#10000milesin2018 + Hope Sports Home Build #2

January 1, 2019 Megan Hottman

What a 2018 that was!!! Whew.

Well … for those waiting for the final mileage update: I made it. I clicked off my final 45 miles on 12/31 and with that, reached my goal of riding 10,000 miles in 2018. It was such an adventure, and it became a very difficult and challenging goal in the latter part of the year, especially between mid-November and the end of the year. I don’t think I’ve logged that many 300+ mile weeks in a row, ever. I am deeply satisfied, and happy, about meeting my goal and even more so, overjoyed with all the people around the world who joined in on our Strava Club to take part in the challenge! I am excited to set some new 2019 bike-goals!

Hope Sports Home Build #2

A far more important event took place in late December - and that was our second Hope Sports home build trip. This time, the home (materials, etc) were sponsored by our law firm and this brought even more meaning and intention to the trip. I was SO happy to see that most of the people on last year’s build trip came back, so we got to work alongside friends new and old.

Plus, some of our 2018 law firm clients, like the Selkes, and Travis Lechner, and cycling enthusiast Greg Besaw, also joined in.

I’ll let the photos tell the story once again, because they do it far more beautifully than my words ever could. If this moves you and stirs your heart, PLEASE reach out to Hope Sports and sign up for a build trip in 2019! I am pretty sure we’ll be taking a team down once again - stay tuned for details ;) .

#10000milesin2018: Month 11 update

December 3, 2018 Megan Hottman

We are getting down into the final stretch and I feel like I’m cramming for finals!

Total Miles to Date:

Target: 9163 miles…My mileage: 8751

Total Number of Strava Group Members: 391

Greg Boyd from Lake Mary, FL - Just got my 10k today...going for 11k for the year.

Ken Harding of Stratford, England, United Kingdom - Just cracked 10K, feeling good, now to try and achieve 12K for the Year.

Dan Dwyer in Syracuse, NY - 12K Today!

THIS MONTH’S QUESTION: With one month to go, what does December look like for you in terms of getting the remaining miles in to accomplish your goal?

I put in a monster week the week of thanksgiving (approx 430 miles) to try and catch back up and made a big dent in the miles … And, now… I’ve got 1249 miles to go… and 29 days to get it done. This means I need to average 43 miles per day... I will miss December 27-30 for our Hope Sports home build trip, and I’ve got a few Monday rest days budgeted in … so it’s time to buckle down for sure. I am getting really strategic with Zwift workouts and I also leave my bike setup on my Feedback Sports omnium trainer in my Kitchen (seriously!) so that I can hop on it anytime I’m on a phone call or watching a movie. Every mile counts at this point!

#10000milesin2018: Month 10 update

November 1, 2018 Megan Hottman

#10000milesin2018: Month 10 update!

Total Miles to Date: Target: 8333 miles…My mileage: 7889

Total Number of Strava Group Members: 390

This month, we would like to introduce you to Bruno Echegoyen-Chirinos from Denver, CO.

Bruno has been a cyclist for three years and decided to join the challenge because he wanted to bike at least 200 miles a week to work. He also was curious to find out what it would be like to acquire the level of fitness needed over a year.

In order to get the miles in for the challenge, Bruno commutes by bike anytime he needs to go somewhere, whether it’s getting groceries, going to concerts, meeting friends or shopping. Instead of transporting his bike by car when he goes mountain biking, Bruno rides his bike to the trail. Riding on weekends has helped get ahead on the miles some weeks, but it can also be very tiring at times.

The goal of riding 10,000 miles in one year has been harder than he expected and continues to be very challenging. Bruno gets in about 120 miles for the week by the end of Wednesday. Sometimes, the third day after riding to work is still very difficult due to soreness. By the time the new year comes, he will try to ride to work every day and use his car much more rarely.

Bruno is motivated to meet his goal by remembering that it's a privilege to be able to bike to work and that he can make a small difference in air quality in his local area while he’s building fitness and setting an example for how people could choose to commute. “The way I see it, it would be to many people's convenience to have an active lifestyle.”

Last year, Bruno rode around 5,000 miles. His current mileage is 6,204 miles. We wish you all the best in hitting 10,000 in 2018!

Congratulations to our members who have reached 10,000 miles!

Cam Candelaria from South Jordan, UT – “I’m at 12,300 going for 14K.”

Dan Dwyer from Syracuse, NY - “At 11,472 going 4 13K!”

Tom Adams of Longmont, CO - “Just completed 10,000 miles for 2018!”

