2022: A Statistical Review

Garmin Connect combines indoor and outdoor miles, but I don't.

How did I do in 2022, my 19th season as a cyclist? By the numbers, it was not an impressive year. I rode 4,190 miles outdoors, down from 4,704 in 2021. That decline came despite only a tiny reduction in frequency—143 rides this year versus 148 rides last year—but my average distance per ride dropped from 31.8 miles to 29.3 miles. I set no new monthly mileage records, and a metric century on October 22 was my longest ride of the season. My 4,190-mile total ranks 14th all-time and is my lowest output since I rode 4,100 miles in 2013, a season shortened by injury.

On the upside, I exceeded my goal of 3,612 miles in 2022 to surpass 85,000 lifetime miles. In 2023, my goal will be to reach 90,000 lifetime miles. I will need 4,422 miles to get there. I’m trying to stay on pace to reach 100,000 miles in 2025, the year in which I will turn 60. But obviously it would benefit me to exceed 4,422. I don’t want to rely on back-to-back seasons of 5,000 miles in 2024 and 2025.

I spent more than 53 hours on the turbo trainer in 2022, my biggest effort since 2008. That’s good news and bad news. I always would prefer to ride outside, but I have such an aversion to cold weather that riding inside is frequently the better choice. Having a smart trainer and a Zwift subscription has made indoor riding far less of a grind, so I’m doing it more consistently.

I missed my goal of 500 walking miles. Hurting my left leg in August put an end to that idea. I finished 2022 with 295 miles of fitness walking. I’m setting a goal of 260 miles in 2023. That’s 5 miles per week on average, and it’s enough. It is just cross-training, after all. I’m not trying to be a competitive walker.

June 10, 2023, will be the 40th Anniversary of my graduation from high school. I want to get back to my senior year weight: 185 pounds. That won’t be easy, but I was there as recently as September 2019.

Off the bike, 2022 was rewarding in many ways. I had a lot of success at my job and reaped the rewards from a grateful employer. I had a very enjoyable vacation in Pennsylvania. I read 28 books. I redecorated my dining room. Even if my cycling numbers were down a bit, 2022 was a good year.