Three 30-minute rides each week of the year Challenge 2025 [NB Starts 30/12/24!]

[FrothNinja]

Managed to make my lumbar very painful in week 17, to the point it was a drama if I dropped anything on the ground, but I noticed on W18R3 that it seemed to ease it a bit. That plus the fact my broombroom is poorly meant a (for me) surprisingly long time in the saddle this week - and I stopped for photos!! or was that just an excuse on Tuesday coz I almost bonked. Lumbar still sore (still don't know how I did it) but I can pick stuff up off the floor - 30 second rule back in play
W18R1 - 4 hour 2 mins - Burnley to Preston return. (total 47.0 miles / 75.7 km, plus 792 m / 2,600 ft ascent)
W18R2 - 2 hour 52 mins - Ashton Under Lyne, Lees Rd, Higginshaw, Shaw, Shaw & Cromton Cycles (thanks Steve), Jubilee, Milnrow, Hollingworth Lake, Rochdale Canal, Walsden, Todmorden, Cliviger, Rowley Lake, Burnley, L&L, Brierfield (total 31.5 miles / 50.7 km, plus 503 m / 1,650 ft ascent)
W18R3 - 3 hour 16mins - Burnley to Preston return. (total 47.0 miles / 75.7 km, plus 1,135 m / 3,725 ft ascent) (less time & same distance as Monday but more ascent - getting match fit or the lack of wind? A big given I was knackered by the time I got back Tuesday)
W18R4 - 35 mins - local miles to vote
W18R5 - 42 mins - local gravel miles

 

[ColinJ]

Week 18: 3 qualifying rides... 191.9 km, in 11.15 h.

Total qualifying rides: 62. Distance to date: 1,777.6 km (vs 1,980 km; 18 x weekly target of 110 km). Time to date: 109.95 h (vs 126 h; 18 x weekly target of 7 h).

Ride 1 (Mon): 11.0 km. ELLL incl. Wn. 0.55 h.

Ride 2 (Wed): 115.0 km. (Train to start), Blackburn, Langho, Ribchester, Longridge Fell, Longridge, Goosnargh, Inglewhite, Whitechapel, Chipping, Whitewell, Doeford Bridge, Walker Fold, Great Mitton, Whalley, Old Roman Road, Read, Padiham, Padiham Greenway, By, Tod. 6.80 h.

Ride 3 (Fri): 65.9 km. Tod, HB, Oxenhope, Haworth, Stanbury, Oldfield, Laneshaw Bridge, Trawden, Clarion House, Thursden, Haggate, Worsthorne, SBm, Ce, Tod. 3.80 h.

All rides on CAAD5.

Abbreviated local place names (now sorted alphabetically):

• BE = Blackstone Edge, BH = Blackshaw Head, Bp = Bacup, By = Burnley
• Ce = Cornholme, Cgr = Cliviger, Ck = Calderbrook, Cn = Colden, CP = Crown Point, Cr = Caldermoor, CV = Cragg Vale
• GR = Great Rock
• HB = Hebden Bridge, HC = Holme Chapel, HG = Hubberton Green, Hl = Heptonstall, HP = Harvellin Park
• JB = Jack Bridge
• LC = Long Causeway, Lh = Littleborough, Ls = Lumbutts
• MR = Manchester, Ms = Mankinholes
• Ph = Portsmouth
• Re = Rochdale, Royd = Mytholmroyd
• SB = Sowerby Bridge, SBm = Southward Bottom, Sd = Sharneyford, Sl = Sourhall, St = Summit
• Tod = Todmorden
• WM = Walk Mill, Wn = Walsden

 

[FrothNinja]

W19R1 - 1 hour 19 mins - local gravel miles
W19R2 - 2 hour 12 mins - Off roading on the flanks of Pendle, very slow but very fun in the sun
W19R3 - 31 mins - local miles
Probably the oldest cherry in Lancashire, certainly the oldest one in the Pendle area that the public can see.

 

[ColinJ]

Week 19: 4 qualifying rides... 118.6 km, in 6.7 h.

Total qualifying rides: 66. Distance to date: 1,896.2 km (vs 2,090 km; 19 x weekly target of 110 km). Time to date: 116.65 h (vs 133 h; 19 x weekly target of 7 h).

