2015 Week 9

Week 9 (w/e 1 March 2015)
Miles: 117.4

Wise advice.

Monday. It was clear and cold, but with an absolute howling gale blowing in from the SE. Cycling into that headwind wasn't fun. 15 miles was done in the afternoon. I went out again in the evening, but wintry showers were lurking. I managed to do another 8, although I got caught by sleet on the way back. Brr. It remained clear and cold on Tuesday, although the gale hadn't abated. I pushed on to 38 miles in the afternoon, which became 46 in the evening. Wednesday was grey and dank, but at least the wind had died down. Sadly, the drizzle became light rain which fell all afternoon and kept me indoors. The evening was mostly fine, but I didn't fancy dragging myself out. So I didn't.

Thursday. Following heavy rain in the morning, the afternoon was clear and sunny. A 40 minute trundle took me to 57 miles, which became 65 when I'd been back out in the evening. Friday was mostly overcast but fine. An hour or so in the afternoon took me to 82 miles and I ended the day on 90 in the evening.

Saturday was grey and drizzly, with the rain become firmer by teatime. A gap in the drizzle opened up about the time that I usually cycle into town, so I seized my chance. It was starting to rain lightly again when I was setting off to come home, but I didn't get particularly wet on the 3 - 4 mile ride back. I came home with 98 miles. So close to that obligatory ton! Sadly, the weather turned wetter and blowy in the evening, so that was that. The prospects for Sunday didn't look promising. It was again dank and drizzly. A clear spell opened up after 3:30, so I got out there and came home with 109 miles in the bag. A heavy shower passed over at 7, but after that it was fine. So off I went again that evening for one final trip for the week, returning with 117.

Just 16.5 miles away from clocking up 1000 miles for the year.

The stats
Time taken to get 100: 7 hrs 5 mins
Average speed for 100: 14.11 mph
Total for 2015: 983.5
2015 average weekly mileage: 109.27
Consecutive 100s: 8
Miles needed for 6000: 5016.5
Percentage of target reached: 16.39%
Required average weekly mileage: 116.66

A slow time to get the 100 this week due to the vicious gales.

Still wearing the yellow jersey... but only just! 2012 is breathing down my neck. In week 9 of that year, I posted an impressive 152.5 miles. So that's chopped my lead considerably. It's only 7.6 miles now. Crikey. The following week in 2012 (week 10), I managed 137.1 miles. So I'm up against it this coming week.

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 8

Week 8 (w/e 22 February 2015)
Miles: 103

Nice to see lots of these about.

The start of the week was bitterly cold and very windy. To add to the grimness, as the week progressed it became clear that I had a cold developing. Urgh. A good start was called for, and I delivered with 26 miles on Monday and 20 on Tuesday. By Wednesday I was feeling grotty and sneezy: the weather was grey and drizzly to match my mood, so I stayed in during the afternoon and rationed myself to a short ride in the evening to push on to 55 miles.

Thursday was dank and drizzly. I progressed to 64 miles in the afternoon and added 8 more in the evening. After a sunny start to Friday, the afternoon grew progressively murkier and dank, with drizzle. I should have got out earlier, of course. The weather meant that I only managed a 7 mile spin at 6 pm. The total became 87 in the evening. Saturday afternoon was sunny and cold for the most part. Once a brisk shower had passed over at 2:45, I cycled into town as is the custom. At 6 pm I seized the opportunity to get out there and clinch the 100 for the week. I was out on the beer on Saturday evening, so no more miles were added that day. The forecast for Sunday was a washout and so it turned out to be, so it was a good job that I achieved my target on Saturday.

The stats
Time taken to get 100: 6 hrs 57 mins
Average speed for 100: 14.37 mph
Total for 2015: 866.1
2015 average weekly mileage: 108.26
Consecutive 100s: 7
Miles needed for 6000: 5133.9
Percentage of target reached: 14.43%
Required average weekly mileage: 116.68

Still wearing the yellow jersey! My lead over 2012 currently stands at 42.7 miles. Last week it was 43.2.

Week 8 totals
2015 - 866.1
2012 - 823.4
2014 - 817.9
2013 - 785.4
1998 - 781.7

2015 Week 7

Week 7 (w/e 15 February 2015)
Miles: 130.3

Shame about the spelling.

The weather for the most part this week was overcast but fine and still. By Wednesday evening I'd reached 59 miles and then moved on to 76 by the close of Thursday. Sadly, my dreams of posting a "5 day 100" this week were dashed by the weather, as Friday afternoon was dank and drizzly throughout. The drizzle had passed over later in the evening, but I didn't bother going out. The start of the cricket world cup proved to be a welcome distraction.

