My RunKeeper records for 2012 suggest I must have clocked almost 2,500km on bicycle rides. While the graph doesn’t include every ride and includes some non-cycling events, a trend is suggested – a new year spurt which fizzles out.
Staying physically engaged is a challenge between August to December when my teaching, mentoring and coordination duties escalate. Semester 1 of the university calendar is always hell and besides the handful of new challenges. there are always problems with regular programming which need fixing.
It was particularly tough last year, and I survived critically by ignoring many requests and pushing deadlines to the brink. In the midst of it all, I began initiating plans to prevent a recurrence. It will be interested to see if the planning works!
Setting RunKeeper goals helps too. My cycling kakis in Zendogs2 and myself have now identified targets for 2013 with Runkeeper:
- Kevin – 5,000km #update!#
- Kenneth – 3,000km
- Sivasothi – 3,000km
The spurt at the start of the year is certainly an important one. This relative riding frenzy is fuelled by the NTU Bike Rally and preparatory rides with Zendogs2. We cycled weekly from the second week of January last year, so its time to dust off my bike which slumbered through the northeast monsoon.
Two more cycling events beckon in the first half of the year – the OCBC Cycle Malaysia ride in KL and the OCBC Singapore ride.
- 19 Jan 0213 – OCBC Cycle Malaysia: Kevin & Siva
- 23 Feb 2013 – NTU Bike Rally w/Singapore Cycle Fest: Adrian, Joelle, Kenneth, Kevin & Siva (so far) [join us]
- 28 Apr 2013 – OCBC Cycle Singapore: Joelle, Kenneth, Kevin & Siva (so far) [join us]
I was invited to the KL ride and signed up “against better judgement” as it is in the midst of a busy start of semester. But I had happily decided that this year, not cycling would be the worse choice! I have to get ready for the KL ride pronto and realise that event is hastening my return to the saddle!
Zendogs have started signing up for the local rides and its great to see there are already five of us on the NTU Bike Rally this year and four for OCBC SIngapore.
Join us for camaraderie, fitness and joyful rides. See our blog and Facebook page.
Otterman speaks... 