Sidney Holzer from Sicklerville, New Jersey - “I’m at 10,562 miles for the year, goal is 12,000 miles. All my miles are outside miles. In 2016 I had my best year of 18,110 miles.”

DJ Juano Rivera Ortiz of Lakeland, Florida - “I Made it!. 10k plus miles today.completed with 10 Century Rides. Thank you for the support :) .”

#10000milesin2018: Month 9 update

October 1, 2018 Megan Hottman

Total Miles to Date: Target: 7,497 miles…My mileage: 7,096

Total Number of Strava Group Members: 398

Some of our members have already reached -or are close to reaching- their goal of riding 10,000 Miles in 2018:

-Cam Candelaria from South Jordan, UT – “I’m at 10,900!!”

-Aaron "Rambo" Harrison of Hillsboro, Oregon – “8755 miles as of this morning! Shouldn’t have any trouble hitting 10,000!”

-DJ Juano Rivera in Highland City, Florida – “9,350 on last Sunday. Will complete it with just Centuries rides :). Keep on Pedaling :)”

Julian Thomas from Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom – “Just gone thru 10k today.”

This month, we are featuring Dave Watkins, 82, from Polk City, Florida. As of Sept. 25, he had ridden 10,000 miles and is still going strong. Dave, a former USA Cycling CAT II cyclist, ran the Boston Marathon four years.

How long have you been a cyclist?

I began serious cycling in the early 70s when a faculty member at a small college in PA. It began with a Schwinn Paramount and a collegian race on the bike at Penn State University. Crashed in that race but recovered to continue racing and became a Cat.II cyclist and qualified for three years to ride in the Masters National Championships. Each year, for personal reasons, I was unable to compete in the championships. Very disappointing to this day because I had competed well against each of the winners in numerous races.

Why did you decide to join the challenge?

I ride every day and decided to take on a challenge beyond simply riding to be able to be ride with cyclists 40/50 years younger than me.

How have you incorporated commuting by bike/getting in the miles for the challenge into your daily life?

I am retired and no longer have to head to an office or workplace. My schedule every day includes a 25/30 mile ride beginning at midnight. After daylight, there is a leisurely ride with my wife who now rides an e-bike and can ride at 20 mph. Late afternoon, I’ll hop on the bike for a 7/10 mile ride before a glass of wine and an IPA beer.

You have reached 10,000 miles. Congratulations! That’s quite an accomplishment. What’s behind the drive to keep on going?

Meeting a personal goal is important. Staying healthy is so important at my age. Being a competitor is a driving force. I played baseball during college at Penn State where we played in the finals of the College World Series.

How did you feel when you reached the goal of riding 10,000 miles? Were you excited/relieved/surprised?

This is not the first year I have met the goal of 10,000 miles. I love looking at my Strava data each day to see how many miles I have for the day, week and year. Love to see how well my Strava friends are doing with their rides. The kudos I receive help motivate me.

What kind of feedback have you gotten from friends or other cyclists?

The feedback from fellow Strava cyclists has been incredible. Also, I rarely post on Facebook but whenever I reach the 10,000 mile goal I make a post on Facebook thanking all who have contributed to meeting the challenge possible - my wife, Strava friends and cyclists with whom I ride in group rides.

#10000milesin2018: Month 8 update

September 3, 2018 Megan Hottman

#10000milesin2018: Month Eight Update!

Total Miles to Date: Target: 6664 miles…My mileage: 6498

Total Number of Strava Group Members: 382

Here’s an update from team member MeisterBruno in St. Augustine, FL who looks to be right on track to ride 10,000 miles in 2018:

Halfway done. Less than 4K to go.

I finished 6K+ miles early on August 3rd and now going towards what could be a 10K year. We’ll see about that. As of today August 27th, 2018 I am at 6,892. The last four months I managed to get an average of 1K miles per month. My strategy is to ride 12 hours a week. It can be an hour or so a day with some long rides on the weekends or about 30 miles a day. I also do a twofer every Tuesday that helps boost miles towards the goal.

Races I participated in:

Gravel Worlds (150 miles of Gravel on the SingleSpeed in Lincoln, NE), FoCo Fondo, And Golden Gran Fondo.

Challenges: The same 200 miles I've been behind on my goal almost all summer still need to be made up and getting those in is proving hard to do!

Highlights: I had a great time at Gravel Worlds and also enjoyed a "Tour de Lincoln" bike ride on the bike paths there the day before my race.

I also figured out how to sync the Cycleops Phantom 3 spin bike that sits next to my desk at the office, to Zwift, so that I can be pedaling and accumulating miles while I am on the phone and on video calls, etc... BONUS!

