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This post is just because I need to say it out loud. It happened, and more will happen, especially if I blog it.

In 2010 I set my first benchmark of 108 bike commutes in one year. I began in late March, thinking I would just do it a couple of times a week, but fell in love with it and soon worked up to 5 times a week. My boss challenged me to see if I could make 100 rides for the year, a “century”, and though I thought it was a stretch, I rose to the challenge and surpassed it.

In November of 2010 I hung up my bike due to snow and cold and didn’t get back on it for 5 very long months. I really missed my bike commutes!

This year (2011) I tallied 116 bike commutes. I didn’t begin riding again until almost the end of April, as spring was very late in coming and I was afraid to ride on ice. This fall I dreaded the coming of winter and decided I would attempt winter riding. I bought lobster mitts and bike lights and studded tires. It’s working so far, and I look forward to setting new benchmarks, like how many bike commutes I’ll do in January, February, and March.

I haven’t been riding 5 days a week this winter, and don’t aspire to, as I’d like to save some energy for running on non-bike days. In the summer I was fine to bike commute AND run on the same day, but winter commuting takes a bit more time and effort, and my running needs help.

The fitness plan for the first quarter of 2012 involves bike commuting 2-3 times a week, running 3 times per week, and a casual, relaxing swim each weekend. I’ll run on at least 2 of the non-bike weekdays, and again on the weekend. I’m aiming for a minimum of 30 minutes for each weeknight run.

It will be a challenge to plan the workouts around the weather:  I won’t bike commute in fresh deep snow or temps cold enough to take feeling out of my toes.  I just bought some new winter boots and received a neoprene face mask, so we’ll see how cold I’ll go.

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