December #7100MilesIn2024 Progress

I do realize that no one really cares about my Strava goals, but honestly, I'm not sure there are many people who read this blog.

So, these posts are more for me to remind myself how things went during the year.

And ... well ... I blew away my #11EverestsIn2024 goal and my #7100MilesIn2024 goals. 

I actually cycled just under 650 miles in December, which is a bunch for a winter month, putting my 2024 total at 8,062 miles. 

I gained 31,464 feet in elevation for the month, putting me at 409,081 feet of elevation gained for the year. 

I've also extended my #MetricCenturyEveryMonth streak to 41 straight months with at least one 100 km (62.2 miles) ride.

 

November #7100MilesIn2024 Progress

I'm probably the only one who cares, but I've hit my Strava goals for the year.

As of the 1st of the month (which is when I'm typing this), I'm over 7,400 miles with over 377,600 feet climbed for the year. I've blown away my #11EverestsIn2024 goal and my #7100MilesIn2024 goal.

There is still 1 full month to go.

Of course, I also extended my #MetricCenturyEveryMonth streak with my Black Friday Century.

Since July of 2021, I've ridden at least one 100 km (62.2 miles) ride. This makes the streak 40 straight months.

October #7100MilesIn2024 Progress

After my #1200MileSeptember, it isn't a surprise that I've been cycling less in October. Even so, I logged over 625 Strava cycling miles for the month.

As of the 1st of the month (which is when I'm typing this), I'm over 6,900 miles with over 353,000 feet climbed for the year. I've blown away my #11EverestsIn2024 goal and only need less than 200 miles to hit #7100MilesIn2024.

With 2 full months to go, it is almost a certainty that I'll be able to log 200 miles.

Of course, I also extended my #MetricCenturyEveryMonth streak with my October Metric Century.

Since July of 2021, I've ridden at least one 100 km (62.2 miles) ride. This makes the streak 39 straight months.

 

September #7100MilesIn2024 Progress

Well ... after my #1200MileSeptember ... I'm running so far ahead of the pace I need to accomplish my 2024 Strava goals ... #7100MilesIn2024 and #11EverestsIn2024, that I'm not even sure it makes sense to talk about them being goals.

I've ridden 6,311 miles so far this year, which means I only need 789 miles over the rest of the year to hit #7100MilesIn2024. That's only 263 miles per month. 

I've gained 325,183 feet in elevation so far, which means I only need 27,169 feet over the next 3 months. That's an average of only 9,056 feet per month.

I don't know the last time I've cycled that little in a month.

Now, I'm on pace to blow away my new Strava elevation goal, 348,384 (which is 12 x 29,032 feet).

If I continue on my mileage pace, I should be able to get way more than 7,200 miles.

End of my #GCCUSA2024 #1200MileSeptember

Today (as I type ... not when this is posted) is the last day of my 2024 Great Cycle Challenge.

I might do one more ride today, but as of the time I'm typing this, I've ridden just over 1,220 miles in September.

So, I've satisfied my pledge of 1,200 miles and then some, which is an average of over 40 miles per day.

I've logged 50 separate rides in Strava, averaging about 24 miles per ride.

Over that 1220 miles, I climbed over 50,750 feet, averaging almost 1,700 feet per day and 1,015feet per ride.

With this effort (along with the rest of the year), I'm blowing away my #7100MilesIn2024 and #11EverestsIn2024 goals. I've ridden just over 6,291 miles with just over 324,690 feet in elevation gain.

Honestly, I'm pretty proud of myself. Not bad for an old couch potato such as myself.

As always, if you would like to donate (or just check out how I did), check out my riders page:

https://greatcyclechallenge.com/riders/EricShepard

August #7100MilesIn2024 Progress

 I'm running way ahead of the pace I need to accomplish my 2024 Strava goals ... #7100MilesIn2024 and #11EverestsIn2024.

In fact, I'm on pace to blow away my new Strava elevation goal, 348,384 (which is 12 x 29,032 feet).

If I continue on my mileage pace, I should be able to get more than 7,200 miles.

 

July #7100MilesIn2024 Progress

Thanks in a large part to all the training I've been doing for the Triple Bypass Ride, I'm running way ahead of the pace I need to accomplish my 2024 Strava goals ... #7100MilesIn2024 and #11EverestsIn2024.

In fact, I'm on pace to blow away my new Strava elevation goal, 348,384 (which is 12 x 29,032 feet).

If I continue on my mileage pace, I should be able to get more than 7,200 miles.

I have my Great Cycle Challenge coming up in September, so I probably won't slow down any time soon.

I also extended my #MetricCenturyEveryMonth streak with a couple of rides (including my Triple Bypass Ride).

