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March commuting challenge

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March commuting challenge

Old 03-02-06, 06:27 AM
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March commuting challenge

OK, I guess I'll start it.

The challenge, as in DogBoy's Jan and Feb challenges, is to set a goal to commute every day by bike. Some people allow one or two emergency/sick days. It's really up to you and what you feel is achievable, but don't sell yourself short. Aim high.

There is no prize apart from pride, and no consequences for failure other than your own disappointment. This is all about setting your own goals and reaching them.

Thanks to the previous two challenges, I have not driven my car to work yet this year (though I do still run the kids places at night/weekends). I never would have come close without this incentive.

Jan/Feb gave a lot of us a break on weather and they weren't as hard as we probably thought. For a lot of us, March still has significant cruddy weather potential, so it's still a challenge.

I arrived at work today with about 1/8" of ice frozen on me and my bike. The driveway was almost impossible to walk on at home; I'm very thankful for studded tires.

For reference:
January challenge

February challenge
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Old 03-02-06, 08:20 AM
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Well done for picking up the baton on this...

March is up and running ...2 from 2 and first 40 plus miles will be in the can tonight. Snowing here today and very cold this morning but not lying ....yet!

Keep safe everyone and good luck to all for March
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Old 03-02-06, 08:38 AM
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I'm in! I rode a whopping 7.5 miles yesterday in the worst of all conditions (morning: foggy, 56 degrees, afternoon: sunny, 70 degrees). Of course, I'm kidding it was great. Southern commuters always brag in the winter but then the summer comes...then the complaining starts.
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Old 03-02-06, 09:05 AM
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Sign me up. I'm 2/2 for March and don't plan on driving once (although I have driven three times this year so far). My plan is to finish 2006 with less than 10 missed days. I also started my new longer commute yesterday (25 round trip miles, instead of 12). So far, so good. I plan on modifying the route here and there, but would like to keep the round trip at 25+/- miles.

We had about an inch of snow on the ground this morning and to be honest, it was great. One inch of snow is about perfect if you ask me.
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Old 03-02-06, 09:07 AM
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1/1 This month with my ride in today. Had to drive yesterday for work offsite. Should be a good month for me.
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Old 03-02-06, 09:19 AM
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2/2 today, and my ride in was faster than it takes me to drive! My ride home is always faster, so I'm really running out of reasons to drive to work. ;D
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Old 03-02-06, 11:30 AM
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Rode to work in a 32.5 F degree rain (no ice surprisingly but I had the studded tires on just in case) this morning to go 2 for 2 in March. I wasn't part of the Jan./Feb. challenges but I did cycle to work every day that I went to work. I was in Europe for two weeks in January for work so I lost a lot of commuting days there. My goal this year is to not miss a single day of biking where I could physically have biked. The only things that might get in the way would be if I'm bringing something to work too big to carry on my trailer. There's a very small chance of that happening though.
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Old 03-02-06, 11:40 AM
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Okay you finally got me ....I'm in! After referring to my work calendar I should have 21 days of work this month. I am planning to drive the last two days to let my legs rest for the El Tour De Phoenix on April 1st. So that leaves my goal at 19 commuter days at 31-32 miles each day for a total of 599 miles .....I am 2/2 so far I was thinking of taking tomorrow off due to predicted high winds....but maybe I will just take the bus part way?
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Old 03-02-06, 02:44 PM
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March 1st was a killer for me. Two commutes in the same day, a total of about 45 miles, arriving home at 11 pm. Then I had an early meeting this morning, and had to get on the road at 5 am for my 8 mile commute. Tired!!!!
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Old 03-02-06, 03:16 PM
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Hurray! 1/2 so far. Still trying to ride over 3x/week. Logistics, logistics. Still a huge step up from last year. Riding days for Jan: 13 out of 18 days and 11/16 for Feb. Shooting for a better percentage this month (especially after all the girl scout cookies i bought!)
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Old 03-02-06, 03:26 PM
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Two for two so far here as well. My first two days commuting in a row, I might add. My target is "everyday I don't have to bring/wear a suit" which will probably be everyday except 2 or 3 this month.
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Old 03-02-06, 04:07 PM
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Okay I'm in also. I am 2/2 so far this month. I only have 16 commute days this month due to a vacation.
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Old 03-03-06, 07:12 AM
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i'm 3 days late!!
i'm 3 for 3 so far....
we had snow the night before last... 10cms all together...
the side roads were tricky yesterday... the loose snow over ice was making my path not quite straight... i was weaving and spinning and sliding... it was fun!!
got on the main road and it was smooth and fairly fast.. i din't push it though...

anyways, temp has been -10c ish the last few days... so nice biking... and i like the extra snow too...

keep it up folks.... 2 months down and 10 to go!!

D
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Old 03-03-06, 07:47 AM
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End of week in sight - 3/3 for me total commute miles around 65, total for this calender year now over 700, no days driven to my main office in 2006.

Very cold here this morning with some snow, this afternoon its clear and bright and cold...looking forward to return leg within the next two hours.

Keep safe everyone.
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Old 03-03-06, 08:28 AM
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2/2 so far for me. I am hoping to ride every day next week. I have yet to get a full week in. 4 days in a row is my best so far.
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Old 03-03-06, 09:12 AM
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Target

320 miles

10 gym sessions

2 hours swimming

Februrary total to date:

24 miles

1 gym sessions

0 hours swimming
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Old 03-03-06, 09:20 AM
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3/3 Looking at the calendar I have 23 days this month. Not even a long weekend for all of March.
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Old 03-03-06, 12:06 PM
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I slept in today. woke up 1/2 hour late. As i was dragging my sorry butt out of bed i was thinking, " im gonna have to drive the car today to not arrive late".

As i was showering I remembered the march challenge.

So i skipped breakfast, rode like mad, and made it to work only 3 min late.
But im starving to death now lol.
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Old 03-03-06, 12:11 PM
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25F with a 20mph headwind this morning (gusting up to 27). I left my studded tires on since it had rained overnight and there was patchy ice all over the roads. Slow ride but fun stuff and 3/3. I forgot that I'm going to miss 4 days this month as I'll be skiing in Utah from the 9th-14th. I'll make it up for it this weekend.
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Old 03-03-06, 02:16 PM
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2/3 this month so far... my wife is picking me up on the way out of town so I had her drop me off this morning so that I didn't have to leave the bike here.... I hate missing my days on the bike..
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Old 03-03-06, 02:16 PM
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Hmm...Sorry for dropping the ball. I just noticed fewer people posting on the Feb Challenge toward the end of the month and then got swamped at work. This month is going to be very hard for me. New position at work requires occasional travel. I'm 0/3 29/36.

Here are my goals
Potential Commuting Days: 16
Goal: 13/16 (I already missed 3 days, and goals need to be acheivable.)

Alt Cycling goals: Bike Florida 393 miles in a week (an organized camping ride)
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Old 03-03-06, 02:34 PM
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3/3 The ride in this morning was nice, but the weather turned WINDY since... 25mph with gusts well over over 30mps . I have got challenging ride home 16 miles with some long gradual climbs. My prediction is that I will be going 8-10 mph the last 6 miles
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Old 03-03-06, 10:36 PM
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I guess this is as good of an occasion as ever to make an official introduction. I have lurked around for a week or two on bikeforums and enjoy the discussion and apparent camaraderie.

In February I commuted to work every day. I believe I worked 23 out of the 28 days in the month.

I live in northeast Ohio, south of Cleveland, west of Akron, great weather, a lil snow, a lil slop, but for the most part I could use my commuter/touring bike to get me there and back. I do have an icebike for the real nasty stuff altho it is serious need of some <cough> adjustments before I kill myself on it.
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Old 03-06-06, 08:24 AM
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1/4 30/37 It snowed yesterday so today's ride was slushy and wet. ick. I got a nice 25 mile ride on my roadbike in on Saturday. Felt pretty good to be out on clear roads on a sunny day!

Last edited by DogBoy; 03-06-06 at 09:15 AM.
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Old 03-06-06, 08:46 AM
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1/4 37/44
23 possible commutin' days in march.

Been off the bike for 10 days due to sickness. Back on.
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