of hours around teatime, but this had cleared later on so I was able to dash out again just after 10 to push on to 26 miles. Friday was similarly dank with occasional drizzle, but I got out in the late afternoon for an hour to advance to 40 miles and then nudged this up to 50 following another trip later in the evening. So I headed off into the weekend with just 13 miles remaining to achieve my target.
Saturday morning was wet but the afternoon was fine, bar a short shower at 3:30. I cycled into town for my customary Saturday afternoon shopping trip, then went out again when I got home to return triumphant with 67 miles. Target achieved! Handshakes all round.
It was just as well that I got the miles done on Saturday afternoon, as that evening was set aside for a pub crawl. Sunday was wild, blustery and wet, with constant squally showers from morning until night. Grim. So no more miles were possible. But it really didn't matter. I was happy to put my feet up and reflect on a job well done.
The stats:
Time taken to get 100: N/A
Total for 2012: 6502
2012 average weekly mileage: 125.03
Consecutive 100s: 50
Miles needed for 6500: N/A
Percentage of target reached: 100%
So that's it.
No comments:
Post a Comment