Comparison is the thief of joy. I try not to do it. Comparing my past and present selves feels okay though.
In 2015 I set out to ride every day of the year, which I just about managed. In 2025 I wanted to match the distance my ten years younger self rode - 17,987km. I set a target of 18,000 km for the year and finished on 18,316.6 km, just over the line at 101.8%.
Numbers
| Metric | 2015 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance ridden | 17,987.6 km | 18,316.7 km | +329.1 km (+1.8%) |
| Elevation gained | 157,770 m | 190,729 m | +32,959 m (+20.9%) |
| Activities | 470 | 256 | −214 (−45.5%) |
| Active hours | 801:10 | 872:03 | +70:53 (+8.8%) |
| Calories burned | 393,826 | 448,761 | +54,935 (+13.9%) |
Everything went up except the number of activities, which dropped by nearly half. 2015 was about getting out on the bike every day. 2025 was about getting the miles in.
Tracking Progress
During 2025 I built an app to track my cycling stats and check progress against goals every now and then. The app pulls data from RWGPS and let me see how I’m doing against annual targets, track my Eddington number and a few other metrics for good measure. Having this helped maintain the pace and avoid a mad scramble towards the end of the year to catch up.
My Eddington number (in km) for 2025 ended at 63. In 2015 it was 58. The Eddington number is the largest number where you’ve ridden at least that distance on at least that many occasions. My overall Eddington sits at 141 and just one ride short of 142. My long term aim is 200.
Comparisons
In 2015 I was riding about 1.29 times per day to keep the streak going. Many were short rides and commutes. My Audax riding that year was not too shabby: 11 organised calendar events totaling 2,520 km, mostly 100 - 200 km brevets, with my longest being The Flatlands 600 km. I got 21 Audax UK points that year (1 point per 100 km for rides > 200k).
In 2025 I averaged 0.70 activities per day, so roughly every other day, but each ride was generally longer and hillier. I rode 15 DIY audax events. 4,500 km in all. Nearly double the 2015 total. That got me 45 Audax UK points. I started and ended all but one from home. I rode when it suited family life. Living in Chatham on the dip slope of the North Downs meant many of my rides were up and down the hills and lanes of the North Downs. All that climbing added up over the year.
| Audax comparison | 2015 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Total events | 11 calendar | 15 DIY |
| Total audax distance | 2,520 km | 4,500 km |
| Audax UK points | 21 | 45 |
| Average per event | 229 km | 300 km |
| Longest ride | 606 km | 1,011 km |
The Giant Circle 1000k
The longest ride in 2025 was the Giant Circle 1000k DIY in June. This was far beyond anything I completed in 2015.
| Ride | Distance | Climb | Moving time | Avg speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giant Circle 1000k DIY (Chatham) | 1,011 km | 8,890 m | 51:20 | 19.7 kph |
Starting and finishing in Chatham, the route followed a clockwise circle across southern and central England. From Chatham I headed west through the Surrey Hills and Hampshire to Bristol, then north through the Cotswolds past Gloucester and into Shropshire. The route continued north past Telford and Stoke-on-Trent before turning east across the East Midlands through Nottingham, then south through Peterborough and Cambridge. The final leg ran southwest back through Essex and across the North Downs to Chatham.
8,890 m of climbing and over 1,011 km in just over 51 hours of moving time. The ride took in the North Downs, South Downs, Chilterns, Cotswolds, and the Welsh borders. It sits as the fourth-longest ride I’ve done after London-Edinburgh-London, Land’s End to John O’Groats, and Paris-Brest-Paris. I also got 10 Audax UK points in one go and chalked up another ride for the ongoing RRtY award.
The West Coast of Ireland
In May and early June I spent two weeks riding the west coast of Ireland from Cork to Malin Head, visiting the 15 Signature Discovery Points of the Wild Atlantic Way. Over 13 days I covered 1,853 km with 20,336 m of climbing. Turns out that was nearly 9% of my year’s total distance and climbing. May 2025 ended up as my highest-mileage month at 2,731.6 km.
| Day | Route | Distance | Climb |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18/5 | Cork to Sextons via Old Kinsale Head | 77.6 km | 946 m |
| 19/5 | Sextons to Dunbeacon via Mizen Head | 128.2 km | 1,337 m |
| 20/5 | Dunbeacon to Beara via Dursey Island | 144.1 km | 1,958 m |
| 21/5 | Beara to Mannix Point via Valentia | 107.7 km | 1,213 m |
| 22/5 | Mannix Point via Dingle to Caherciveen | 144.9 km | 1,318 m |
| 23/5 | Dingle to Loop Head via Doonaha | 177.1 km | 1,770 m |
| 24/5 | Doonaha to Spiddal via Cliffs of Moher | 171.9 km | 1,648 m |
| 25/5 | Spiddal to Renvyle | 98.7 km | 932 m |
| 26/5 | Renvyle to Achill via Killary Fjord | 147.0 km | 1,369 m |
| 27/5 | Achill to Ballina via Down Patrick Head | 145.4 km | 1,401 m |
| 28/5 | Ballina to Slieve League (audax DIY 200) | 212.5 km | 2,512 m |
| 29/5 | Slieve League to Fanad Head | 160.4 km | 2,214 m |
| 30/5 | Knockalla to Malin Head | 137.4 km | 1,718 m |
| Total | 1,852.9 km | 20,336 m |
The Ballina to Slieve League ride was a killer. I did it as a DIY audax. 212.5 km and 2,512 m of climbing. Bit ambitious with two rear pannier bags and camping gear. I got it done though. The tour was self-supported camping. I followed mostly remote roads from Mizen Head in the south all the way north to Malin Head. From there over to Derry where I got a train to Dublin for the ferry back to Holyhead. Happy days.
Averages
In 2015 I averaged 38.3 km and 1.7 hours per activity; in 2025 I averaged 71.5 km and 3.4 hours, almost double the distance and time per ride. Climbing per activity more than doubled from about 336 m to 745 m. Calories per activity jumped from about 838 to 1,753. I’ve not lost any weight though. I do eat a lot of food.
My stats app shows that since starting to track my rides in 2012, my average ride distance is 39.0 km. 2015 and 2025 both sit a fair bit above that. Good to see 2025’s average standing out.
Planning ahead - 2026
I’m three months into my third consecutive Audax UK Randonneur Round the Year Award. This time I’m going for two years’ worth in one calendar year. That means at least two rides of 200 km or more in every consecutive month for 12 months. I’m also aiming for 50 Audax UK points to mark Audax UK’s 50th anniversary.
In May I’ve planned a self supported 2,200 km ride through France, Spain, and down to the Algarve. Planning on doing that over 11 days so around 215 km per day. I may do some of them as a 200 DIY audax.
The numbers aren’t the focus this year but they’ll slowly add up.