2012 - 2013

I hope you had a Merry Christmas and I wish you a very Happy New Year.  May all that you wish for be achieved.

This is a bit of a 2012 review and a 2013 goal set.  In 2012 I set the following as goals;

  

• 2-3 stones weight needs to be shifted

• Manchester to Blackpool in better than the 4hr 30mins I took this year.  

• I also want to attempt the Manchester 100miler again this year and come in under 6 hours hopefully more towards the 5 hours 30minutes mark.

• The Big Red Bike Ride in June, it will be 600miles in 6 days which will be my biggest challenge yet. 

• June will also see me try and complete my first half marathon.  I am looking to sign up for the Humber Bridge half marathon.

I managed to shift a stone and a half, which I am pleased with.  2013 will see a further loss at approximately 1kg a week.  This has been set by the coaches at Mercury Training (http://www.mercuryperformancecoaching.com)  Stuart and David.  This will motivate me more to achieve the target.  On the Manchester to Blackpool goal we did it in 3hrs 36 minutes nearly an hour’s improvement on the 2011 effort this was achieved shortly after returning from Ireland and I believe I was probably at my peak for the season at this point.  The Manchester 100 was not quite as successful.  The first half of the sportive was in poor weather and I struggled a little with it.  Considering this I was pleased with the 6hrs 21minutes I did.  This was a ten minute improvement on my attempt in 2011.  The Big Red Bike Ride was amazing.  You can read a number of exerts about the trip in this very blog if you take a look at June 2012.  On the running front I don’t think it will happen yet until I am significantly lighter and have had something done with the knee.  I am hoping one day to run again as my good friend Steve Wingfield has shown this year it is entirely achievable.

2012 Ride Stats:

Total Miles:                 4250 (11 months total as injured for November)

Avg Speed:                 14.5mph

Time:                           299:17:44 h:m:s

Elevation Gain:           97,648 ft

Avg HR:                     145 bpm

Avg Bike Cadence:     76 rpm

Calories:                      241,594 C

2013 will see some changes for the better I am positive this will occur.  My goals are as follows;

• Drop to 90kg (ish)

• Complete a 10mile and 25mile TT competitively

• Continue to ride a number of sportives and include one abroad.

• Knock time off Manchester 100 mile time.  Hopefully a substantial amount

• Increase my average miles per hour substantially.  (2^nd half of 2012 avg was nearly 1.5mph faster then the average for the 1^st half of the year)

I would just like to thank everyone who has helped me.  All the people who I have ridden with this year.  Special thanks to Mark O’Reilly again for his companionship during the year.  I am sad (but proud) that he has joined the Army and we will only be occasional riding buddies in 2013.   A big thanks to Rich Salisbury from Pedal Precision (http://pedalprecision.com/)  who again has advised and tinkered with my setup to help me.  A big thanks to Evans Cycles and especially Ted Gordon/Chris Hardisty for the help and support and to the various other people I mither through the year for advice. 

I am looking forward in 2013 to linking up with Mercury Performance coaches and hopefully seeing a massive improvement.  Also to continue my love affair with cycling after an amazing 2012.

Happy New Year!!