Three months ago today, I wrote a blog titled What’s It Like to Bike 90 Days in a Row for a Total of 1,985 Miles? Adding 2020’s mileage thus far, 1,677, I come up with a sum of 3,662 miles. That, my friends, is just over 20 miles a day. So how fitting that quite by accident I finished a ride today for just that amount? I didn’t set out to bike every day, but once I get an idea in my head, it’s like the proverbial bee in a bonnet. It flits about looking for a way to express itself. It either flies away or stings you. Biking a lot can do both.

As I wrote in the description of today’s ride:

The average was just over 20 miles/day. Sure, a few days were just a mile or two due to flats, fatigue or weather. I don’t want a medal, but I will accept cash. Some days were harder than others, and it was work for sure. Somebody’s got to be the tortoise, why not this dude? And we all know how that story ends…😃🚴❤️🏁🎉🐼🎇🌍

The fact is, even before the general requirement to stay home (which thus far has not precluded exercise while keeping distant from others), I had reduced doing long rides that I would take a day or two to recover from. With Sophie the Fairdale being a heavier bike than dearly departed Sookie the Fuji, I generally reserve 50+ mile rides to my birthday. Riding daily for errands, exercise or both is a way to reduce the potential issues that might arise from being stranded with a flat. Riding the bus is risky these days, what with people exhaling. And also, finding a place to relieve myself in nature (to avoid having to go into a convenience store) is sometimes difficult in the city. Not getting injured and having to go to a hospital is also very important. You know, because of THE THING that’s plaguing us (kinda literally).

I ramped things up from October through December, ending 2019 with a second personal best month of mileage. 2019 I tapered down in January and did less in February, but cranked out a lot more in March. The hardest part of this was knowing that once I decided to try to keep going every day. I didn’t have a rest day to look forward to. So I probably pushed myself more than necessary. On the other hand, sometimes great things are accomplished under extreme duress. Not that I couldn’t or didn’t go on a number of rides without sufficient supplies.

While I kicked a lot of butt (well, just my own), I also am probably overdoing it. I’m not following my own advice in blogs I’ve written about the importance of rest. As usual, I just keep being a dumb jock, although not a fast one, and keep on pedaling. In lieu of some other major life goal, biking a certain amount per day, week, month and year provides some structure. It’s largely harmless, and good for my health in various ways.

I can’t say I recommend this training regimen for everyone. I’m not sure it’s even advisable for me. We shall see how it develops, if I continue. We may not be allowed to as riders and bloggers in England and France have told me. But it has been rewarding to attain this goal and add this achievement to my list of things that very few people care about. If it inspires anyone, that is great. Do your best and forget the rest, I say again. Your mileage may vary.

Do you have any exercise accomplishments you’d care to share? Tell me about your streaks in the comments.

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