Since July of 2021, I've ridden at least one 100 km (62.2 miles) ride. This makes the streak 36 straight months.

I'm sure I'll extend the streak in August as well.

June #7100MilesIn2024 Progress

If you've been following along on this blog (or various social media outlets), you might have seen that I'm Training for Triple Bypass.

On July 13th, which is fast approaching, I am riding 118 miles with about 10,800 feet elevation gain.

So ... I've been working on doing long climbs on the bike, and as a result, I've rocketed ahead of my  #11EverestsIn2024 goal. In fact, I'm on track to blow away 12 Everests for the year.

I'm just about right on track for the #7100MilesIn2024 goal as well.

In June, I only logged 596 miles, but I did get almost 39,000 feet climbed. Both those totals are down from May.

May #7100MilesIn2024 Progress

If you've been following along on this blog (or various social media outlets), you might have seen that I'm Training for Triple Bypass.

On July 13th, which is fast approaching, I am riding 118 miles with about 10,800 feet elevation gain.

Considering how many Century Rides I've done in the Denver area, 118 miles doesn't concern me at all.

10,800 feet climbing was a little bit of a concern because I had never done anything close to that in one day.

So, after my April #7100MilesIn2024 Progress post, I've been working on getting more long climbs in.

As a result, I've really made huge progress on my #7100MilesIn2024 goal, and even more progress on the #11EverestsIn2024 goal.

Training for Triple Bypass

If you follow SheppyBrew on Facebook or Instagram, you might have seen that I signed up for the Triple Bypass in mid-July.

The Triple Bypass is a one-day ride over 3 Colorado Mountain passes.

The route is about 118 miles with 10,800 feet of elevation gain.

While I've done several Century Rides over the past couple of years, 118 miles will be my longest ride ever, and I've never come anywhere close to climbing 10,800 feet in one day.

The mileage doesn't concern me at all. All that climbing does.

So, over the next 61 days or so, I will be training to increase my climbing ability.

Saturday, I did my first "Triple Bypass Training Ride". As a bonus, I also increased my #MetricCenturyEveryMonth streak to 34 months.

 

April #7100MilesIn2024 Progress

I'm probably the only one who cares ... but I've been tracking my 2024 Strava goals every month on this blog. This year, I'm targeting 7,100 miles and 319,500 feet climbed (11 Everests).

Knowing that I'll ride more in warmer spring and summer months, I planned for less riding in the snowy winter / early spring months.

I was behind my plan at the end of January. I caught up by the end of February.

I moved ahead of my plan in March, and extended my lead quite a bit in April, logging 576 miles and 29,429 feet climbed.

 

March #7100MilesIn2024 Progress

I'm probably the only one who cares ... but I've been tracking my 2024 Strava goals every month on this blog. This year, I'm targeting 7,100 miles and 319,500 feet climbed (11 Everests).

Knowing that I'll ride more in warmer spring and summer months, I planned for less riding in the snowy winter / early spring months.

I was behind my plan at the end of January. I caught up by the end of February.

I moved ahead of my plan in March. I rode a little over 600 miles and climbed over 29,000 feet.

 

February #7100MilesIn2024 Progress

As you know if you read #7100MilesIn2024, this year I set my Strava mileage goal at 7,100 miles and the elevation goal at 319,500 feet (11 Everests).

I promised that I'd report on my progress.

I was behind my plan after January by 50 miles (see #7100MilesIn2024 Progress), but knew that I'd catch up.

After coming short in January, my plan was to hit 450 miles in February to bring me to 800 for the year. Actually, my February total was over 550 miles, so I made up that deficit and more.

I've also made up a deficit on my elevation goal (#11EverestsIn2024). After January, I had climbed 16,299 feet. In February, I climbed 29,429 feet, putting me at a total of 45,725 feet gained for the year. My target was to be at 36,000 feet by the end of February.

So, now I'm significantly over my target. Of course, it is still early in the year. Who knows how my body and bikes will hold up over the rest of 2024. But, so far, so good.

 

#7100MilesIn2024 Progress

As you know if you read #7100MilesIn2024, This year, I set my Strava mileage goal at 7,100 miles and the elevation goal at 319,500 feet.

I promised that I'd report on my progress.

 

#7100MilesIn2024

Back in October, I reported that I had cycled over Over 6000 miles in 2023.

As I mentioned in that post, my 2023 Strava cycling goal was 6250 miles and 326,749 feet elevation gained.

As of October, the mileage goal was easily attainable. The elevation goal was certainly in reach, but much more of a challenge.

It turned out that I got both goals without too much effort over November and December.