Fall/Winter 2010/2011 Commuter Challenge!

[out_spokin']

We clearly have a critical mass to have a commuter challenge for the northern hemisphere's darker and colder months.

The challenge is on!

New folks are welcome! (So are southern hemisphere folks, if it's helpful.) Our parameters - set yourself a goal, write it down in this thread, and check in with your fellow challengees throughout the time from the September/Fall Equinox to the March/Spring Equinox.

So far we have:

• me, out_spokin' - commute 75% of my office days, and a new try at more car-free days. I'm gonna start with 30% of my non-office days will be car-free!

• bikerHen - 5 days/week through the end of 2010, and back at it as soon as possible after January shoulder surgery

• uk elephant - at least 3 days/week, striving towards 5

• Biciclista - riding some throughout the winter!

• Melalvai – is in

• blackhillsbiker –- shooting for 4 days/week, 5 when possible

• kiwibug – is in

• Tri Girl – at least 1 day/week, hopefully at least 2

• pfunk12 – every day unless snowing or ice on the roads

• 7rider – no beating herself up when the forecast is wrong and she didn’t ride due to dire predictions of bad weather!

• kfergos – ride all errands less than 3 miles, and every day to the office if that’s where she ends up working

• girlsubobscura – going for every day through the winter

• colorisnt – whenever healthy, not snowy or icy

• shootingstar – maybe? Depending on location

And we’re off!!! Go US!

[Melalvai]

Guess I should set a goal. How about: Every day possible. The "possible" qualifier allows me to stay home if it is snowing, or get a ride if I'm having a migraine (ie, when I SHOULD stay home!)

Maybe my goal should be to stay home when I ought to, and bike the rest of the time.

Oh, I have one other goal. Riding 2 miles to work and home is great, but it won't get me in shape for the triathlon in September. So I want to continue my training until we get to the worst of the weather. That would be, run 3X, swim 3X, weights 2X, and at least one bike ride a week that is at least 20 miles.

[bikerHen]

Great! You start the challenge and I have a massive cold! I'll more than likely have to drive all week and of course we're having great fall riding weather too!

Melalvai, You sure have a great set of goals! Good for you! bikerHen

[colorisnt]

I have successfully commuted every day this week thus far! Going strong. Best commute ever today!

[Ambikes]

It's brutally cold where I live, but I refuse to buy a parking permit at the university where I study (it's a racket!).

My goal is to ride every day that it's warmer than -25C, walk when it's colder and/or really snowy, and only drive to campus 1x per week maximum. Depending on what type of winter we get, this may or may not be reasonable.

ETA: I have commuted by bike every day so far this week (except Monday, which was the Thanksgiving holiday here in Canada). The weather is really nice right now!

[colorisnt]

Didn't commute today. Too cold this morning and I had not found any fall gloves. And apparently NONE of the shops here carry anything small enough.

[Melalvai]

This week is looking like a failure on all counts.

Maybe not all counts...Bike Mo is Saturday, so unless something goes awry I'll get a decent ride in. I mention the possibility that something might go awry, because lots of things went awry this week, including my car. (I picked the car up today and they think they found & fixed the problem that has plagued our clutch since it was replaced 3 years ago.)

Definitely the "stay home when I'm sick" part was a FAIL. (The sick part contributed to the not exercising bit.) Instead of calling my husband to pick me up and take me home when I got a migraine Tuesday morning, I kept trying to do things. We had a big day planned with the rats, and my students are brand new, they don't know how to do everything. So I stuck it out longer than I should have, and I turned the migraine into the uber migraine from the hellmouth. The headache part of it lasted through Wednesday.

Between a UTI on Monday, and the migraine Tues & Wed, I didn't run/swim any of the days I planned, and I didn't do weights. Even though I'm finally healthy now, I decided not to try anything tomorrow, just call it a bad week and try again next week.