THIS MONTH’S QUESTION: With summer coming to an end and the weather changing, how are you planning on hitting your goal of 10,000 miles if you aren’t able to ride outdoors?

The Fall is my FAVORITE time to ride in Colorado - I love weekend rides this time of year ... changing leaves, most tourist traffic has left the state, and there is a great correlation between weekend football games on TV and an absence of traffic during those times! No question though, as temps drop, I will be returning to the indoors and ZWIFT very soon.... but for now, I remain focused on using my bike for every possible commute and errand, while working hard to minimize car time- not just for this goal, but also because my back and body overall feel wrecked when I spend too much time in the car.

Riding is hands-down best for me - both mentally AND physically!

#10000milesin2018: Month 7 Update

July 31, 2018 Megan Hottman

Total Number of Strava Group Members: Our group has grown from 251 members in January to now 388 members in July.

Here’s how some of our group members are doing as of the end of June:

John O’Neill in Allentown, Pennsylvania - 7,743 miles

Bart De Lepeleer in Guía de Isora, Canarias, Spain - 5,884 miles / 675,335 ft

Daniel Sattel in Golden, Colorado – 5,050 miles / 605,702 ft

Meister Bruno in St. Augustine, Florida – 5,300 miles

Challenges: None, really. This is the best time of the year for riding!

Highlights: I only drove my car 5 days this month. This was a new record for me and it was amazing to live life by bike during July! This month also included a really big week over the 4th of July holiday, with monster rides from my front door to places all over the front range (Like Lyons, Ward, Georgetown, to name a few!).

THIS MONTH’S QUESTION: What advice do you have for someone considering riding 10,000 miles next year? What kind of preparation is needed? What kind of training can be done in advance?

I don't know that training is necessary so much as scheduling preparation (and prioritization). Trips, errands, meetings, board meetings, extra-curricular events, shopping, socializing, and so on- all must be planned with riding there and back in mind. The more a person can work the bike into their day-to-day schedule and life, the less pressure there is to fit in really big weekend rides. I personally prefer to sprinkle the miles out during the week than to have to cram them in on the weekends. This challenge has expanded my already-commute-focused lifestyle even more!

Total Miles to Date: Target:

5831 miles…

My mileage: 5630

#10000milesin2018: Month 6 Update

July 1, 2018 Megan Hottman

Total Miles to Date: Target: 5000 miles (halfway point!). . . My mileage: 4,899 (slightly behind).

Total Number of Strava Group Members: 356

Rides/Races I participated in:

Dirty Kanza

Denver Century Ride

Haute Route Rockies (Stages 1 (Boulder) and 7 (Pikes Peak))

#LookoutWeek

Challenges: honestly, none this month! Riding is going really well right now!

Highlights: Now that it is fully summer here, I was able to restrict my driving substantially. I only drove my car 9 days this month (and ironically, half of those days were for bike events like the DCR, HR stages 1 and 7, and BTWD!).

THIS MONTH’S QUESTION: What changes have you noticed both physically and mentally six months in to riding 10,000 miles?

I am becoming car-resistant, almost to a fault... Getting in the car to drive somewhere is such a negative for me right now that I am really picky about what commitments I make and whether I can get there by bike or not. I guess you'd say after 6 focused months of using the bike as much as possible to get the mileage in, I'm even more bike-obsessed than I was before this challenge began !

PS - Here's a fun piece of footage from my Cycliq Camera with Strava data overlaid, for my ride through Garden of the Gods after we came down from Pikes Peak.

#10000milesin2018: Month Five Update!

June 4, 2018 Megan Hottman

Total Miles to Date: Target: 4166 miles. . . My mileage: 4204 (WOOHOO!!)

Goal by end of June/halfway through 2018 = 5,000!

Total Number of Strava Group Members: 295

This month we would like to feature Tom A. from Longmont, CO, one of the #10kin2018 members. I ran into Tom, a former client, and his wife while out on a ride over the weekend.

Current Mileage: 4,202

How long have you been a cyclist?

I have enjoyed cycling in one form or another most of my life. My wife, Nanette, and I started using cycling for fitness about 10 years ago. At the urging of friends, I purchased a modern road bike in 2012.

The road bikes have opened up so many new opportunities to ride and meet new people.

How did you find out about the challenge?

I believe I first heard about Megan's 10,000 mile challenge from her Twitter feed. It sounded crazy. I hesitated, but then decided I would go for it in order to get in shape for summer.

Good weather and good health this spring allowed me to get a good jumpstart on the goal.

Why did you decide to join the challenge?

