With the half way point fast approaching, I found myself reflecting on the past six months earlier today - it wasn't a full-on navel gazing exercise, simply a quick tally up of what I've done against what I'd planned to do at the start of the year. I've certainly ridden less so far than I'd intended but on the plus side, I've ridden in places and with people I hadn't expected to and have to a lesser or greater degree, enjoyed every minute.

2017 going according to plan ... or are you just winging it?

Busy Spring, less happening now we're into "summer". It was always thus!

Life mostly on track... still no house purchased though. Yes, it's ridiculous, and it's remaining ridiculous. :(

Work going fairly well, even with all the time I've had off.

Cycling fitness good, despite some injuries that looked like they were going to be problems. Have done some cool rides, though I wish I'd been healthy enough to do them at full tilt. Would have liked to do a bit more technical riding this year.

Body composition and strength gone to sub standard. Was far stronger and in far better shape at the end of last year. Too many broken bones, too many torn ligaments. :(

2017 so far... 7/10

Been too busy with travelling for work during the first half of the year to really do much of note. However, that is all about to change....

I've not done a lot of riding so far this year, only managed a TPT and one very important first ride.


The little man is coming up on 7 months and is loving his new ride.
A few more years though before a Baby Bear Bones :(

Pretty good so far. This year has been very front loaded on the biking front, did a couple of local 40-45km mountain bike races in March and April, then the biggie in May with organising and riding the Spanish C2C which seemed well received. 1,000km Tarragona to Bilbao in 8 days. 10 days ago did the Pirinexus 360, 350 odd km non stop on gravel in 16 & 1/2 hours with the added dimension of trying to keep up with Steve Heading. We've got a weekend of trail running and mountain bike racing coming up then it's the Spanish equivalent of the social season as it gets a bit hot for long days in the saddle, there's a few night races which are interesting but the next thing I'm looking at is Torino-Nice. Mrs PB's highlight was second overall woman at the Ironcat Tri 4 weeks ago.

Wasn't there a "plans for 2017" thread? But I spent most of the first five months training in one way or another for the HT500.

Here's what I put as my targets:

Rovaniemi 150 (gulp!)
Lakeland Loop 200
HT550 (double gulp!)
Cairngorms Loop (rollover from last year)
Cambrian Trail
Borders 350

Also looking at the Pennine Bridleway but as more of a touring route with Cath than an ITT.

Done the Rovaniemi and the HT550 and did about half the PBW at Easter. In the post effort dip I'm not sure what I'll aim for next, we'll be doing the Cairngorm Loop in September, but doubt I'll get all the other three done.

I had planned to do a coast to coast ride in September but I've only managed to find time for two rides over 20 miles this year so I'm unfit and getting relatively chunky. I need to start getting up at 5 to get two hours in before the kids wake up

New home in April (next to my favourite trails in Kent)
Navad 1000 in June
Chill the f'out July and August
Maybe Cairngorrms in September
Puppy in November

We got a watt bike at work which really helped my training except that its mind numbing. Overall grateful for how things have turned out so far this year.

Not as good as I'd have hoped.
only 1608 miles ridden should be around 2500 by now.
Lost my job, but found a new one that means I now work every other weekend and some evenings.
I'm working on changing that tomorrow with a couple of interviews/meetings (fingers crosses)
Hopefully I'll be able to sneak the Fat Bike into the car for a couple of beach ride around Northumberland next week on holiday.
By my main focus is that in 6 weeks today Summittoppler and I will be over in Iceland for a week of Fat Biking and exploring.

Manic!

January started off with hopes for Rovaniemi 300 training but turned out I would spend the month leson planning and applying/attending several interviews to get a place on teacher training! Managed to get my place onto the training but was burnt out by race day (hence, amongst several other factors, a DNF). Guess a career is more important than a race result

Rest of the year has been working 6 days a week, 5 paid in the bike shop and a volunteer day at the local school.

Any exciting bike riding has taken a back seat this year but I have been exploring my local area (Cheshire and Wirral) more thoroughly and to me, it's kept me sane (!) and I've also realised how much I have on my doorstep

Found out this week my shop is closing and no transfer has been given to its sister shop! So I'm on the look out for something to tie me over until September before I start teaching. Have a few leads, so shall see were they are heading

Other than holidays, and fixed events I tend not to plan.
Less to go wrong that way.
Now lists, I do a mean packing list.

