The Lone Biker: 10,000km

My target for the year 2017 was 9000km. This would have beat my previous best by 1000km but in my head I always had the goal of 5 figures in the km total and I managed that with 3 days to spare of the year.

The first half of the year saw a good spring so I was well ahead of target at the halfway point however the onset of autumn and the cyclocross season made the miles harder to find. With CX races curtailing long runs on a Sunday and efforts short and sharp the mile finding became harder. Commuting became an issue with some awful weather and a busy work schedule so the turbo trainer had to help make up some of the shortfall. The Turbo does a job but my goodness is it boring. Anyway the year finished with 3 good real world efforts which saw me over the 10,000km mark.

The Highs
Obviously there were some cycling highs. The cycling in Mallorca being the outstanding high of the year. In particular my day out on Sa Calobra and the Puig Major. Never to be forgotten but hopefully repeated in 2018.

There was of course a podium finish when I became the club (handicap) TT champion plus a 4th place in a mountain bike race in Dalmellington.

There were some excellent days out for fun too. Two century rides, 1 to the "Golf Ball" above Wanlockhead and 1 entirely unplanned ride in February which ended in snow in the dark!

There was also my first loop of the 5 Ferries route which was a brilliant day out in great Spring Weather and numerous trips into the Ayrshire Alps and Dumfries and Galloway.

The Lows

There were of course some lows. This was the year the commute got boring. I've been riding it for 8 years now and its getting dull, not quite as dull though as the turbo. There is only so much Netflix can do to help the tedium.

While managing the 10,000km I am still the same weight as I was last year. My eating habits and waistline are holding me back. Cyclists who do less than me are leaving me behind because they are not having to carry extra padding around with them. Time is running out for me to fix this.

I felt I did well at the cyclocross this year but it can be disheartening to have your arse handed to you every Sunday and find yourself dying for 64th place. Maybe I am being hard on myself but I'd like to see some improvement next year. Some change of lifestyle and training habits could and should help this out.