Three 30-minute rides each week of the year 2026 challenge

[Jon George]

WK 27
29th 50 mins Nacton Via Bucklesham Road – Halfords – Sainsbury’s
30th 135 mins Quizzing in Kesgrave – Martlesham – Waldringfield – Brightwell – Bucklesham
1st 175 mins Rushmere – Kesgrave – Foxhall – Bucklesham – Kirton – Falkenham – Trimleys – Felixstowe – Trimleys – Bucklesham – Nacton
2nd 35 mins Quizzing around Felixstowe
3rd 65 mins Quizzing around Foxhall - Kesgrave
4th 60 mins Around town and Westerfield
5th 55mins Around town

The Simpsons! (From Wednesday at Felixstowe.)

 

[FrothNinja]

W27R1- 34 minutes - Mon - Fusion commute
W27R2 - 42 minutes - Tues - Fusion commute
W27R3 - 39 minutes - Sun - local miles

On the return leg on Monday

 

[fritz katzenjammer]

I’m trying to clear 10 km a day as long as the season holds out, so far we’re on track

it may not sound like much but after working in an office for 30 plus years…

 

[FrothNinja]

W28R1- 57 minutes - Mon - Fusion commute
W28R2 - 2 hour 39 minutes - Sat - experimental (not to be repeated) off piste miles twixt Colne & Nelson (much on foot due to overgrown trails). About 4 hours if you include the time I spent trying to flatten weeds with a walking pole taken knowing there would be some choked sections - surprised & knackered by just how many there where + I think Komoot may be a tad out of date.
W28R3 - 30 minutes - Sat - local miles nearer home with minimal weedage
W28R4 - 6 hours 40 minutes - Sun - down to the outskirts of Bredbury and back via Rawtenstall, Heywood, Ashton-Under-Lyne, with quite a few views of traffic jams on the M60. Engage smug mode. (total 77.3 miles / 124.4 km, plus 1,250m / 4,100ft)

The point at which gave up on the first trail section

Looking back at what I had already bashed. Where my friend is standing is about half way back to the last rideable bit.

 

[Jon George]

WK28
6th 50 mins Nacton Via Gainsborough Road and Ravenswood - Sainsbury’s
7th 60 mins Rushmere and around town
8th 60 mins Bridleways at Levington and Nacton
10th 50 mins Nacton Via Gainsborough Road and Ravenswood - Sainsbury’s
11th 70 mins Ravenswood paths – Nacton to Levington Bridleways
12th 70 mins Around town and Westerfield

A view at Westerfield. (I always find it a little odd that, though it feels as though summer is really getting underway, whenever I first see a harvested field, I get the sense the year is already on the turn.)

 

[Jon George]

Wk29
13th 60 mins Foxhall – Kesgrave
14th 50 mins Nacton Via Gainsborough Road and Ravenswood - Sainsbury’s
15th 55 mins Playford Road – Kesgrave
16th 95 mins Bridleways at Freston
17th 60 mins Around Felixstowe
18th 100 mins Around Town – Westerfield
19th 60 mins Around town

A view of the sea at Felixstowe at Cobbolds Point.

 

[FrothNinja]

W29R1- 36 minutes - Mon - Fusion commute
W29R2 - 48 minutes - Tues - Fusion commute
W29R3 - 57 minutes - Fri - local miles to the south
W29R4 - 1 hours 8 minutes - Sun - local miles to the south

From Tuesday

 

[FrothNinja]

W30R1- 37 minutes - Mon - Fusion commute
W30R2 - 1 hour 5 minutes - Tues - Fusion commute
W30R3 - 57 minutes - Fri - local miles
W30R4 - 2 hour 7 minutes - Sat - to Clitheroe and back

 

[Jon George]

Wk30
20th 50 mins Nacton Via Gainsborough Road and Ravenswood - Sainsbury’s
22nd 50 mins Nacton Via Gainsborough Road and Ravenswood - Sainsbury’s
23rd 45 mins Around Felixstowe
24th 75 mins & 50 mins Tuddenham – Rushmere Bridleway – Golf Course + Nacton Via Gainsborough Road and Ravenswood - Sainsbury’s
26th 90 ins Quizzing near Grundisburgh and Little Bealings

I am given to understand that these things are called clouds and contain rain.