The Strava 10K mile in 2018 challenge came at a good time for me. It provided additional incentive to get our there and get in shape for the Ride the Rockies this June.

How have you incorporated commuting by bike/getting in the miles for the challenge into your daily life?

Nanette and I have worked the bike rides into our daily lives. We ride for short errands, shopping and to meet ups with our daughters & grandsons.

I end up with a lot of short mileage rides. I commute to work when the roads are dry. I take a lunch ride with friends whenever I can.

What are the benefits to riding your bike/joining the challenge?

I find starting the day with a bike ride to work kick starts my brain activity! I really miss it when I am unable to get my morning ride.

#10000milesin2018: Month four

April 30, 2018 Megan Hottman

#10000milesin2018: Month Four Update!

Total Miles to Date: Target: 3288 miles. Current mileage: 3122.

How is your mileage goal coming along so far?

Here’s how some of our 10,000 Miles in 2018 members are doing:

-Phil I. (Sutton Coldfield, England): Currently slightly behind, just over 2,500 miles ridden; however, mileage will start to increase now, as weather (hopefully) improves & ‘Chase the Sun’ training kicks up several levels...

-Carl A. (Wilmington, North Carolina): Ahead of schedule by 872 miles

-Marcus C. (Aurora, Colorado): 5 miles ahead of schedule

Total Number of Strava Group Members: 290

Challenges: I am happy to say that April was a pretty smooth month overall. The weather is improving and I am getting better at fitting in the 27 mile/day average with my training schedule as I start to ramp up towards some races.

One ride was particularly frustrating - about a week ago I set out for a nice long Sunday solo ride- the sun was out, I had an open day and the wind for once was not howling like crazy. About the time I was as far away from my house as I could possibly be, I clipped out of my pedal at a stop light and felt my cleat break. I continued on attempting to rest my shoe on my pedal, and tried to take a "short cut" through Chatfield to the closest bike shop that would likely sell the cleats. Sadly, Chatfield is all torn up and I found myself facing a giant field of dirt where the road once was. I had to reverse those miles back to a logical place (Waterton Canyon) where I realized I had no choice but to call an Uber to get home. After 20 miles of resting the shoe on my Speedplay pedal I knew I wouldn't be able to do that another 30 miles home to Golden. Calling an uber to get bailed out on a ride was a first!

Another interesting "challenge" was finding a yelp review someone left about my law firm online. It appeared to be from insurance defense counsel (i.e. opposing counsel in our cases). The post made a point to criticize my #10000milesin2018 goal -actually suggesting readers find my group on Strava and shaming me for attempting such a goal ... I found the commentary really interesting- apparently it is acceptable to spend 2 hours a day car commuting, but not 2 hours a day bike riding and commuting? All that post did was fire me up even more to hit this goal!

Highlights: April was also #30daysofbiking !

Last weekend I enjoyed 2 back-to-back sunny days of miles with a friend and we didn't have a single motorist issue, a single flat, or mechanical- nothing but those enjoyable, blissful miles in the sun. Those make me so happy -they charge my battery for days and days.

THIS MONTH’S QUESTION: Is this goal easier or harder than expected?

I found it getting pretty tough in February and March but now I'm finding a groove and heading into summer and some events ahead, I am hoping I can enter the fall and winter with some banked miles to get me through the cold months ;)

#10000milesin2018: Month Three Update

April 2, 2018 Megan Hottman

Total Miles to Date: 2353 (Yes, doggone it, I'm still behind -but close to catching up!)

Total Number of Strava Group Members: 277 members – It’s not too late to join the group. We have had more people join in on the fun since our last update.

At the beginning of March, some of our members shared their mileage to date. Several had already reached 1,666 miles or were close to being on target:

*John O’Neill from Allenstown, Pennsylvania – 2,219 miles

*Bart De Lepeleer from Guía de Isora, Canarias, Spain – 1,932

Challenges: I tackled too many work/personal life projects all at once in March and found myself putting rides on the back burner (sounds like February?) as these projects would ramp up ... There were a few days my back was really bothering me and I had to skip rides then as well.

Highlights: I rode my bike to amazing performances, including: Yamato Drummers, Poncho Sanchez & His Latin Jazz Band, and a spring training game (Giants vs Cubs). In addition I perfected my bike commute to get more dog food, to load up on groceries at Sprouts, and even to pick up a freshly-steamed suit jacket!

March also featured several really big mileage group rides, where we enjoyed amazing views, roads, and experiences- zero flats, zero issues with motorists, only 100% fun and great conversation too!

THIS MONTH’S QUESTION: How do you motivate yourself each month to meet your end goal of 10,000 miles?

