It’s that time of year when it’s customary to look back on the year and remember what has come to pass. Here’s a bit of Strava Art depicting the journeys I have ridden on my bike during 2014. You can get yours here.
Ride speak 2014
I started the year intending to ride 10,000 miles, completing the Round the Year Audax Award and getting in the rides for the Super Randonneur. Well I’ve not managed to make one of those things happen. Achilles tendonopathy in May / June knocked too many miles of my routine to reach the 10,000 miles. Looks like I shall instead just pass 10,000 km by the year-end. About two thousand short of last years total (9,000 miles)
I got in ten Audax rides. Missed out on completing a 400 km permanent in June. I got about 230 km in the bag before coming off on a road cover in the rain and bailing from that ride. I skipped the 300 km audax planned for July to join friends on a night ride to Brighton. I did not turn up for the 600 km I planned for August. Neither I nor my bike was in any way ready for that ride.
It’s been far from a bad year though. Average ride distance for the year is just about 25 miles. Got in a good few more rides than just the audax events. Took on the North Sea Cycle Route much encouraged by my cycling amigo Azeem. We have taken a good chunk of miles off those to complete in Europe and England. Managed to slip in a few other long distance rides along the way.
Audax UK events
January: Hills and Mills 100km.
February: Gospel Pass 150km
March: Man of Kent 200km
April: Oasts and Coasts 300km
May: Hell Forest 100km
June: Man of Kent 400km (perm) DNF
September: Isle of Wight and New Forest 150km
October: Hengist’s Hills 100km.
November: Spordax 100km
December: Kings, Castles, Priests and Churches 200km
North Sea Cycle Route 2014
NSR France / Belgium / Holland : stage 1 | stage 2 | stage 3 | stage 4 | stage 5 | stage 6 | stage 7
Kings Lynn to Beccels: 121 miles
Kings Lynn to Barton Le Wold 131 miles
Other rides of note
Humber to the Lake District. 160 miles.
Plans for 2015. More consistent miles. My frequency data for 2014 looks like a roller coaster ride. An audax a month. A week in July riding the North Sea Route in Germany. As many NCR1 (North Sea Route UK) rides as I can get in. Ride the London 100 for Demelza Children’s Hospice in August. Steer clear of injuries by looking after my knees and Achilles.