Past and Future Milestones

Me and my cycling coach!

For me 2014 was a big year.  It was a year of hard work and many new experiences.

The biggest thing about 2014 was my diabetes reversal.  Yay me!

My first ride of 2014 was May 25th.  Prior to that date I felt too fat to even ride my bike.  I had power walked a lot in the months preceding and lost enough weight to give it a shot.  It was a short 30 minute ride where I traveled a whopping nine kilometers.

By July I had lost a fair amount of weight.  Enough to feel like I wouldn't crush a skinny little road bike underneath my clydesdale frame.  On the 25th of July I had my first ride on the Valence.  It felt like a dream to ride something so light and smooth; it is still my favourite bicycle.

The Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge in Fredericton NB.

My very first metric to measure my success was distance.  Bu June 1st I had doubled my usual ride by managing a distance of 21 kilometers.  By the 28th I brought this number up to 50km.  July 5th I managed 70 km, still the longest distance I've ever ridden on my hybrid bike.  With some training on the Valence I managed a metric century by August 28th.  As the weather turned colder I went into a transitory period, learning to ride my bicycle in cold weather and get the hang of cycling on a trainer.

My total for the year was 3,315 kilometers (or about 2060 miles).  This was over the course of 115 rides.  There is probably a bit more that didn't get captured due to app or sensor difficulties, but I'm still very proud of the recorded data.

As I mentioned at the beginning, it was also a year of experiences for me.  I was never on outdoorsy type.  Riding a bicycle changed that for me.  It started with cycling through nearby nature trails and seeing wildlife up close.  I soon found I was hungry for any kind of scenery; natural, rural, suburban and urban.  When it was time to take some time off, Goldilocks and I hit the road on a cycling vacation.  We headed to the east coast with four bicycles in tow; our road bikes and our hybrids.  We were able to enjoy everything from highways to dirt trails and river runs.  We loved every minute of it and I'm looking forward to the next cycling vacation.

While reflecting over 2014 I couldn't help but look ahead to 2015 and what the future holds.  Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not a New Years Resolution kind of guy.  But I am a goal oriented person and now that I know what I was capable last year, I would like to progress further.

For mileage I have a yearly goal and a daily goal.  For 2015 my mileage goal is 6000 km.  For daily I would like to run a brevet of 200 km.  If I can do that, my next goal will be 300 km.

Health wise I have several goals.  First and foremost I'll be working hard to keep my diabetes reversed.  For weight I will be working hard to slim down by 20 pounds.  I am also committing to exercising my upper body and core.

I'd also like to try some new things.  Participate in group rides.  Try out downhill mountain biking.  Heck, even join a cycling club.

With so many great things accomplished and so much more on the way... life is good!