100,000 Lifetime Miles

On today’s ride I reached 100,000 lifetime outdoor miles. It’s a goal I chased for a long time. Here is the year-by-year breakdown:

That’s 3,500 rides. At an average of 28.57 miles per ride, getting to 100,000 miles was an exercise in consistency rather than a series of heroic efforts. Those 3,500 rides included not just training rides, but also races. Every mile counted, whether on road or off.

Today’s miles will not be the last outdoor miles of 2026. There might be a few more here at home as October begins, and my Scott Addict will go to Pennsylvania with me for what I hope will be one final block of good riding in mid-October. In any case, strength training now will be my athletic focus through the end of April 2027, and cycling will play only a complementary role. I haven’t done any proper strength training since May 31, which is inexcusable. It’s the last thing that should have an offseason. In 2027 and beyond, I need to keep working on strength even during the fair weather months when I’m putting in a lot of time on the bike.

It remains to be seen whether I will set future mileage targets for myself. I have a 22-year streak of 3,000-mile seasons. Maybe I will simply keep that going.