2014 Week 1

Week 1 (w/e 5 January 2014)
Miles: 42.9

The start of another cycling year. Time to reset that counter to zero and get cracking.

But first, a few words about where we start. As I've explained before, my cycling week runs from Monday - Sunday, so inevitably a day or two are usually lost from the figures at the beginning and end of each year. January 1st 2014 was a Wednesday, meaning that although Monday and Tuesday technically fell within week 1 of the new year, I only started the clock on January 1st. So it's a 5 day week. As it happens, I put my feet up for the first two days of the week and quite enjoyed the rest after pushing hard the previous week to beat 2012's total (which I've not yet written up).

So, we pick up the baton on Wednesday 1st January. Unfortunately for me I'd come down with a cold and sore throat just after Christmas and felt rough with it for well over a week, which made New Year's Eve a bit of a non-event. As 2014 got underway, I was greeted by a wet day. This, on top of feeling grim, meant that no cycling was done. The weather on Thursday afternoon was better, so after dosing myself up with lemon powders I got an hour's cycling done, coming back with 14.5 miles. Rain returned in the evening, so no more miles were added. Friday afternoon was showery. I considered going out on my bike, but heavier rain was moving in so I didn't make it. It was a similar story in the evening.

Saturday was dank and dreary but at least it stayed fine. I cycled into town that afternoon, returning with a rucksack of shopping and 24 miles, then nipped out again almost immediately to push on to 30. Rain was moving back into the area in the evening, so I stayed put. Sunday. More rain from noon until 2:30, but then a fine spell until more rain rolled in at 6. In between, I dragged myself out there for an hour and came back with almost 43 miles. By 9:30 in the evening it was pelting down again, so that ended my first week. I'd have liked to have signed off with a half century at least, but it was not to be.

The stats
Time taken to get 100: N/a
Total for 2014: 42.9
2014 average weekly mileage: 42.9
Consecutive 100s: 0
Miles needed for 6000: 5957.1
Percentage of target reached: 0.71%
Required average weekly mileage: 116.81

Looking at the first week results from 2000 onward, this year's 42.9 puts me in 4th place. In 2013 of course, I posted my first ever first-week 100. No chance of that this year.