60 Day Challenge

triggermortis

My wife and a few of her friends are undertaking a challenge to walk 10km a day and lay off the booze for 60 days, starting on Paddy's Day.
I'm not as big into walking so I'm going to cycle around 40km a day for the 60 days. I'll be doing some walking as we have a new puppy, but I won't be walking with the women, and I won't be recording the walks.
My total aim is to do 2500km by May 16th, and I'll be recording it all here.

Better go get a few beers in to enjoy while I can....

triggermortis

Day 1 - Paddy's day!

https://www.strava.com/activities/4961665228

45km in decent dry weather.

Also did another 7km after with Cian (his goal is to do 300km in 60 days)

https://www.strava.com/activities/4961665202

triggermortis

Day 2

Felt tired at the start, and the wind didn't help. Met someone on the road after 10km and decided to ride with them for the usual Thursday spin. After coffee, rode with a few more lads to give me 61km total

triggermortis

Day 3
https://www.strava.com/activities/4971921765

41km done, bright and sunny

triggermortis

Day 4

https://www.strava.com/activities/4977865571

Dry and bright but cool enough. Had to ride past the house and circle back to make the 40km

triggermortis

Day 5
https://www.strava.com/activities/4984420213

Didn't feel too energetic today, and the headwind from Rush to Balbriggan certainly didn't help.
Going up the 'EEC climb' (strava segment) I passed a couple with a young child who had stopped her bike. As I passed, I heard the father telling her "You can't always go fast, look how slow that man is going.."
TBH he was just voicing what I'd been saying in my head since I left the house!

Out again with my son for his 7.5km meander
https://www.strava.com/activities/4984420294

triggermortis

Day 6
https://www.strava.com/activities/4990105834

Cooler and harder to get going this morning. Had to wait for a parcel to arrive before heading out, so was a later start than I wanted. Felt good at the end

triggermortis

Day 7.
Cool and windy. Had a riding partner today, so the time passed quicker and we pushed each other on a bit in places. Even got a couple of new PR's

triggermortis

Day 8

48km today with a tough headwind most of the time

triggermortis

Day 9

46Km slog in the wind. Weather didn't look good enough for the good bike, so took the commuter + mudguards. Hardly enjoyed a second of it, due to the strong wind and tired legs.

triggermortis

Day 10

40km
Started off nice enough so got out the good bike. Had company today to help me along. After being around 7 degrees, the temp dropped to under 2 and we got a shower , with some sleet and hail mixed in. I only had light gloves on so my hands felt it. Badly. Could barely change gears or brake properly, so headed for home to thaw out. Never had such cold hands in my life - I actually felt sick as they warmed up again at home.
I also now need to clean my bike!

triggermortis

Day 11

48km, dry warmer than yesterday but still windy.
Got more into it after the first 15-20km and headed for Walshestown, that I was supposed to do yesterday. I’ve been down it a few times but hadn’t realised I’d not been up it before. I’m not a huge lover of hills, but was going ok until I caught up with 2 horses near the top, which slowed me down. I think I preferred this side to going up from the Naul rd side.

triggermortis

Day 12

40km - very blustery out today. Quite warm, so didn't really need all the winter kit I had on. My start was delayed as a cleat broke on my winter boot and I needed to drill and ezy- out the old screw to remove it.
Didn't feel too energetic today, mainly due to the wind but at least it was dry.

triggermortis

Day 13
Warm enough for shirts and short sleeves - even though it is still quite windy. 48km

triggermortis

Day 14

44.6km on my own after a 10.5km with my son. Nice day for it with less wind than the past few days. Saw quite a few lads out.
After yesterday afternoons spin in shorts, I noticed a slight beginning of a tan line on my legs

triggermortis

Day 15
https://www.strava.com/activities/5042511186

42km @ 28kmh, which is good for me, I thought.
Dry but cloudy but enjoyed the spin

triggermortis

Day 16

https://www.strava.com/activities/5047442539

https://www.strava.com/activities/5050034948

First commute of the challenge and first commute in nearly a month, as I had to use leave up or lose it. The way in wasn't too bad and I felt quite fresh, but after 10 hours doing more than I'm used to lately, I came back to a flat tyre. Didn't find anything in the tyre which I always find worrying, but changed the tube and got under way.
Tyre seemed a bit flat so I took it easy in case it went down again, but it made it home - including the extra 1km I stuck on to make up the 40. checked it on my track pump and it was only 35psi.
I've let out all the CO2 and pumped it with air to 100 and I'll check it again later to see if it needs further investigation..