Ride 1 (Thu): 15.2 km. ELLL incl. Wn. 0.85 h.

Ride 2 (Fri): 19.4 km. ELLL to Walsden then steep climb of Pexwood Rd/Stones Rd to Sl, then back to Tod via Bp Rd and shops. 1.15 h.

Ride 3 (Sat): 32.5 km. Tod, A646 up to Bp Rd then u-turned and back to Portsmouth, Carr Rd climb, Sl, Wn, back to Tod for some local back roads. 1.65 h.

Ride 4 (Sun): 51.5 km. Tod, Ls, Wn, Ck, Cr, Lh, BE Old Rd, BE, HG, Steep Ln, CV, Royd, HB, (cafe with friends), Tod. 3.05 h.

All rides on 6-er. I put a new chain on before ride #1. It slipped on the 2 sprockets that I normally use. I found some less worn ones in my junk box and put those on before ride #2. No further problems on rides #2 to #4.

Abbreviated local place names (now sorted alphabetically):

• BE = Blackstone Edge, BH = Blackshaw Head, Bp = Bacup, By = Burnley
• Ce = Cornholme, Cgr = Cliviger, Ck = Calderbrook, Cn = Colden, CP = Crown Point, Cr = Caldermoor, CV = Cragg Vale
• GR = Great Rock
• HB = Hebden Bridge, HC = Holme Chapel, HG = Hubberton Green, Hl = Heptonstall, HP = Harvellin Park
• JB = Jack Bridge
• LC = Long Causeway, Lh = Littleborough, Ls = Lumbutts
• MR = Manchester, Ms = Mankinholes
• Ph = Portsmouth
• Re = Rochdale, Royd = Mytholmroyd
• SB = Sowerby Bridge, SBm = Southward Bottom, Sd = Sharneyford, Sl = Sourhall, St = Summit
• Tod = Todmorden
• WM = Walk Mill, Wn = Walsden

 

[bluenotebob]

Week 19: 4 local rides over 30 mins; distance cycled 62.93km

Week 20: 14 rides over 30 mins, including one MCAM ride; distance cycled 351.56km

Week 1(2025) to week 20: total distance cycled 4532.83km

 

[ColinJ]

Week 20: 4 qualifying rides... 118.25 km, in 6.05 h.

Total qualifying rides: 70. Distance to date: 2,014.45 km (vs 2,200 km; 20 x weekly target of 110 km). Time to date: 122.7 h (vs 140 h; 20x weekly target of 7 h).

Ride 1 (Tue): 16.1 km. ELLL + Ewood climb, Bp Rd, Wn, Tod. 0.90 h.

Ride 2 (Thu): 16.9 km. Tod to HB, cafe with friends, back to Tod. 0.95 h.

Ride 3 (Fri): 34.8 km. C/W CV loop**. 1.55 h.

Ride 4 (Sun): 50.45 km. Tod, A646 towards By, Lancs cycleway up to Bp Rd, then back down to A646, continued to fringes of By, climbed Woodplumpton Rd to Crown Point Rd, Back to A646, turned back to Tod, then headed towards HB, turned back, climbed to Ls, then Wn, Tod. 2.65 h.

All rides on 6-er.

** Ride #3 was to attempt to improve my PB on the CV climb. I took nearly a minute off it. 27-00 at 211.5 W, crosswind from my left, hint of tailwind.

Abbreviated local place names (now sorted alphabetically):

• BE = Blackstone Edge, BH = Blackshaw Head, Bp = Bacup, By = Burnley
• Ce = Cornholme, Cgr = Cliviger, Ck = Calderbrook, Cn = Colden, CP = Crown Point, Cr = Caldermoor, CV = Cragg Vale
• GR = Great Rock
• HB = Hebden Bridge, HC = Holme Chapel, HG = Hubberton Green, Hl = Heptonstall, HP = Harvellin Park
• JB = Jack Bridge
• LC = Long Causeway, Lh = Littleborough, Ls = Lumbutts
• MR = Manchester, Ms = Mankinholes
• Ph = Portsmouth
• Re = Rochdale, Royd = Mytholmroyd
• SB = Sowerby Bridge, SBm = Southward Bottom, Sd = Sharneyford, Sl = Sourhall, St = Summit
• Tod = Todmorden
• WM = Walk Mill, Wn = Walsden