 

[Jon George]

Wk 31
27th 90 mins Nacton and bridleway to Levington Creek
28th 100 mins Freston and bridleways
29th 40 mins Ravenswood paths
30th 45 mins Around town
31st 50 mins Nacton Via Gainsborough Road and Ravenswood - Sainsbury’s
1st 170 mins Rushmere – Kesgrave – Foxhall – Bucklesham – Kirton – Falkenham – Trimleys – Felixstowe – Trimleys – Bucklesham – Nacton
2nd 50 mins Around town

Following on from an intriguing post on Facebook by a friend, this morning I passed through Ipswich's Old Cemetery to track down the resting place of one John Henderson. He was the circus owner celebrated by a certain popular beat combo in their song Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite. The inscription has become illegible, but the fact that the records have him down as an Equestrian Proprietor fits with the craving of the horse.

 

[FrothNinja]

W31R1- 1 hour 16 minutes - Mon - Fusion commute, longer than planned due to train chaos
W31R2 - 1 hour 27 minutes - Tues - Fusion commute with a long loop on the way back to try and hit the 5000 mile mark on the hybrid but I failed by 9 miles
W31R3 - 1 hour 32 minutes - Fri - 5000 mile ride on my hybrid (ended up 5001!)
W31R4 - 2 hour 32 minutes - Fri - family miles around York. Average speed of 4.3mph, but I was knackered at the end - there for over 5 hours. Not really a cycling city, more a pedestrian one. Very few secure places to leave your bike and site see.

Cliffords Tower

 

[Jon George]

Wk32
3rd 50 mins Nacton Via Gainsborough Road and Ravenswood - Sainsbury’s
4th 70 mins Bridleways at Kesgrave
5th 75 mins Bridleways at Kesgrave and Rushmere Golf Course
6th 50 mins Nacton Via Gainsborough Road and Ravenswood - Sainsbury’s
7th 90 mins Quizzing around Belstead Road
8th 75 mins Quizzing around Rushmere Road
9th 75 mins Quizzing around Hadleigh Road

Surprised myself by discovering this bucolic view of Ipswich in a country lane: just over the brow of the small hill and the town starts.

 

[FrothNinja]

Think that's a record week for me in terms of qualifiers - a few just missed out. Was determined to get some rides in on unfamiliar ground in spite of the filthy weather. The quieter roads were rough as guts but the views were great. The constant short rides seem to have built up my speed - or else it's the Rincewind effect...

W32R1- 33 minutes - Mon - Allendale golf club loop
W32R2 - 43 minutes - Weds - Allendale out along Common Bank and back
W32R3 - 48 minutes - Weds - Haydon Bridge old church to Allendale Town. Below average mph but the main road riding was quite scary
W32R4 - 31 minutes -Thurs - Fast for me flat miles around Allendale & Catton (avg 14.3mph / 23.0 kph)
W32R5 - 33 minutes - Fri - Fast for me flat miles between Allendale & Sinderhope(avg 13.7mph / 22.0 kph)
W32R6 - 31 minutes - Sat - Fast for me local miles (avg 14.4mph / 23.2 kph)
W32R7 - 42 minutes - Sun - Clarion run
W32R8 - 2 hour 32 minutes - Sun - Fountains Fell north west of Stainforth via Wigglesworth to Sabden, failed Lunacy ride - afraid I would melt in the rain (total 31.8 miles / 51.2 km, plus 397m / 1,300ft) Average speed for first half was 14 mph / 22.5 kph.

The old church above Haydon Bridge

Hexham Priory

 

[FrothNinja]

Managed to damage my right foot this week - just about fits into my cycling shoes but I will be resorting to flats for my fusion commute tomorrow so my hoof can grow/shrink as it pleases.
W33R1- 30 minutes - Mon - local miles
W33R2 - 1 hour 3 minutes - Thurs - Uplands south of Burnley and Colne + a valley or one
W33R3 - 1 hour 45 minutes - Fri - local miles round Towneley and Hurstwood
W33R4 - 41 minutes -Sun - local miles

Water level at Hurstwood Res is looking quite reserved

 

[Jon George]

Wk33
10th 45 mins Sainsbury’s via Foxhall Road
11th 90 mins Quizzing around Tuddenham Road and Park Road
12th 105 mins Quizzing around Pinewood
13th 90 mins Bridleways and paths around Ravenswood and Rushmere Common
14th 80 mins Bridleways and paths around Whitton and Sproughton Road
15th 95mins Bridleways and paths around Ravenswood and Rushmere Common
16th 90 mins Bridleways and paths around Pinewood

A parched golf course on Rushmere Common.