Setting Yearly Mileage Targets

[The Mighty News]

Ive thought about setting myself a target for the year as a motivational tool, havent a clue what to set though as I am relatively new to cycling and in the main have been a fair weather cycler.

Would 2,500 be a reasonable goal?? roughly 50 miles per week give or take?

 

[Sittingduck]

Do you commute or only go out at weekends/evenings? Winter is coming, so non-commute cycliing may reduce (for some, at least).

 

[The Mighty News]

Do you commute or only go out at weekends/evenings? Winter is coming, so non-commute cycliing may reduce (for some, at least).

Hi mate, I do commute but not a smuch as I would like and it isnt that far tbf. its mainly weekends and sometiems weeknights

 

[Joffey]

My goal for 2015 was 2,015 miles having done about 1,300 in 2014. I'm already up to 1,739 and I don't think I've really been trying hard. I would say 2,500 is realistic but you have to make sure you get out in Jan, Feb, Nov & Dec or it will be hard.

 

[The Mighty News]

My goal for 2015 was 2,015 miles having done about 1,300 in 2014. I'm already up to 1,739 and I don't think I've really been trying hard. I would say 2,500 is realistic but you have to make sure you get out in Jan, Feb, Nov & Dec or it will be hard.

Cheers mate, yes I am determined to not let the cold/dark nights put me off

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Ive thought about setting myself a target for the year as a motivational tool, havent a clue what to set though as I am relatively new to cycling and in the main have been a fair weather cycler.

Would 2,500 be a reasonable goal?? roughly 50 miles per week give or take?

I'll do around 2000 miles this year - I find this quite hard to achieve tbh. Life & weather tends to get in the way plus I am not cycling obsessed.

I don't bother to target mileage as you can quickly fall off the pace (due to circumstances outside your control) and become demotivated.

I have a rough aim of 2 rides/week of roughly 20 miles average distance and around 60' mile average ascent. Sort of gets me over the line by year end and if it doesn't then who cares.

 

[The Mighty News]

I'll do around 2000 miles this year - I find this quite hard to achieve tbh. Life & weather tends to get in the way plus I am not cycling obsessed.

I don't bother to target mileage as you can quickly fall off the pace (due to circumstances outside your control) and become demotivated.

I have a rough aim of 2 rides/week of roughly 20 miles average distance and around 60' mile average ascent. Sort of gets me over the line by year end and if it doesn't then who cares.

Cheers, yes I can see your point and I am not a religious cycler due to family commitments it may do the opposite of its intention if I set goals.

 

[derrick]

Am on target for my goal.

 

[Sittingduck]

Extend your commutes. This is a good way to get some miles in. Figure out 2 or 3 route options as standard ways and use them accordingly, based on weather and time constraints etc.

An annual mileage target is pretty individual and it may be worth just seeing how it goes for you and setting something more of a target for the new year, when you have a better idea of what you are likely to be able to achieve?

 

[Subotai72]

I set myself a target of 3000km this year. Last year's was 2000km and I did c2600km. I'm a bit behind this year but if anything I think that's making me more determined as the year goes on!

 

[Saluki]

I set a goal of around 2000 a year, then I don't have to go too bonkers in the bad weather. Hubster sets a target of about 1300 IIRC. Some years I extend the goal, depending on how I am doing towards the end of September.

I just ride for fun, evenings and weekends and don't commute in to work.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I don't set a target mileage I just aim to enjoy my pedalling, be careful if you set a target you might find yourself riding just to make the target and not enjoying it.

 

[ColinJ]

I don't set a target mileage I just aim to enjoy my pedalling, be careful if you set a target you might find yourself riding just to make the target and not enjoying it.

I know what you mean Dave, but I am one of those procrastinators who can always find something to distract me when I would really rather be going out on my bike. Today was such a day. I wanted to be out in the sunshine, but ended up doing boring household stuff including putting up new curtain poles. I should save jobs like that for rainy days when I do NOT want to ride!

So, a few years back I started setting mileage targets to encourage myself to go out on the bike more. 2012 and 2013 were scuppered by illness, but I managed to achieve 99% of my target last year (3,619 miles out of 3,650 (10 miles a day average)) and am already at 81% of this year's target (3,243 miles out of 4,015 (11 miles a day average)).

I still only ride when I want to, but when I am out on the bike, I always try to do a few extra miles to boost my tally.

I am 60 next year and have decided to set myself a significantly more ambitious target of 6,000 miles - 100 miles for each year of my life so far.

 

[bpsmith]

Ive thought about setting myself a target for the year as a motivational tool, havent a clue what to set though as I am relatively new to cycling and in the main have been a fair weather cycler.

Would 2,500 be a reasonable goal?? roughly 50 miles per week give or take?

I did exactly that this year and am on 1,958 miles so far. Determined to hit the 2,500 mile target. Not commuted at all and just been doing 2 rides a week where possibly. Had a few weeks off, due to illness and holidays here and there. Certainly doable I reckon.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I managed 4400 miles last year. This year i wanted to get nearer to 5000 but i was knocked off my bike in April so i had a month off, then i took it slowly for the next couple of months. I used to add up my miles after every month but i haven't added them up since the end of March. When i get round to counting them i reckon i'll be a bit below last years,but not as much as i expected it'd be after my off as i've pumped out the miles in August and so far this month. The trouble with targets is that if you beat them you have to beat them the next year and the year after that.