When I set a goal I set it with the intention of seeing it through. As frustrated as I have been at times to fall behind- so rapidly after just a few days off the bike - It fires me up even more to go out and tackle some big rides to catch back up! This is not the kind of goal where you can leave it to the end of the year to try and play catch up -the months of November and December won't be the time to make up miles! So I am fired up now, this spring, to get on top of the miles and stay on track as summer approaches!

Need an extra push for the month of April? It's #30daysofbiking month -where the movement encourages participants to ride their bike every day -regardless of distance! Give it a shot!

#10000milesin2018: Month Two Update

March 1, 2018 Megan Hottman

Total Miles to Date: 1298.4

Total Number of Strava Group Members: 264 members – 13 more people joined since our last update at the end of January.

Challenges:

After a strong January, February was rough. Between snow and strong winds, the weather made many days unfavorable for riding outside, my motivation was plain-and-simple lacking to bundle up, and so indoor rides were usually the go-to for me- often in the evenings. One weekend that was unseasonably warm was really windy, and another one was spent caring for an injured dog. One week I was at a 3-day conference and I opted for treadmill runs vs the hotel exercise bike (to get a bit more calorie-bang-for-the-buck). That week -for the entire WEEK- I only logged 27 miles- which is supposed to be my daily target. Ooftah. But hey - that's life! I fell behind on my miles, no question about it. (I should be around 1,666 miles so I'm about 368 behind!).

Highlights:

I figured out how to build custom workouts on Zwift, which means the program walks you through your target efforts both in time and in power goals, taking all of the math and self-guidance out of the equation. It's awesome -and really helps a rider nail their workout!

THIS MONTH’S QUESTION: What strengths are you drawing on to meet your goal?

Self-discipline was a big one ... getting ON the trainer at 9 or 930pm a few times took every ounce of self-discipline I possess. Getting on the trainer workout after workout (thankful for my Feedback Sports Omnium every single time!) without the chance to ride outside took some self-discipline. Also -perspective. Knowing that there were just days I wasn't up to riding and giving myself the "ok" to skip those days. Looking at the year as a whole and not panicking about falling too far behind on miles kept me sane ;)

Strava Group Member Feature:

If you’re in Portland, Oregon, join Daniel Payne, one of our #10000milesin2018 members, for a ride. He is planning on riding around 11,000 miles in 2018. In 2017, he rode 13,000 miles. Way to go, Daniel!

#10000milesin2018: Month One update!

January 31, 2018 Megan Hottman

By Maureen & Megan

JANUARY RECAP:

Total Miles to Date: 884

Total Number of Strava Group Members: 251 members -from all over the world, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Germany, Greece, England, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, USA.

I am SO excited to see this many people jump in on the challenge!

Challenges?: I've had a raging head cold since Christmas eve. It's made it nearly impossible to ride hard on the trainer, or to ride outside in the cold, because that just makes it worse. I confirmed I don't have the flu, and have just been dealing with the stuffy nose and cough with hot tea and cough drops. We also got some snow in Colorado which made riding outside nearly impossible (nearly - fat bikes make it possible!) .

Highlights?: I have been fortunate this month to spend some time in warm, sunny AZ and also CA, where it was easier to log bigger miles. I've also been really thankful for Zwift for indoor trainer rides, it keeps it fun and engaging!

THIS MONTH’S QUESTION: How has your daily schedule/routine changed to meet this goal?

Every day I wake up knowing that somehow, I need to average 27 miles/day. If I miss a day, I know I'll need to make those miles up. I went to see family for a weekend in Omaha, where the weather outside was atrocious (and I also didn't have a bike) and so I committed myself to riding miles on the hotel exercise bike each morning. Sometimes I wait until the evening and do a two hour trainer ride. A few times this month, those rides weren't starting until 9 or 930pm at night because the day was just too jam-packed. And it was totally ok. Making it happen is what it takes. Sometimes I use the commute to work for some miles and then add on. I was also looking forward to the Trek Travel bike camp I'm on this week (in Solvang) to add some miles -which will hopefully bring up my averages and give me a headstart for February.

There is no question that every day, I know 1.5-2 hours need to be spent riding. This has given me a reason to schedule my evenings much lighter, and to minimize my after-hour commitments and social engagements, so that I have time to get those miles in. It's been really nice, actually, to have that daily focus. I am encouraged to get better/more sleep, to stretch and to take better care of myself knowing I'll be on the bike almost every day. Overall I am feeling really invigorated and motivated by this goal!

Here are some photos from my rides in January: