Welcome to the February Commuting Challenge. This is a personal challenge to get me on my bike and riding to/from work. I will post my rules, but feel free to adapt the rules to fit your goals, etc.

In Jan, I had the goal to commute no matter what. I had 2 days when I didn't commute, but no days of driving. I feel pretty good about it, and I'm glad to be getting in the extra time on the bike. I'm learning quite a bit about my body, its ability to recover, and I think I'm getting in better cardiovascular shape. For all these reasons, I'm doing a February challenge to keep myself in the groove.

In February I know that's not possible to commute every work day since there are at least 2 days when my work schedule requires me to have a car. To deal with this, I have a new framework for the challenge:

Identify # of days of work: 17
Identify # of days avail for commuting: 15
Identify # of sick days: 1

Stated Goal: In February I will commute 15/17 days of work, allowing for 1 sick day if needed. I will also complete at least one century in February. [Century defined as 100 miles, done over the course of a single day, with no sleeping in between miles]

I do not use this rule personally, but last month it was acceptable to "make-up" the miles on the weekend if you miss a day. Feel free to use it if you want.

I will keep track of my goal, as well as my annual total. For example, on Feb 1, I will be 1/1 16/18, meaning 1 out of one days for February, 16 out of 18 days for 2006. It will be interesting to see where I am at the end of the year!

If you are comfortable with it, post your own challenge and keep us posted!

Welcome aboard, and cycle on!

Work days: 20*
Commuting days: 20*
Sick days: 0

My total km goal for feb. is 269.

* this number might change, i plan on taking a couple of long weekends, so my work days will probably end up being around 17.

I am game. As I don't have good rain gear and am forced to ride in one of the nicest cycling places in the world, I'll penalize myself by adding miles on the way home as long as I get back before sunset.

In April (if you have the challenge) the local club has a climbing challenge. I will need to work a 1,000 foot elevation gain into each commute ride.

I made the Jan challenge, so I'm in. I'll try for 20/20. I don't plan on using a sick day; if I'm that sick I'll stay home.
I have a blood donation scheduled on a Thursday, but I've ridden home from them before.
My total should drop in around 425 miles assuming no extra miles.

Work days: 20*
Commuting days: 20*
Sick days: 0

My total km goal for feb. is 1,000

Work Days: 12
Commuting Days: 12
Sick Days: 0

My total km goal is 120 km. My total snowboarding goal is 100,000 vertical feet.

HA, i love it

Giddy up.

12/13 for January (lots of vacation and out of state work travel shortened my total number of days possible.)

Work days: Should be 20
Commuting days: 20
Sick days: 0. If I'm sick, I'll stay home.

Have loved my first two commute days, so I'm in for the Feb challenge. I can only commute 3 days / week due to offsite commitments on Tues / Friday, and I have a vacation planned, so total days is light. But I will hit them!

(Commutable) work days: 9
Commuting days: 9
Sick days: Hoping for none, but with 2 kids under 3, odds are stacked against me... If I'm well enough to go to work, I'm well enough to ride there...

Monthly miles: 200

count me in! Got fridays off then a couple vacation days in there. I like to keep a few days reserved for errands although I got a rack now. My commute is anywhere from 3 to 6 miles one way, depending on how lazy I am in the morning.

Work days: 16
Commuting days 14
Errand days: 2

I'm in. Tried to make it in January but was sick for over a week and riding while taking cold medicine was killing me.

Work days: 20
Ridng days: 17
Monthly mileage: ? no computer on my bike, not concerned enough to log it manually.

I have to take my company car home some days for work on remote sites the next day.

Heh for me it's not a challenge. I don't have a liscence...

My trip is 24 miles each way, I work very long hours, and its cold and usually windy here. I have not ridden outdoors in 2 months. My challenge is to commute 1 day this month.

I am though thinking about seeing how many consecutive days I can go without driving (anywhere, not just driving to work).

19 work days. Goal: 19 commute days. 30 miles per day. Total goal: 570 miles.

But aren't there other forms of transportation (mostly public) that you could be using instead?

1/1 16/18. Rode the hybrid today. I was putzing with the front brake of my cross bike last night and wasn't 100% on it. That thing is heavy! I also signed up for the Horribly Hilly Hundreds this morning. 200k 10,500 ft of climbing. Guess I better go find some hills!

I came through January with 350 commuting miles notched - this amounted to every day when i was at my 'home' office and could possibly commute by bike - I intend to follow the same approach for February and onwards, I've followed this since mid summer last year so am now well in the groove. The way I now look at it is biking to work is now my default position...this takes out the daily need to review weather etc. and makes for an easier commit, rather than every morning deciding whether you fancy it or not.

Motivation was low but the Feb. challenge is a good idea. It makes up my mind for me. Once I'm on the bike riding, though, there's no question I'm glad I did. Very warm this morning 25 degrees F. Put on a new bike computer last week and have 31 miles so far. I'll see how many this month.

I'm in again!!
Excellent idea DogBoy!!
i was 100% for Jan (21 for 21, i think...) with a few allowances for kilometer-transfer from wknd rides.... to make up for a few sickdays...

Work days: 20
Commuting days: 20
Sick days: as little as possible.... i save them for when my kids are sick...

i want to commute everyday, plus i want to increase the amount of kms i do.... either by stationary bike, or more evfening rides... my kms were around 200km for Jan and i'd love to bump that up to 300kms... i don't have a odometer, so my kms are estimates..

bike safe!

J

My wife asked me to take friday off to spend the day with her.

First thought: oh no, my commuting challenge.
Second thought: i'm probably getting laid.

As a result, my work days are revised to 19 for feb.

I like this idea!
Here are my stats:16 work days and ride them all, no matter what. 16 mile round trip. Feb total, 256 miles.

Biking is hard on 3.5 hours of sleep. At least for me. Got home from the airport around 2am, up for work at 5:30am. I have tomorrow off, so no biking. I might get out for a leisurely ride, but not likely.

We'll give you a miss if you spend as much time and energy in bed as you would on the commute. Be sure to get good and sweaty.

EDIT: Remember, you need to do it twice to qualify, a few hours apart.

2/2 17/19. Back to the cross bike. Brake is fine, plus, now I don't sound like a mack truck everytime I need to stop . Today I had a 2nd interview, so the wife delivered my suit to me so I could ride. Major wife points for that. Ride was uneventful. I've had some heavy legs the last few days...I'm getting nervous about my century this saturday. I figure its 80% mental, and the weather people are saying it might actually become winter towards the middle of February, so I'm going to take advantage of the warmth while I have it!

DogBoy, I commute on a cross too and my breaks squeal A LOT when it's wet out. How often do you change pads? I'm thinking I need new ones (especially on the front) but am not sure.