Can we all slow down and enjoy right now?

Five thousand, five hundred and eight and a half miles. That's how far I have cycled on real bikes this year, about 401 more than last year. I have oodles of statistics I could throw at you, but I've settled on just two. First, I cycled my miles 2% quicker than last year. Which must qualify as a marginal gain. Second, I divided my cycling into six categories (with Skip, with Bunny, Sportives, solo, commuting and other) and the largest in terms of mileage, by quite a long way, with nearly a third of the total, was my commuting. The BBC stuff, toiling away on the same roads, week after week. Sportives were second by the way, with nearly a quarter.

So it's been an incremental year all in all, on the bike front at least, and today was nice way to finish, a 60 mile trundle around mid Somerset with Skip, a few small hills but mainly on the flat. I'm still feeling my way back on the bike after the break, and as I type there have been no ill effects from Wednesday's crash. By the time I went to bed that day, I had a very sore left neck indeed, and was starting to get some other niggles. By Thursday lunchtime my neck was very sore indeed, and a trip to the osteopath confirmed a sideways whiplash from where my head had pivoted too far into the mud.

Fortunately, the medical advice was to go out and cycle 60 miles on Saturday. Well, not quite, he told me to keep moving the neck and apply heat every now and then, and take plenty of painkillers. Given that I think these sorts of things should be interpreted liberally, I'd say that equates to cycling. With paracetamol plus. The only thing I couldn't work into the ride was the exercise with the tennis ball, but three out of four is a good start.

There was more muck than the top shelf of a newsagent on the road, and a good sprinkling of double entendre too. (The large male chicken made an appearance, suitably remarked on, as did the inevitable comments about cycling locks when we got to the cafe at Rich's cider farm). The ride was a bit longer than planned, as we played a new game of "hunt the open cafe", a number were shut, perhaps in anticipation of the riotous time to be had at Langport on New Year's Eve. Blink and you could well miss it. Still, our rides wouldn't be our rides if we stuck to the plan, and you have to be flexible. Well I do anyway, spontaneity is my middle name don't you know.

So all was right with the world, a bit of a breeze, which we tacked around, and no rain. We even got a flock of sheep on the road in front of us, although disappointingly they turned into a field before they could envelop us. I have a fancy that they may have cleaned our bikes as they brushed past us. Or they may just have crapped all over my over shoes, either way it was an experience missed. They did behave like sheep though, predictably unpredictable, as you'd expect.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/137723837

So with the bike washed and in the shed it's time to look forward. If I am to do well in my target ride in the Pyrenees in August, I will have to do things differently and this may mean cycling less. As in "less is more". This particular piece of management bollocks is not very appealing. Who wants to cycle less? Maybe I'll just have to cycle "harder" as in "harder is more". I just made that up, obviously. More hills, greater distances, low fat food, no chocolate,  faster, more stylishly, fewer crashes (so none then). Yes, that could work. I'd probably have no family and no job, but then at least I'd be a great cyclist.

This time a year ago I set out to enjoy myself more on the bike, that was the main goal. Know what? It still is. Bring on 2012, it's going to be great.

I hope your New Year is a healthy and happy one.