Running
Running went downhill for me, I never took it up properly after getting shin splints, I started running more as the year went on but only ever managing 5km or so each week. Over the year I averaged 5km a fortnight, which was rather disappointing.
I did run the Bolsover 10k which was supposed to take place in December 2017 but was snowed off, I finished in 1:01:13 which given the lack of training I was quite happy with, even though it was just slower than the much hiller Hardwick 10k.
I did run the Hardwick 10k again, I struggled much more than last time on the hill, opting to walk for several metres of the steepest part. I finished in 1:06:19 which was nearly five minutes slower than in 2017. I was definitely less fit than when I ran it in 2017 but I think I could’ve ran harder – I certainly ached less after Hardwick than I did Bolsover.
Over the year I ran 141km, which was less than half the distance I ran in 2017. In 2019 I aim to run 150km and run the Hardwick 10k again.
Cycling
Cycling highlight of 2018 was riding the Hardcore 100 reliability ride. 100km across the Peak District with 2048 metres climb. Seventy percent of the ride was on road and thirty percent off road, some of the off-road ascents (and descents) were a bit of a challenge and on the edge of my comfort zone, namely The Nook at Eyam, Clough Lane at Birchover and the off-road way onto Beeley Moor. After 6 hours and 42 minutes I limped over the finish line after a horribly muddy trek between Barlow Common and Cartledge, just before the event HQ closed.
The longest ride of the year was a ride from Southport pier on the east coast, back to Chesterfield, 155km with 1611m climb along trails, canal towpaths and quiet roads. I felt tired by the end of the mostly flat first half, but then had to cross the Peak District and climb up onto Beeley Moor. I felt happy I did it but I’m still not eager to try that again.
A tick off of the bucket list this year was a tandem ride, Sara and I rode the Tissington Trail from Parsley Hay to Ashbourne. It was quite tricky to set off and took some coordination but it was great fun.
Summary
In total I managed to ride 2114km, climbing 30243 metres over 378 rides.
For 2018 I aimed to:
- Do more non-commute riding
- I had a third more non-commute rides than in 2017.
- Do more kilometres total than I did in 2016
- Did this by 339km
- Have a 100 mile-ish ride
- Riding from Southport was 96 miles
Aims for 2019 are:
- Do more longer rides
- Do more kilometres total in 2019 than I did in 2018
- Take part in more events like the Hardcore 100.
Dean Sas 