I'm a goal-driven person. My athletic goal for 2015 was to have my second-best mileage year on the bike. Today, I achieved it. My 34 miles (in gorgeous weather) gives me 4,730.8 miles for the year, which beats the 4,706.9 that I pedaled in 1991. My best year, of the 35 I've had, was 1990, when, at the age of 33, I rode 6,205.9 miles. It's going to be hard to beat that mark until I retire from teaching, when I'll have more time. Right now, I'm riding three times a week, for a total of 102 miles. With 10 more days before the year ends, I'm going to try to reach 4,900 miles. That means five more rides. Unless the weather is atrocious, I'll make it.
Addendum: My average speed today was 17.08 miles per hour. This may not seem like much, but (1) there was no drafting, (2) there are rolling hills on part of the course, plus a big hill near the end, and (3) the course has many twists and turns, which requires using the brakes. My best average speed on this course (34 miles) is 17.30 miles per hour. As I say, the weather was gorgeous, and I felt good. There were surprisingly few cyclists on the trail today. Perhaps everyone is out shopping.
