I'm sitting in my leather chair with my Apple powerbook and my Sigma Sport Bicycle computer. This afternoon I completed a 53 mile bike ride. My longest so far this summer. The total miles to date is staring at me. 1004.

Shortly after getting back on the bike I stopped by my local bike shop (LBS) and drooled over the computers. I'd been on three rides and had been guessing about the distance, speed, average speed, etc. I think I put in about 50 miles in those three rides. But I can't really remember. When I think about how far I've gone on my bike I always add that 50 miles to the total. It makes me feel good in some respects. However, I really don't have a clue about those extra miles.

I do know that I've legitimately gone 1004 miles on my bike. I can go to my bike and scroll through the screens until that number appears. I can also tell you how many total hours I've ridden (67 hours 49 minutes) and how many miles I've gone this week (172.23). The TRIP UP feature has allowed me to keep track of the total miles for the last two weeks (340.34) and, by deduction, I know that last week I rode a total of 168.11 miles.

While riding I often count the number of crank revolutions it takes me to go 1/100th of a mile and add two zeros to think about how many revolutions make up a mile. I know that at 19 MPH it takes somewhere between two and three revolutions and that at 10 MPH it takes more. Enough more that I lose interest and don't keep track.

While riding I keep track of how fast I'm going and think about how many minutes/seconds it takes to go a mile. The mile measurement seems to be the most important and interesting to me. For some reason the default of this computer, when purchased in the states, is miles. I might be more interested in kilometers, but since miles is what I measure in my car, what the DOT marks along the highway and what I've lived with all my life, it makes sense that I think in those terms. And measuring miles is most meaningful to me.

Because of my computer I play number games on my ride. Sometimes I don't even think about the scenery, the traffic, the heat or anything else. I really like numbers and I enjoy knowing that they are meaningful to me.

On a recent trip to my LBS I spewed some good natured curses at the young lady who sold me the bike computer. I know that I'm not a world-class biker. I realize that I'm not really very good. But that darn computer keeps me competing against myself. The first week with the computer was enlightening. I rode 105 miles and my average speed was 14.34 MPH. In the next 900 miles I've increased my average to 14.81 MPH. I can go flat out for 20 miles and do it 62 minutes. As long as there are no big uphill finishes it's a pretty easy mark to hit and at some point in the near future I will complete a 20 mile ride in under and hour.

I can compare myself to Lance Armstrong. I know that in the 2003 Tour de France time trial Armstrong averaged 33 MPH over a 60 Kilometer course. Further proof that I am nowhere near world-class. At least it is a valid comparison.

I also know that If I can travel 196 miles in the next 12 hours and 11 minutes I can raise my overall average speed to 15 MPH.

Why do I bring up all these boring facts and figures? Well, there are a few reasons. First, all of you who have to work with me you should understand that this is not unusual for me. I love numbers. I like to have numbers and I like to analyze situations based on these numbers. It's fun.

Second, I really want to have a basic set of numbers to measure progress and manage the UEN network. It's important to me.

And third, I think it's obvious that without good numbers everything is just a guess. It's only through good numbers that we can get any indication of success, failure and direction..............
10:52:39 PM    comment []