So what did 2009 bring? Well, certainly it didn't bring any reduction in Body Mass, that will have to be sorted out in 2010. But apart from that, 2009 was a year that just about delivered everything I set out to do.
LEL was completed within the timescale, and without a step walked pushing the bike, something I dared not hope for when I first felt its fully laden weight. The supplementary goal of 5,000km in Audax events was achieved on the last possible day (it seems the noble art of brinkmanship is alive and well), and the RTTY was completed at the first time of asking. All in all a pretty good year.
Things I shall remember:
The buzz of LEL
The weather in Scotland (but not for good reasons)
The companionship of like minded buffoons on that ride.
Riding through snow on top of the Cotswold on the Poor Student Audax in January
The pain of cramped ribs just yards from the top of Mow Cop
Just how fabulous (and hilly) Cornwall is to ride across
The sheer enjoyment of being out on the bike and not driving a desk
Things I shall (unsuccessfully) try to forget:
Trench foot after riding 34 hours of rain on the Cambrian Audax
Just how much my backside hurt towards the end of LEL
How it took me 11 (yes, 11) hours to finish the Etape du Dales this time around
And I have a few things to show for it:
Its a pretty awful picture, but I have:
i) Audax 50km medal
ii) Audax 100km medal
iii) Audax 200 km medal
iv) Audax 300km medal
v) Audax 600km medal
vi) Audax 1000km medal (all for single events)
vii) Randonneur Through The Year badge, for riding a 200km in every calendar month for a year
viii) Super Randonneur Badge for riding distances of 200km, 300km, 400km and 600km in a year (I didn't ride a 400, but substituted a 1400 instead so it still counts)
ix) Randonneur 5,000 award for riding 5,000km in events of 200km or greater
x) Gold Grimpeur Badge for riding an event with stupid amounts of climbing (I also got the Bronze and Silver in other events)
xi) London-Edinburgh-London finishers medal
The two spaces on the top row are for the 150km medal and the 400km medal, both of which I shall aim for in 2010.
Not a bad little collection for a fat bloke, who is still a fat bloke despite a record mileage of 4,662 for the year. Now on to 2010. I shall, of course, start another blog (link top right) for 2010's madness, which will be there in all it's gory detail soon enough.
Until then, never put off until tomorrow what you can do today. After all, if you do it today and like it, you can do it again tomorrow.
Thanks for reading.
Clive
