235 miles a day for a year (Amanda Coker Challenge)

[Dogtrousers]

From Facebook

Steve's on-board camera has given up the ghost so we're looking for anyone who has a spare one laying around that he could use. There is a danger that it may not be returned, just so you know (Steve has a history of destroying tech). Please PM if you have anything suitable - one-button action cam would be ideal. (Posted by KT)​

 

[Beebo]

From Facebook

Steve's on-board camera has given up the ghost so we're looking for anyone who has a spare one laying around that he could use. There is a danger that it may not be returned, just so you know (Steve has a history of destroying tech). Please PM if you have anything suitable - one-button action cam would be ideal. (Posted by KT)​

This should be a perfect opportunity for someone like GoPro to get involved with Steve, but they probably don't even know about the challenge. As mentioned in the round the world in 80 days thread it is more important that ever to have a decent media presence.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Steve's stats as at 23 Apr 17
Days: 51 (14.0% of year)
Dist: 18,297 km / 11,369 mi
Avg daily dist: 358.8 km / 222.9 mi
Avg daily elevation (Strava): 1,577 m / 5,172 ft
Moving speed (Strava): 25.7 km/h / 16.0 mi/h
Hours per day riding: 15.0
Projected total at current daily rate: 130,946 km / 81,366 mi

 

[Dogtrousers]

On Twitter Steve says

1555 miles-2nd best week-fewest hours ridden (<94hours)-25 miles below target for the week
@TrainingPeaks TSS=3239​

Note that Steve is referring here to weeks from Mon-Sun. This means his first two days (4th and 5th March) were in a week of their own.

Looking at the power and HR data on Strava we can see that Steve appears to be increasing his effort/speed gradually. I'm assuming that the power figures come from Steve's power meter and aren't made up Strava cobblers. We know Steve uses a power meter.

Anyway here are the power, heart rate and speed trends. Obviously speed is all over the place because it's at the mercy of the winds, the route, and other factors.

 

[srw]

A good number of people Steve's age will have an average resting heart rate around 85. He manages it while riding over 200 miles per day at speed most of us would be pleased with for 20 miles.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Looks like Steve had a tough day yesterday. "Only" 206 miles, 8 of which were after midnight, which is well down on his 222 average, and at 14.75mph moving, which is by some margin his slowest day. Power and HR data also significantly down. Ride entitled Coming undone (not incl the post midnight distance)

 

[tallliman]

Wonder if it was just poor headwinds or something or just a bad day with no other reason

 

[Dogtrousers]

Better day today. 362km @ 26.6 kmh
On tablet at the moment so no stats, or even imperial conversions Im afraid
https://www.strava.com/activities/962025958

And theres an upbeat video too, but I can't do a link

 

[Pale Rider]

Good work on keeping us up to date, Doggers.

The arithmetic and subsequent projections is part of the fascination of the attempt, so here's some of mine.

With a couple of weeks to go, it's fairly safe to predict Amanda will finish on about 86,600 miles.

This will leave Steve about 5,000 miles light at current rate of progress.

Or put another way, he needs 240 miles a day from now on to match Amanda.

No doubt Steve could manage that mileage on a one-off basis, but it's hard to see how he can do it for more than 300 days consecutively.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I'll update the Coker line on my graph when she has finished.

 

[Dogtrousers]

A mixed week for Steve, with a couple of rides over 230 miles, but a couple under 200. Started the week with an average of 223.07 mpd, ended with 222.16 Then Monday was 219 miles which dipped the average under 222 for the first time.

Steve's stats as at 01 May 17
Days: 59 (16.2% of year)
Dist: 21,057 km / 13,084 mi
Avg daily dist: 356.9 km / 221.8 mi
Avg daily elevation (Strava): 1,596 m / 5,237 ft
Moving speed (Strava): 25.7 km/h / 16.0 mi/h
Hours per day riding: 15.0
Projected total at current daily rate: 130,269 km / 80,945 mi

 

[Dogtrousers]

Testing out @Shaun s new Twitter embedderer

 

[Dogtrousers]

An up and down week. If you consider full weeks, Sat-Fri (Steve started on a Sat) it was his lowest mileage week yet. But by dint of two big rides over the weekend (241 and 270 miles), the Mon-Sun week (aligned with Strava) was his second best yet. Here are the stats.

Steve's stats as at 07 May 17
Days: 65 (17.8% of year)
Dist: 23,255 km / 14,450 mi
Avg daily dist: 357.8 km / 222.3 mi
Avg daily elevation (Strava): 1,592 m / 5,223 ft
Moving speed (Strava): 25.7 km/h / 16.0 mi/h
Hours per day riding: 15.1
Projected total at current daily rate: 130,588 km / 81,144 mi

 

[Dogtrousers]

Just to illustrate the point about last week turning round from lowest to second highest, here's a graph of Steve's rolling 7 day average daily mileage (ie for each day the average over the week ending that day)

 

[mattobrien]

An impressive effort, but it does seem like a lot of work to cycle the second furthest distance in a 12 month period. At this rate I can't see Steve getting close to Amanda's total and the required daily mileage just keeps increasing with each day below the growing total posted by Amanda.

I wish Steve all the best, but I can't see that the numbers are on his side anymore.