Yearly goals. Do you set them? How are you doing?

I am very proud to say I made my yearly goal today: a personal best of 8400 miles since Jan 1.  That's 2000+ miles more than last year.  I'm about to turn 47, I'm in my eighth year of serious riding and I've increased my miles each of the last four years I've been keeping track.

 

The crazy warm spring and record span of no-snow days certainly helped this year, but the three hour rides after work I've been doing the last two months went a long way too.

 

How about you?  Are you keeping track?

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Permalink Reply by JeffB on December 13, 2012 at 5:28pm

Bill, that's the same realization I came to.  When I started this year, and throughout the warm weather, it was pure joy and I was eager to ride as many miles as I could.  Then it started getting colder and I started doing the math and it became a challenge that I wouldn't let myself back down from.  But I got harder and harder when I was finishing 3 hour rides at 9pm in 30 degree weather with my toes completely numb.

But now I feel free and any riding will be just for pleasure or function.  No more chasing numbers.

Bill Savage said:

About ten years ago, after many years of casual not-keeping-track riding, I set a goal of 1,000 miles by Labor Day. Took me till the end of that year to do so, but I made it.  The my sweetheart moved from relatively close to me (Rogers Park to Jefferson Park) to far away (Rogers Park to Evergreen Park) and I set out to do many more miles in part due to necessity.  One year (three years ago) I made 5,000 my goal and just barely made it--but at that point I felt like the artificial goal was more important than the experience of riding, so I stopped setting goals other than to get as many miles as are safe and smart and do-able in, and I hit 4,000 miles last week.  In summer, I like 100+ miles per week, in cold 50 is fine.  Either way, it's about the experience, not just the mileage.

Permalink Reply by We all have an inner Beast... on December 13, 2012 at 8:14pm

My goal is to ride through the entire winter this year. This is the first time that I am riding every day (started in May, I think...I didn't keep track, because i wasn't into it like I now am....and still "riding" that wave.) I ride approx. 10 miles to work, then same for going home, and maybe a few 10-20 milers on the weekends (easy going with my riding buddy, George Vanderfor)

For 2013, I am planning to do the Apple Cider Century, and the Perimeter Century. I want to do them on the 1974 Schwinn Continental that was so graciously donated to me, so I will be setting "Getting the Conti fixed up and ready" as one of my goals (or would you break that down to multiple goals - replace tires/tubes, adjust seat/handle bars, get a tune up, etc...?)

If I can not get the Continental up and running properly, I will have to do the Centuries on my 2009 Schwinn Frontier. (I am assuming that that will be harder). We shall see.

Another goal that I have for myself, is to meet more of my fellow bicycling society members, to broaden my horizons and experience. I am excitingly looking forward to doing that.

I am 44 yrs old, a 23 yr retired Veteran that believes that you are only as old as you pretend to be !

If there are any other goals that you all think that would help me out for this upcoming year, give me a shout. I will give all goals a "once-over" and pick and choose stuff that I might be able to fit in to a busy schedule (Honey-Do Lists, Tae Kwon Do - including tournaments, Bike Camping, etc...)

 

Thank you all in advance.

Have a Great Day !!!

 

Respectfully,

 

Manny

Permalink Reply by Mark Newald on December 14, 2012 at 9:28am

I have 3643 mile in so far, which is a record for me. That includes 157 commutes, and still counting!

Permalink Reply by Barry Niel Stuart on December 14, 2012 at 9:53am

I'm doing better than last year, when I had a medical time out from Aug. 30 to Nov. 2.  Last year, I only had 1824 miles, this year, i expect to make 2100-2200 miles in spite of my bike's getting about a month's downtime because of a dooring and needed wheel rebuilding. 

Permalink Reply by Madopal (16.5 mi) on December 14, 2012 at 9:54am

I had a goal for 3125 this year, and after 3 weeks off for a broken wrist/elbow, I thought I'd be able to make up the miles, but it doesn't appear to be.  I'll still wind up with over 2800 miles, blowing away my previous years by at least 400 miles.  I figure that leaves me some more records to break.  I also broke my personal monthly best with 602 in June.  I thought it was fun to have a goal to work towards and see what I could do.

But for anyone, I feel that riding is the important part, not how many miles or how often.  Any riding is better than none.

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