2016 Cycling Goals & New Year's resolutions

[Simontm]

To get back on bike
Did around 5k before my off, so i guess that will be the target once I see how much fitness I've lost.

 

[Rustybucket]

To get back on the bike - currently 4 months off the bike with a bad back!

 

[Ciar]

My only goal as i now ride 5 days a week commuting, is to get out on the MTB more at least 25-50% more than i did this year, it's been bad and very busy so not much playtime, compared to last year where i was in Epping most Sundays and visited Wales and various other places with the bike, nothing quite like the freedom of open forest or trails or being in the great outdoors away from the roads of East London ;-)

 

[Racing roadkill]

I don't really do 'goals', but 10000 miles next year would work for me.

 

[tallliman]

1) 1 imperial half century a month
2) first century
3) first tour, midlands to south shields and then c2c with friends (albeit West to east, almost feels like cheating)

Forgot one....
4) commute every day of one week to work (about 200 mi total)

 

[PK99]

1) 1 imperial half century a month
2) first century
3) first tour, midlands to south shields and then c2c with friends (albeit West to east, almost feels like cheating)

Lots of folks have "First century" in their list - yes, it's a nice milestone to have and yes it feels really good when you do your first but for folks happy to do regular 50's the step up is more mental block that physical - it certainly was for me.

Think of it as 4 two hour rides:

25 miles, 15 min stop, coffee & toast
25 miles 30 min stop, lunch
25 miles 15 min stop, tea and cake
25 miles = 9 hours & job done

 

[tallliman]

^ I've managed a couple of 80's before, got the eating bit wrong and my body rebelled so I ended up aborting. I do agree that if I was in a better mindset at that point, I may have been able to continue. I think I shouldve taken stock and realised that a proper break would've helped a lot at that time.

 

[Ian H]

Apart from the usual SR I might have a quiet year. There again, I might do a few more TTs. An aimless French tour with Ms E would be pleasant.

 

[Dave7]

Mine are quite simple and not too challenging.
Keep going through winter for the first time (even if just one x 25 miler per week)
Do a 100 miler.........I managed a 68 in this-my 68th year
Maybe 1500/2000 miles next year.........I topped 1000 this year.

 

[raleighnut]

Lots of folks have "First century" in their list - yes, it's a nice milestone to have and yes it feels really good when you do your first but for folks happy to do regular 50's the step up is more mental block that physical - it certainly was for me.

Think of it as 4 two hour rides:

25 miles, 15 min stop, coffee & toast
25 miles 30 min stop, lunch
25 miles 15 min stop, tea and cake
25 miles = 9 hours & job done

You forgot the Celebratory beer or two after the last section, it is isotonic you know.

 

[PK99]

^ I've managed a couple of 80's before, got the eating bit wrong and my body rebelled so I ended up aborting. I do agree that if I was in a better mindset at that point, I may have been able to continue. I think I shouldve taken stock and realised that a proper break would've helped a lot at that time.

On long rides I make sure I have muesli bars and gels in reserve. They work wonders for that last 20 miles of a century. Or even shorter challenge rides, I would not have managed my challenges this year without that strategy.

 

[pclay]

After doing just over 4000 miles this year, my target for 2016 is 100 miles per week which is a yearly target of 5200 miles.

 

[DCLane]

Having also done 'too much' this year as @ianrauk and @Supersuperleeds I'm taking a year with no major rides in. The only vaguely planned things are:

- a target of around 7500 miles
- I'm booked on the Etape du Dales
- get a second SR medal; I've the 200 already done so it's a 300, 400 and 600km needed
- My youngest (age 11) and I are fundraising for a trip*. Current thoughts are Coast to Coast in 2 days but also possible is an End to End in around 10 days

* We're going to South Africa and Swaziland as a family for a month for both a holiday and a volunteering project.

 

[Aravis]

When I first discovered I could ride 100 miles in a day I set myself the target of riding a hundred hundreds. When it became obvious that I'd get there with much of my cycling life remaining I revised the target to 365 hundreds (representing a year of my life).

I was progressing well but had become almost completely becalmed since the turn of the millennium. I'm now in my mid fifties. Quite unexpectedly I rediscovered the belief this autumn, and although it's still a long way off, the target could possibly be within reach again.

The imperial century a month challenge looks like something that could help a lot, and I'm hoping to have a go at that.

 

[mjr]

1. a multiday tour (already booked);
2. don't get hurt;
3. enjoy it;
4. dunno. Any suggestions?

I've done four or five 100mile rides and they're OK but do knock me out for a few days and it's just a number - I suspect splitting them into two days would be more fun for me, but I'll wait until after I've done my first multiday ride. Similarly, chasing an annual mileage or number of cycling days or speed doesn't appeal to me - all just arbitrary numbers to this statistician

I've tried and think I don't understand sportives (riding in groups OK, but riding with wannabe-racers-who-lack-skills-or-commitment-to-really-race huh?) and, anyway, an increasing number are closing to me as they switch to British Cycling rules. I could try Audax but I don't enjoy getting up early or motoring a bike to a remote start point. Not sure I see the point of riding a particular route just because it's a route... maybe if there's something interesting on it at the time, I would.

So because of that, the most likely other goals are some of the mass social rides like the Dunwich Dynamo or the Free Cycle, if I've enough spare time at the time. I know I'll miss the Reach Ride next year, but I'll probably do it again in 2017 if it's happening.

Any possible goals you think I should consider?