Three 30-minute rides each week of the year Challenge 2024

[ColinJ]

@bluenotebob organised the 2023 version of this challenge but won't be doing it in 2024 so I am putting the new thread up this time. I will copy, paste and edit his post from last year...

Do a minimum of three outdoor rides per week for each week of the year. Indoor rides do not qualify.

Each ride to last a minimum of 30 minutes. It’s preferable that each of the three rides takes place on a different day of the week – but that’s not mandatory (two rides on the same day will qualify – but they must be distinctly separate rides.).

Try and post in this thread at least once a week if you can – ride details to include week#, ride#, day, length of time on the bike – plus a ride description (if you want). Photos welcome!

Week 1 starts on Monday 1st January 2024 and runs to Sunday 7th January. Each week will run from Monday to Sunday (so Week 2 will be 8th January to 14th January – and Week 52 from 23rd December to 29th December**).

Start by posting your Week 1 rides below … and good luck!

PS Obviously, the aim is to do the full 52 weeks, but if for some reason you can't, please carry on and complete as many weeks as you can, then come back next year and try to at least beat that number. I anticipated missing a few weeks in 2023 so I kept a count of my successful weeks, thinking it would end up as something like 49/52 by year end. I did actually manage to finish on 52/52 by riding in drizzle on December 31st!

[** The 2025 challenge might actually start at the end of 2024, on 30th December. The alternative would be to allow 2 extra days for the final week of 2024, but that would mean a 5 day first week in 2025, which would add pressure. We can decide on what to do nearer the time.]

 

[ColinJ]

I am adding this comment in a separate post, so as to keep the opening post simple...

At first glance, this might not seem like much of a challenge, since the rides can be short and many of us probably ride 3+ times a week most weeks anyway. The important word here is MOST! The idea of the challenge is to encourage consistency, not athletic prowess.

I usually go off the boil completely for the 3 or 4 winter months, sometimes not touching any of my bikes for weeks or even the entire winter! The challenge kept me riding regularly in 2023. There were a few weeks here and there when I felt a bit rough, but I managed to find enough time and energy to do my 3 x 30 minutes without knocking myself up. (Obviously, if you get a serious illness like a bad dose of Covid or the 'flu, then be sensible and rest instead of riding!)

I don't use Strava (etc) and found the 3 x 30 thread a handy alternative place to log all of my rides.

 

[FrothNinja]

About to set off for first run of the year. Usually do this local ride on the Centurion but today will do it on the CX - partly because it is still mucky from yesterday.

 

[Saluki]

After crashing and burning last year I shall have a go this year.
1 x ride done. 11.11 miles in 51:29.
Planning next ride on Wednesday, weather is frightful tomorrow. Storm warnings galore.

 

[ColinJ]

@Houthakker, @Alex321, @figbat, @Gibbo9... Are you interested in having another go this year?

 

[Alex321]

I'll be very surprised if I manage it, but I'll give it a go.

 

[ColinJ]

I'll be very surprised if I manage it, but I'll give it a go.

That's the spirit!

 

[figbat]

@Houthakker, @Alex321, @figbat, @Gibbo9... Are you interested in having another go this year?

Thanks for the prompt. Sadly I’ll fail in the first week as I am flat out with a bad back, have been since 23rd December. Hopefully some osteopathy will solve it and I’ll be able to do my best after that.

 

[netman]

Ok, I'm in - thanks for organising it @ColinJ - First ride done yesterday, so will post a report when I'm up to three.

 

[Saluki]

Ride #2 in the bag. I did 6.75 miles in the dry and .5 miles in driving rain sand was soaked to the skin in a heartbeat. Cromer and back, looking for a cafe or pub beginning with A. Traffic interesting so didn’t look too hard. 33 mins riding.

Interesting brief convo with some chap.
Him : that’s an ebike. You’re not pedalling.
Me - doing 20mph plus down a hill: Ever heard of gravity?

Why he wanted a natter from the passenger window of a car beggars belief.

 

[ColinJ]

@annedonnelly - if you feel a bit more confident about your cycling now, do you fancy having another go this year?

I would not blame you if you don't, but you'd be welcome if you do.

 

[Tail End Charlie]

Right, I'm up for this. Not done any yet so I'd better get my finger (or preferably bike ) out. Hope to get out tomorrow and this should spur me on. Several times this last year I've allowed other things to stop me from riding and before I knew it, I hadn't ridden for three weeks or so. This challenge should focus my mind a bit, as I always enjoy it once out.

 

[ColinJ]

I haven't been out yet either!

The forecasts from now to Sunday look ok though so 3 (or 4) rides should not be an issue. I intend to make one of them a lumpy 50 km (3 hour) ride for the '50 a month' challenge.

 

[annedonnelly]

@annedonnelly - if you feel a bit more confident about your cycling now, do you fancy having another go this year?

I would not blame you if you don't, but you'd be welcome if you do.

I was just thinking about this the other day @ColinJ I think I'm going to set myself a target of one 30 minute ride a week to start with. I'm so sad that I'm not riding 😢

I'd better get myself sorted as we're already halfway through the first week.

 

[ColinJ]

I haven't been out yet either!

I have now... I nipped out and did 18 km to Hebden Bridge and back, including a ride up the steepish climb to Heptonstall and back down. (I was meeting a friend at the village cafe, but met her walking down because the cafe was closed. We went to one in HB instead.)