[radacrider]

Count me in. Up to 12/20 hope to do 1 commute / week (30mile round tripper). starting 12/27 (after I get back from vacation time) my goal is daily commuting since our corporate office will have moved to a new building much, much closer to home (12 mile round tripper).

[colorisnt]

radacrider,

That's great news on your building!

I have done no commuting this week because of early mornings and now the flu! Life will NOT slow down, but I have to.

[Rebecca19804]

I'm in. I haven't quite formulated my goals for the season. Had arthroscopy on left knee yesterday, not allowed on the bike at least until I see the surgeon 8th Nov to get stitches removed. Then I'm starting physiotherapy at a place that specialises in cycling.

I've got an invitation to start riding out with a south London road cycling club, as soon as the knee is okay. The only group I've been out with before is a social one - about 30 miles over 8 hours with lots of stops. That's becoming frustratingly slow for me. The club I'll be joining has several group levels, are no-drop and sound very supportive - well respected and recommended club. So I'm feeling very optimistic about improving my strength and endurance and generally 'raising my game', as I'd like to have a serious go at audaxing next year.

So - no firm pledges yet on what or how I'll do this winter. But I wanted to get a note down on this thread now, so at least I've committed myself TO SOMETHING -- haha -- and will be sure to come back in a couple of weeks and set out a PLAN. Yay!

You ladies rock and are a constant inspiration. Thank you!

EDIT - and our clocks don't go back til this coming Sunday... which buys me a little time til the TE Challenge starts properly, right?

[girlsubobscura]

It's starting to get cold and dark here, so it's scarf and mittens time, but it's not as rainy as I remember from last october, so looks like the waterproof panniers are working as intended: a city wide weather shield

[Melalvai]

...so looks like the waterproof panniers are working as intended: a city wide weather shield

Yes! That is how my magical goretex rain gear works! I bought it during the rainy fall 3 years ago, and after it arrived? I did not have another rainy bike ride for 3 months!

[bikerHen]

Checking in with a "so far so good" report. I'm long over my cold/flu and riding my 5 days a week. Weather is definitly starting to feel like winter. Cold and almost snow type rain this morning. My evening commutes are now in total darkness. Gotta say I'm loving it!

Melalvia, I feel your pain with trying to fit in all the other "stuff" with commuting. Three days a week I ride to the gym, do weights, walk/run on the treadmill, ride to work then ride home at the end of the day. On the other three days I do weights at home then ride to and from work. On the seventh day we take the dogs for a long 3-4 mile walk. I'm looking forward to my surgery in January so I can take a few weeks off. But then as my shoulder heals I'm going to have to figure out how to fit swimming into the daily mix. I tell ya this getting into shape is not for the timid. It's darn tough!

[Melalvai]

This week is neither "success" nor "failure". The terms just don't apply in a crisis.

I didn't think of commuting as a goal for me, because it is just something I do all the time. But after my daughter's wreck last week I was scared to ride on That Road. So commuting did become a goal for me, and I am proud to report that I rode my bike today! Not as a commute but as a recreational ride with my dad. And not only did I ride the bike, I rode on That Road. Having done it once, I know I can do it again, even coming home and making that fateful left turn. (I might do it as a box turn the first few times.) I plan to commute as usual from now on, and I don't think it will be a problem.

I didn't even think about exercise for several days. I didn't care either. Then I read an article that PTSD can be improved with exercise. So on Thursday, I drove to the gym, did weight machines, and ran on the trail. It felt very strange to drive to the gym, but it felt really good to run.

Then on Friday I drove to the pool and swam, and that didn't feel so good because instead of getting into a good zone I got into a bad zone and got angry. Hopefully next time I swim will be a happier experience.

I did my core workout on Thurs, and I plan to do it tonight.

As far as taking time for myself for my daughter's health, and my own health, I did very well at that. As she got better I slowly got back into work and was even kind of productive on Friday. I'm looking forward to getting lots done next week, and then we go on vacation to Costa Rica!!

[malkin]

Good for you!!!!!