JohnClimber wrote:but found a new one that means I now work every other weekend and some evenings

Worked weekends for 10 years of my life and it's great as
A) cheeky trails are more accessible on weekdays
B) you can skip family parties

Good luck with the interviews

Made a baby.
Rode less than 400km this year - already ran nearly more than that.
Sleeping.
Holidays.
Having fun.

So far, very different, but good.

There was a plan??

Ridden significantly less so far than in recent years.

Done the events I wanted to do so far.

Riding does seem to have tailed off a bit lately. Mostly due to developing a meniscal injury in my left knee. Thankfully it doesn't hurt when I ride. It seems to be slowly getting better.

This week I have decided it's time to get my weekly mileage back up as it keeps me fit and helps me mentally too.

Turned 50 in May, which I was a bit worried about. Turns out it's just a number!

So far 2017 has been good to me.

Si

It;s been ok all up and thanks for asking. Seem to have sorted out things with my recent ex. Got heaps more time for me these days so Ive been taking advantage of it. Im away in my caravan to FoD this weekend. No kids. No dog. Just me.

hardly able to get out this year, giving up work and going to uni along with a part time job has take up so much time (hence missing WRT)

managed a few bivi's but most of them have been walking trips, going to write off all my 2017 plans now and just enjoy the moments I do manage to escape

I'm very fortunate and excited to be going to Nepal for 3 weeks in the summer with uni so that's got most of my focus at the moment

Managed to get rid of a lot of stuff, ate pizza and drank beers with most of the people I wanted to, finished work.

Made it to America and then out of America without too much hassle, in hindsight we should have spent more time in Yosemite and less in LA/SF. The rest of the road trip was pretty good.

Arrived in New Zealand, bought a van, posted some stuff home, did a bit of driving and walked up some pointy things, rode a bike with Steve M in the rain (just like home!), did some more driving and walking. Started running a bit too. Feeling pretty healthy, weight has been pretty constant but have dropped at least one waist size, which is annoying when your only pair of trousers no longer fit.

Trying to settle down for the winter but job hunt isn't going so well. Miss riding bikes, particularly seeing photos from the Bryan Chapman and other audax events. Overall things are pretty good though, until the last week or so I've been well up on my time spent outside and wearing shorts vs time inside in front of a screen.

TheBrownDog wrote:...Im away in my caravan to FoD this weekend. No kids. No dog. Just me.

Whereabouts you staying and are you taking a bike? If you fancy a pootle Sat pm or Sun am would be happy to show you around

not brilliant but still alive and riding

got ill in new zealand, been surprised how long its taking to get better, subsequent visits to docs might be revealing some underlying issues that will explain the last few years piss poor performances, still a long way from last years ability, 45 flat miles wipes me out, the thought of riding 300 miles over three days fully loaded to the bear bones festival seems a long way off

but I'm still happy

Tom and I have done less riding than this time last year though there's definitely been some highlights.

37 out of 99 solo at Strathpuffer.

A weekend in France riding Roubaix cobbles, and catching up with some friends.

A 3 day Lakeland 200 recce.

Highland Trail 550 finishers. (My work here now is done )

Still haven't been found out at work.

Ridden as much as I'd hoped to, probably more tbh. Haven't fallen off properly yet.

If the next 6 months are as satisfying as the 6 months just gone I'll be well happy with 2017.

Cheers

Its not really! Seem to embracing fat loving rather than fat fighting. Bad wrists have meant cortisone injections and made me a bit more wary about extended off road.

My faroe isles venture got cancelled as Loganaire binned their new service before it even started. Just a refund for the flight and lots of wasted planning and getting supplies. Sort of put a downer on other plans and struggling to get motivated to make more plans.

On a plus note, I have done my first 200k so that's good. I might even get a 300k in!

And I have leave free to do a north scotland trip late august/early September. Not sure if that'll be north and nw coast areas on road down from Orkney, or Inverness to Durness off road and back north. Or, shock horror, just some backpacking!

Having had a quick squint at what I wrote on the 2017 plans thread I'm doing pretty poorly.

Only managed the BAM2017 commitment thus far. Had to downgrade my (modest) ambitions due to them being unrealistic without more 'training'.

Didn't factor in upping sticks and moving north when I wrote it. Need to make proper use of my new environs...

So far excellent

Have been out more times this year than any other year for the last 5 years

Taught son to ride last weekend, major proud moment. Plan to have lots of local cycling adventures

Took both dogs out on the bike last night for the first time, newest dog was too young before. Plan to do more of this and work up towards everyday like it was before

No big rides or races, but thats either not in the plan or not my thing (for now)