triggermortis

Day 17

Didn't cycle to work as I had to take someone to the airport, so got out for a spin after work
https://www.strava.com/activities/5056658076

41Km dry but cool. Tried my new Siroko photochromatic glasses for the first time and found them really good

triggermortis

Day 18

Part 1https://www.strava.com/activities/5058847023

Cold ride into work - Garmin read 0.3 degrees just after Blakes Cross so just as well I had the winter gloves on!


Edit: just had a quiet moment in work so totted up my running total so far:
784km ridden and 6733m of elevation

part 2
https://www.strava.com/activities/5062112586

40km total

triggermortis

Day 19

Part 1 https://www.strava.com/activities/5065054272

Colder than yesterday -1.5 was the lowest I saw on the Garmin today. New Siroko jacket was toasty though..

part 2 https://www.strava.com/activities/5068195394

13 degrees now, so wish I'd taken other kit as it was a bit warm riding in winter tights and a long sleeve jacket. At least I didn't need gloves!!

triggermortis

Day 20

46km around NCD. Decided on heading out on the good bike on quiet roads instead of cycling to and from work later in the dark with all the muppets on the road.
Bright and dry but cold and windy. Was only home an hour and there was a snow shower!! Glad I missed that!

https://www.strava.com/activities/5073954535

triggermortis

Day 21
https://www.strava.com/activities/5079446105

40km on a cold and blustery afternoon. Had a couple of snow showers at the start, then sunshine, but always cold and quite strong wind.
Used the wind to set a few PB's but was only aiming for 1 as I'd noticed yesterday that the segment lasted longer than I thought

triggermortis

Day 22
https://www.strava.com/activities/5085416744

Started raining at the end, but warmer and less windy than the past few days

triggermortis

Day 23
https://www.strava.com/activities/5090696938

Same route as yesterday and seemed slower, but was only a minute slower despite the wind being a lot stronger today. Wind never seemed to be behind me. A couple of rain showers, but not enough for the rain jacket

triggermortis

Day 24
https://www.strava.com/activities/5095558681

Really didn't feel like it today so took things easy. Dry and bright but that wind is still about

triggermortis

Day 25
https://www.strava.com/activities/5100606788

Really had nothing in the legs today. Really cold, so full winter kit on but at least it was dry and bright. Did pass a woman on Coast Rd in shorts and short sleeves - she must be made of sterner stuff than me (and almost everyone else I saw out today)

triggermortis

Day 26
https://www.strava.com/activities/5109509555

Went out later than I wanted and got extra layers on as took the dog out before and got caught in a snow shower! It was cold enough but stayed dry.

triggermortis

Day 27

part 1 https://www.strava.com/activities/5112101969

Rode to work on damp roads, but no rain. Cold enough, 0.9 on the Garmin at the airport.

part 2
https://www.strava.com/activities/5114013048
Missed a rain shower before I left work and caught a few minutes of one almost at home. Not too bad

triggermortis

Day 28
https://www.strava.com/activities/5119108466

Great to be able to go further than 5km!! Stopped for coffee and met a few of the lads, it was like times past. Great to ride along and chat for a while. Nice enough out, dry and bright.
Felt good so pushed on after, alone to do the fondo for the first time this year.
Got home starving....

triggermortis

Day 29 - commuting again

part 1 https://www.strava.com/activities/5123367643

part 2 https://www.strava.com/activities/5125858858

about 10 degrees difference in temp from the ride in to the ride home. Both rides were dry but the wind picked up a little on the way home to sap what little energy I had left. Definitely feeling it after yesterdays efforts

triggermortis

Day 30
https://www.strava.com/activities/5130622243

Met a few lads along the road, and a few more at the coffee stop - almost like old times!!

Quick tot up of distance so far:
1388.5km
+ 69.29km cycled with my son