2015 - Week 8 Graph

2015 - Week 8 Graph

Graph for the four weeks 5 - 8:

So 2015 is still at the front. The gap between this year and the next best (2012) is 42.7 miles.

Total figures after eight weeks:

2015 - 866.1
2012 - 823.4
2014 - 817.9
2013 - 785.4

It's still a good feeling to be unexpectedly leading the pack!

2015 - Week 4 Graph

2015 - Week 4 Graph

Graph for the four weeks 1 - 4:

For the time being, the graphs I'll add will just contain the last four year's output. Since 2012, each year has started in a broadly similar fashion. It's only going to be around week 13 / 14 that 1998 suddenly looms into view.

Total figures after four weeks:

2015 - 402.4
2014 - 373.1
2012 - 362.4
2013 - 347.5

It's a good feeling to be unexpectedly leading the pack.

2013 - Week 16 Graph

2013 - Week 16 Graph

Graph for the four weeks 13 - 16:

For this update I've added in 1998, since it overtook me in the last week of this phase. You can see on the graph that 2013's line flattens out in week 14 - 16 while 1998 curves up sharply thanks to scores of 168 and 165 in weeks 15 and 16.

Total figures after 16 weeks:

2013 - 1750.9
2012 - 1903.3
1998 - 1788.2

So 1998 inches ahead by 37.3 miles. I'm afraid that once ahead, the lead keeps growing.

2013 - Week 12 Graph

Graph for the four weeks 9 - 12:

As noted at the end of the previous post, 2012 is pulling away with a lead - 130.3 miles by the end of this phase.

Total figures after twelve weeks:

2013 - 1287.2
2012 - 1417.5
1998 - 1272.9

The difference between 1998 and 2013 was also quite tight over this period. I had a lead of 58.9, 63.9 and 43.6 in weeks 9, 10 and 11 respectively but this was shrunk to 14.3 miles in week 12. Gulp. I can feel its breath at my shoulder already.

2013 - Week 8 Graph

Graph for the performance over weeks 5 - 8:

After being passed by 2012 in week 4, the deficit nudged ahead by 54.9 miles in week 7 before being hauled back slightly to 38 miles exactly by week 8.

Totals figures after eight weeks:

2013 - 785.4
2012 - 823.4
1998 - 781.7

So I'm just ahead of 1998 so far.

2013 - Week 4 Graph

Four weeks into the year, it's now time to have a look at the graph. Since I'll be going into battle with 2012 for the next few months, I'll ignore all the other years for now. Hopefully it will be July before I have to start plotting when 1998 is suddenly looming at my shoulder again.

After a great start in weeks 1 and 2 established a lead of 51.2 miles, the rotten weather hauled me back in and I've been overtaken already.

Those figures then after four weeks:

2013 - 347.5
2012 - 362.4
1998 - 228.5

So I lost the lead after week 3 and now have a deficit on last year of 14.9 miles. To win back the lead over the next four weeks I'll need to add 476 miles exactly at an average of 119 per week.

As I mentioned in the previous entry, last year's mild winter allowed me to set the bar unseasonably high. Looking back at previous years in the last decade, particularly post-2006 when I stepped up the cycling after a series of fallow years, the averages for the first two wintry months of the year remained much of a muchness:

After 4 weeks
2007 - 52.6 miles
2008 - 56.8 miles
2009 - 59.45 miles
2010 - 26.17 miles
2011 - 56.82 miles

After 6 weeks
2007 - 68.8 miles
2008 - 66.4 miles
2009 - 72.1 miles
2010 - 52.75 miles
2011 - 67.26 miles

After 8 weeks
2007 - 64.3 miles
2008 - 69.2 miles
2009 - 79.3 miles
2010 - 67.23 miles
2011 - 76.6 miles

I'm sure the weather wasn't all that bad at the time. What changed in 2012 was the addition of the mental determination to keep the great run going that the weather had allowed me to start.

2012 - Week 52 Graph

I've not posted a graph for a while so it's time to reflect on the performance over the last month and the year as a whole.

Here's the graph for the final four weeks of 2012:

It's not too much to look at to be honest. The years 2009-11 glided to an end with averages for the final four weeks in the sixties and seventies. 2012 had an average of 94.75 in the same period; 1998's was 139.4. The gap between 2011 and 1998, with 2012 occupying the middle point between them, is glaring.

Here's the graph showing the comparison between 1998 and 2012.

You can see how the years started to converge by the middle of the year. Far exceeding my expectations, despite several weeks where 1998 was breathing down the back of my neck I managed to cling onto the lead until the middle of September. Amazing, really. It was week 37 when I finally succumbed. I could have held on to the lead for another week as well, but it would have only delayed the inevitable for another seven days so I threw in the towel. You can clearly see on the graph how the explosive acceleration in the final third of the year lifted 1998 to its record heights.

2012 - Week 48 Graph

Graph to follow. Maybe.

2012 - Week 44 Graph

.

2012 - Week 40 Graph

Graph.

2012 - Week 36 Graph

Coming sometime.

2012 - Week 32 Graph

Entry to follow.

2012 - Week 28 Graph

Another four weeks on, here's how the race is looking:

I'm genuinely amazed that I've still got a lead over 1998. Not by much though, as you can see by the way the lines almost converge at the top right-hand side of the graph.

