Resetting the Streak counter
Posted about 1 year ago by hangashoreFirst of all, big big props to Chuckles for running the numbers and keeping us up to date on the monthly cycling standings and the consecutive-days streaks.
However, despite being the present 'leader' of the cycling streak challenge, something doesn't sit quite right with me. The streak is defined as consecutive days cycled since 1 May, but the challenge wasn't declared until 11 May:
http://metatalk.metafilter.com/16237/May-Cycling-Challenge-and-10km-Streak
I'm betting a number of us wouldn't have taken a day or two off if we'd known a challenge was on. So, I propose the following: let's reset the start of the 10 km streak competition to 12 May (the day after it was announced on MetaTalk). At this writing, that would produce a six-way tie for the lead - now there's a contest.
One additional question: do we then move the end date to 11 September (the same 4-month [123-day] period) or leave it at 31 August (the original finish date)? I'm good with either, but others may have made plans for early September that would've made it impossible to ride then.
So, fellow streakers (and Matt, who's the generous prize-giver): what say you?
Replies
Oops, miscounted - among current ongoing streaks there'd be a five-way tie for the lead, plus JeffL who'd be a day behind.
Well, hangashore, that's mighty generous of you to offer to give up your lead! I indeed only got into the contest on the 12th, after the MeTa thread.
Whatever the finish date, I'll have to drop out on the 23rd of august, as the week after that, I'll be on a honeymoon. ;)
Very thoughtful of you, hangashore. Not sure if the powers that be will allow it but I'd sure appreciate it.
I entered the wrong data for May 4 and didn't realize it till Chuckles posted my data in an earlier thread. May 4 I celebrated my birthday and was scooting all over town meeting people. I was supposed to enter 26.2 but left off the first two.
If I hadn't f'd that up, I think we'd be tied under the current rules.
Grrr. :)
My only concern with your proposal is it opens it up for a huge tie. Has Matt indicated what will happen prize-wise in the case of a tie?
Keep ridin' till someone falls off their bike...
The first mention of the streak competition was actually April 20th:
http://metatalk.metafilter.com/16126/Cycling-ch...
No prize was announced until I got back from holiday and posted the first May update, which hangashore links above. It looks like mikepop was right, defining an end date is going to be a problem.
dobbs, you should have mentioned that it was a mistaken entry back when you first asked about that day.. I guess it's okay to correct that error in my logs, but I would have felt much better about it when the error was first noticed...
Personally, I think we should leave it all alone and see what happens.. I defer to mathowie though, because he's the one coughing up the prize :P
(and, I'm not _that_ impartial..)
Chuckles, yeah, I didn't feel right mentioning it--I dunno why. However, it was the source of my confusion and reason I posted in the thread to begin with. That's why I didn't understand why I kept appearing a few days behind. Until you posted the recap, I didn't see the error and, by that point, I believe you'd already mentioned those figures were beyond touch as they were back X days or whatever.
I gotta say that I love this contest as it really is getting me on the bike everyday. I've done three rain days so far and I know for certain that on two of 'em, without the contest, I woulda subway'd it as going to work wet sucks. Instead, I just packed a change of clothes and hopped on the bike. It wasn't that bad and, as I mentioned on MeFi once already, even in the rain I preferred the bike to the transit.
I have a wedding coming up on August 16th and that's the only day this summer that I foresee a possible non-riding day. However, I'm actually considering going dateless so that I can ride the bike to the wedding. For me, that's pretty weird behavior.
Anyway, thanks for to everyone responsible for getting this thing going!
I'd say yeah, let's stick with the Aug 31st ending no matter what. I honestly didn't think about the delayed start announcement being a big deal because I didn't think anyone would ride more than a month in a row (the first eleven days seemed inconsequential).
But it would be more fair to start on May 12th, and that's fine by me.
The news showed up *here* on the 12th...I only read MeTa very occasionally, so this is where I look for MeFi bike-challenge news.
And like dobbs, this has gotten me on the bike on days when I might not have otherwise -- a couple of Saturdays when I've felt lazy/grumpy; even my first commute in the rain. (It was nice enough that I kinda wish I'd pushed through and done it the week before!)
I doubt I'm going to get anywhere near the top; we'll probably take a couple of micro-vacations w/out the bikes. But it does give me a bit extra motivation. It also provides a source of amusement to my husband, which is worth something. :)