The weekend weather was very good, so I'd chalked up another 100 on Saturday evening. I did a 17 miler on Sunday afternoon, stopping to pick up cans on the way back. Heading back out on Sunday night to finish off my week, my original intention was just to cycle the 8 or so miles I needed to edge past last week's total of 127.1 in order to set a new best for the year. However, the riding felt good and I was on a bit of a roll, so I ended up carrying on for a further couple of miles so that I reached 130. A new best, obviously.

The stats
Time taken to get 100: 6 hrs 53 mins
Average speed for 100: 14.50 mph
Total for 2015: 763.1
2015 average weekly mileage: 109.01
Consecutive 100s: 6
Miles needed for 6000: 5236.9
Percentage of target reached: 12.71%
Required average weekly mileage: 116.38

Still leading the pack! In fact, my lead over 2012 grows from 29 miles last week to 43.2.

Week 7 totals
2015 - 763.1
2012 - 719.9
2014 - 702.7
2013 - 665
1998 - 649.1

More Rubbish

More Rubbish 

Over the winter months I've noticed a steady accumulation of discarded cans and bottles along one of my regular routes, the stretch of Lancaster Road that arrows through Out Rawcliffe to Pilling. As this is my local portion of NCN 90, it doesn't give a good impression to those cyclists who might be passing through the countryside on a ride along the Lancashire Cycleway. So on Sunday afternoon I went out on my bike armed with a plastic bag and stopped along a stretch of the road to pick up some of the offending items. It's something I do now and again. Here's the result of my endeavour - there's 26 cans in the photo.

Bear in mind that this is the only the result of me stopping along a two mile stretch of the road, and that there were seveal others cans (and plastic bottles) that I didn't stop to pick up.

The dispiriting aspect of all this is the knowledge that even if the verges and hedgerows were blitzed of litter, within a week there'd be plenty more items there.

2015 Week 6

Week 6 (w/e 8 February 2015)
Miles: 127.1

From Monday to Friday the weather was excellent. Day after day of clear blue skies, winter sun and not too much wind. Excellent cycling conditions. I should have cashed in and could have easily posted a 150 mile week... but I didn't. I only managed one ride on Monday and that was in the evening. I had a few things to do in the afternoon and then decided to spend the usual cycling time giving my bike a much-needed wash. I got back into the groove on Tuesday and by Wednesday night had reached 50 miles. I only needed 25 miles on Friday to make this week a "5 Day 100", but I woke up with a painful groin! I think I tweaked it somehow on Thursday. So I limited myself to a single ride on Friday night, moving on to 85 miles in the process. The tender groin was fine on Saturday (phew), so I ended up passing the 100 mark on Saturday night in the heavy fog, adding 26 further miles on Sunday after two trips out and about.

Plenty of markers this week - despite being a few miles light in my opinion, this is the highest weekly score of the year so far. It's also the fastest time to reach 100 miles. And I've reached 10% of my 6k target! Easy.

Also of note this week - the sunset crept beyond 5 pm, which is a great sign of better things to come.

The stats
Time taken to get 100: 6 hrs 51 mins
Average speed for 100: 14.58 mph
Total for 2015: 632.8
2015 average weekly mileage: 105.46
Consecutive 100s: 5
Miles needed for 6000: 5367.2
Percentage of target reached: 10.54%
Required average weekly mileage: 116.68

Still in the lead of the pack, with a lead of 29 miles on 2012.

Week 6 totals
2015 - 632.8
2012 - 603.8
2014 - 585.4
2013 - 553
1998 - 524

2015 Week 5

Week 5 (w/e 1 February 2015)
Miles: 103.3

It was harder work getting the 100 done this week due to the weather, which turned wintry from Wednesday onwards. Fortunately, occasional sleet was as bad as it got around here. I headed into the weekend with 80 miles. Luckily, the weekend weather was clear and cold, so I was able to bag the ton with my last ride of the week on Sunday night.

The stats
Time taken to get 100: 6 hrs 53 mins
Average speed for 100: 14.5 mph
Total for 2015: 505.7
2015 average weekly mileage: 101.14
Consecutive 100s: 4
Miles needed for 6000: 5494.3
Percentage of target reached: 8.42%
Required average weekly mileage: 116.9

I maintain my lead of the chasing pack:

Week 5 totals
2015 - 505.7
2014 - 483.2
2012 - 477.7
2013 - 451
1998 - 351.5