 

[FrothNinja]

The long dry spell has given me the option to do some slightly naughty off-roading. Some hikeabike involved but worth it - and surprisingly knackering given my low average speed.
W20R1 - 4 hour 10 mins - Burnley to Preston return. (total 45.4 miles / 73.06 km, plus 1,038 m / 3,405 ft ascent)
W20R2 - 36 mins - local miles
W20R3 - 1 hour 25 mins - off road miles round Padiham, Brierfield etc

 

[ColinJ]

The long dry spell has given me the option to do some slightly naughty off-roading. Some hikeabike involved but worth it - and surprisingly knackering given my low average speed.

I used to rate Pennine mountain biking as being more than twice as tiring as Pennine road cycling, and that itself is way more tiring than flatter roads.

I don't think that I have ever been more tired than on a couple of local 70+ km MTB rides (the Rossendale Mountain Bike Challenge***, and the Mary Towneley Loop), and that includes vs very hilly 200+ km road rides. I think it was the battering that my unfit upper body took.


*** If you have 30 minutes to kill and are interested in knowing more, read THIS!

 

[FrothNinja]

Twonked my calf - no idea how - early in the week. Still annoying and R3 (according to my zone spread) was harder work than usual. Probably won't do a qualifying ride tomorrow due to the calf and the forecast, but if I do I will edit the list.
W21R1 - 4 hour 19 mins - Burnley to Preston return via Ribchester, Waddington, Clitheroe, Nick Of Pendle. (total 54.1 miles / 87.0 km, plus 1,428 m / 4,685 ft ascent)
W21R2 - 3 hours 40 mins - Brierfield, Fence, Noggarth, Barley, Twiston, Stopper Ln, Rimington, Chatburn, Sawley, West Bradford, Clitheroe, Nick Of Pendle, the Ridge, Sabden Fold, Newchurch, Roughlee, Barrowford, Wheatley Lane, Burnley (total 35.7 miles / 57.4 km, plus 1,272 m / 4,175 ft ascent)
W21R3 - 32 mins - local miles
Floral fun along the L&L on R3

Cow Parsley, Buttercup, Horsetail

Iris & Hemlock

 

[ColinJ]

Week 21: 3 qualifying rides... 106.0 km, in 6.05 h.

Total qualifying rides: 73. Distance to date: 2,120.45 km (vs 2,310 km; 21 x weekly target of 110 km). Time to date: 128.75 h (vs 147 h; 21 x weekly target of 7 h).

Ride 1 (Tue): 21.4 km. ELLL + Eastwood and back + Wn and back. 1.05 h.

Ride 2 (Wed): 31.6 km. Tod, HB, Hl, cafe with friends, BH, Keb's Rd, Great Rock, Cross Stone Rd, Wn and back. 2.00 h.

Ride 3 (Fri): 53.0 km. Tod, Ls, Wn, Ck, Cr, Lh, BE, HG, up Steep Ln, back up to BE, Lh, Cr, Ck, Wn, Tod. 3.00 h.

Ride #1 on 6-er, other 2 on CAAD5.

Abbreviated local place names (now sorted alphabetically):

• BE = Blackstone Edge, BH = Blackshaw Head, Bp = Bacup, By = Burnley
• Ce = Cornholme, Cgr = Cliviger, Ck = Calderbrook, Cn = Colden, CP = Crown Point, Cr = Caldermoor, CV = Cragg Vale
• GR = Great Rock
• HB = Hebden Bridge, HC = Holme Chapel, HG = Hubberton Green, Hl = Heptonstall, HP = Harvellin Park
• JB = Jack Bridge
• LC = Long Causeway, Lh = Littleborough, Ls = Lumbutts
• MR = Manchester, Ms = Mankinholes
• Ph = Portsmouth
• Re = Rochdale, Royd = Mytholmroyd
• SB = Sowerby Bridge, SBm = Southward Bottom, Sd = Sharneyford, Sl = Sourhall, St = Summit
• Tod = Todmorden
• WM = Walk Mill, Wn = Walsden