Over these four weeks I added 527.9 miles this year. That's just 2 miles less in total than the previous four weeks. Blimey, that's either a show of consistency or - more likely - evidence of how my cycling activities have become regimented and predictable in terms of when I get out and how far I go, week in, week out. Either way, it's an average of 131.97 per week. 1998 yielded 560.1 at 140.02 miles per week in the same period.

The leads currently stand so:

1998 - 29.3
2009 - 424.7

So what do I need to keep ahead this time? In 1998, weeks 29 - 32 yielded 559.2 miles at an average of 139.8 per week. That's only 0.8 miles less than the previous four weeks. What was I saying about consistency? This was 14 years ago too. The individual weekly scores were 123.5, 100.4, 190.7 and 144.6. That low second score will help me in the chase, although I clearly made up for it the next week. The new target to aim for is thus 3958.8 miles, so that's a target of adding another 530 miles exactly at an average of 132.5 every week. That's 8 miles more per week than last time.

Continuing with last week's bonus, here's the graph showing the relative performances of 1998 and 2012 so far.

Fingers crossed that the graph still looks like this next time, eh readers?

2012 - Week 24 Graph

Time once more to pause and take stock after the passing of another four weeks.

I'm happy to note that I still maintain a lead of 1998, although this lead has been cut slightly due to two below average performances in the last two weeks. Over these four weeks I added 529.2 miles in 2012, at an average of 132.3 per week. 1998 yielded 547 at 136.75 miles per week in the same period.

The leads currently stand so:

1998 - 61.5
2009 - 534.5

This month, 2009 replaces 2011 as the next best challenger. You may notice above that at the equivalent stage in 2009 (the cyan line) I suddenly had a spurt of acceleration. That was when a combination of fine, sunny weather and a bit of purpose saw me post four consecutive weeks of 150+ between weeks 22 and 25.

So what do I need to keep ahead? In 1998, weeks 25 - 28 yielded 560.1 miles at an average of 140 per week. I need to get myself to 3399.6 by then, so that's another 498.7 miles at an average of 124.6 every week. Perfectly achievable, as long as this wretched weather improves.

As a bonus for this month, here's a graph showing the relative performances of 1998 and 2012 so far.

Let's hope it still looks like this next month.

2012 - Week 20 Graph

Another four weeks have breezed by so it's time once again to pause and reflect.

As you can see from the graph, I'm still leading the pack but my lead over 1998 has been cut from a month ago. In the last four weeks I've added 468.4 miles at an average of 117.1 miles per week. That's slightly down on the previous month. In 1998, weeks 17 - 20 accumulated 504.2 miles at an average of 126.05.

The leads currently stand thus:

1998 - 79.3 miles
2011 - 432.2 miles

What do I need in the next four weeks to keep ahead of the menace of 1998? 467.8 miles. That's an average of 116.95. Not too bad then.

2012 - Week 16 Graph

With the passing of another four weeks, it's time to take stock once again.

These four weeks in 2012 yielded 485.8 miles, an average of 121.4 per week. Not quite as impressive as the preceding four weeks but still quite tidy figures. In contrast, weeks 13 - 16 in 1998 produced a total of 515.3 miles (average = 128.8) and that included the 77 miles of the week of failure.

Anyway, the great news for me is that I'm still leading the pack. The leads are as follows:

1998 - 115.1 miles
2011 - 392.4 miles

As long as I continue to keep the 100s ticking over in 2012 I should stay ahead of 1998 for at least another month or two. But by late June I'm going to feel its hot breath on my shoulder.

2012 - Week 12 Graph

Another four weeks have flown by so it's time to evaluate the positions.

After a good four week period, I'm still ahead of the pack. In weeks 9 - 12 I put on an impressive 594.1 miles, a smashing average of 148.5 per week. In contrast, those 4 weeks in 1998 yielded 491.2 miles, a whole 100 miles fewer. My lead is as follows:

1998 - 144.6 miles
2009 - 360.3 miles

Looking forward to the next four week period I should be able to keep ahead of 1998 without too much difficulty. In 1998 I added 515.3 miles in that segment of year - the individual scores were 77.2, 104.2, 168.1 and 165.8. With my existing 144 mile lead, to keep ahead of 1998 I need to add 370.8 miles over the next 4 weeks, an average of 92.7 miles per week. Nay problem.

2012 - Week 8 Graph

Having completed another four weeks, it's time once again to review the progress so far.

If you compare it with the graph after four weeks you can see the years have bunched up a bit more.

It gives me a great personal sense of satisfaction to see that I'm still ahead of the pack, although only by a lead of 41 miles over 1998. The next four weeks could see me relinquish this lead, as we're heading towards spring and historically better weather which usually results in more mileage. Weeks 9 - 12 in 1998 yielded 100, 105, 146 and 138 miles respectively. So unless I make a conscious effort to push on and do more, it's going to be close. And after that? You'll see. But it won't get any easier.

I'm still comfortably well ahead of the next contender, 2009. By a huge 188.3 miles in fact. It just shows what a staggering good start to 2012 I've had.

2012 - Week 4 Graph

Here's the graph reflecting the performance after the first four weeks of the year. I've added the previous three years to it, as these have shown a lot of consistency, results wise. For a bit of fun I've also decided to add in 1998, which was my peak year. It will be interesting to compare 2012's performance with it as the next 11 months unravel.

Annual Totals

Before I kick off with 2012 proper, here's a graph showing my annual totals dating back to 1994 when I first fitted the cycling computer. Yeah, 2004 does stand out, doesn't it? My annus horribilis. Shiver.