Keeping Myself Accountable in 2008

[RoadRaven]

Yup, I did one of these last year, and the year before, and they have helped my motivation... so here is 2008's "accountability thread".

The women here at TE continue to be a source of motivation and power to me... racers or not is irrelevant. You get on your bikes, set goals and achieve. Thank you.

Here are my goals in a "nutshell"... (I am putting them here in the Race Results forum because my goals are primarily race focused and that is what I will mostly be talking about).

Carless weeks - 8 (each week is 7 consecutive days sans motorised transport).

Weight - currently 99kg, I want to be 90kg or less by December

Hills
- Climb Tiropai (300metres @ average 7.5%) in 2.45mins
- Climb Dartmoor (500metres @ average 7%) in 4:30mins
- Glengarry return (approx 65km with gradients of up to 14%)

Power
- Ramblers/Gisborne Interclub TT - average 32kph
- Dartmoor TT - average 32.5kph
- Dump Block TT - average 33kph
- Club Champs TT - average 33.5kph

Club Racing
- Competitive (regularly) in "F" by the Winter Series
- Interclub Champs ~ Ramblers/Gisborne - compete in all events
- Club Championships - compete in both events

Events
- Tour de Beautiful (50km) - 2 hours
- Tremain Team Tri (cycling only :p ) 32kph
- Tour of the Bay (50km) 1.40 hours

Total kms for year: 5300km


Now, I am well underway with my Dump Block TT goal - 2 more of these to go this summer...
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?p=273394#post273394


But everything else seems like hard work.
Thank you anyone who bothers to read and think anything encouraging even if you don't post. I appeciate your thoughts and your inspiration.

[RoadRaven]

M'kay... one of my Club Goals is to be
"Competitive (regularly) in "F" by the Winter Series"

Well... we had club racing yesterday and I think I came 8th... (points are given out to 10th place, but points table is not online yet - maybe later today). It was a circuitt race - 6-7 kms around a relatively flatish country block, my grade went four times around it.

A beautiful day - near the ocean so the sea breeze made the 32'C seem a little less hot... though it was tough each circuitt coming up the final (false flat) straight into the headwind off the ocean...

BUT!!!!

GUESS WHAT?????
I stayed with the leading bunch in my grade right to the finish!!!! I haven't done that before in this grade...

Yay me - I am well-chuffed (and its still only Summer!)
:)

[smilingcat]

congratulation. Sounds like you are going to be moving up in your grade pretty soon.

Breaking out of one plateau and moving up in your performance. I don't know of anyone who shows "gradual" improvement. It always seems to come in spurts and sounds like you are doing just that with Dump Block TT's and this one.

:D :D
smilingcat

[RoadRaven]

Here are my goals in a "nutshell"...
Events
- Tour de Beautiful (50km) - 2 hours


ACHIEVED!!!
Waahoo

A cool morning at 7am when we left, it was raining and drizzling during the 1 1/2 hour car-trip to Waipawa... we were wondering how many would turn up and how cold and wet we would be by the end of the ride... but it was clear when we got there, and the rain stayed away until after everyone was back and it was prize-giving. So we had cloud-cover, no summer heat and no summer rain (though quite a bit of wind from various directions).

It was drizzling a bit during my warm-up, but I needn't have kept my rain jacket on for the ride - thank goodness it was a sleeveless vest or I would have over-heated!

The course is rolling hills, steady climbs and not really "my" kind of ride as I still have a lot of improving to do on my hill-climbing. Last year I completed this on a hot day (30-35'C) in just over 2 hours and 5 minutes.

Last time I rode this I was dropped at about 3-4kms from the start-line... This year I managed to stay with a chasing bunch until 8kms, was dropped but caught them again at 9kms (I love descents!!) and then dropped again at 10kms. I rode most of the remaining 40kms on my own.

It was steady and relentless on the way out, at the turn-around (where i had my first "gu") I knew I just had to get over Wanstead Hill and then I could "time-trial" it most of the way back. The climb took me the best part of 15minutes, and then I could relax, swallow my second "gu", and focus on catching some of the seven people who passed me on the climb. I caught 4, and number 5 sprinted me at the finish line so I didn't catch him (well, he powered up and I kept on chugging - so not quite a sprint finish :p ).

My final time was 1hour 53minutes and I was the 88th 50km rider home. I was about 135th last year, so wanted to come in the top 100. Next year I'll aim for something like 1:45 and a top 50 placing).

My legs feel like they have had a great workout today, so a gentle ride later on with NO hills methinks.

[Starfish]

The women here at TE continue to be a source of motivation and power to me... racers or not is irrelevant. You get on your bikes, set goals and achieve. Thank you. <snip> Thank you anyone who bothers to read and think anything encouraging even if you don't post. I appeciate your thoughts and your inspiration.

I always appreciate your attitude, RR. And, I agree that all our goals, racing or not, are inspiring and wonderful to read about.

Still...please know that I am in awe of everyone who races, just because the thought of doing it scares me silly. So...I DO bother to read your goals, and I think massively encouraging thoughts! :p ;) :)

[KnottedYet]

My 2008 goals:

I'd like to run/walk the run portion of a sprint tri. (instead of just walk)
I'd like to document 1,000 miles on my bikes.

[RoadRaven]

Cat... thanks muchly for your comments. I def plateaued over 2007 and was feeling a bit despondant but near the end of the year began to think I was maybe improving. I feel really good and strong this month... and am looking forward to my cycling challenges this year.

Starfish, thank you for your kind words... and be warned, if you ever do venture into giving any kind of racing a go, it's a bit like chocolate or peanuts... more-ish :p Just one is not satisfying...

Hey Knot... great goals. LOL... The thought of me running in a tri is laughable (my partner says I run like a bear - and he doesn't mean the speedy part :p ) I am looking forward to March though when I have to do the cycle section of the corporate team tri.

Well, this Saturday (my tomorrow) is a flat club race, and I am looking for a top ten placing. Part of that goal of mine to become competitive in my grade and tomorrow is an ideal opportunity with lazy rollers and no hills all I have to do is stay with the bunch.

[RoadRaven]

....so here is my 2008 "accountability thread" update

Carless weeks - 8 (each week is 7 consecutive days sans motorised transport).

ACHIEVED: 1 week so far... nearly two if I can hold out for 3 more days!



Hills
- Climb Tiropai (300metres @ average 7.5%) in 2.45mins
ACHIEVED: Did this in 2:40 on April 10, so room to get faster before years end

- Glengarry return (approx 65km with gradients of up to 14%)
ACHIEVED: whew, did this on 25th March... what a grind, but I did it, no stops or walks... But I actually enjoyed it even though it took me 2:44:38
I want to do this again, but next time will ride from home which will add an extra 20km and several more hundred metres of climbing


Events
- Tremain Team Tri (cycling only :p ) 32kph
ACHIEVED: Woohoo - great day this one. I averaged 34.02kph over the 19.3km course. I rocked. And what was even sweeter was that the team I raced with rocked - we were the second all-female team home... we did have a ranked swimmer but so did the first-place-team... they also had a ranked runner and an U19 cyclist. So all in all, not a bad effort at all!

So I have 13 cycling goals, and have achieved 4 already... not too bad girls :D

[RoadRaven]

Heres another "update"
I sometimes feel like I am getting nowhere, so it is good to have these goals laid out before me!

Hills
- Climb Dartmoor (500metres @ average 7%) in 4:30mins
Almost Acheived : I climbed it in 4:32 in August. Surely I can get 2-3 seconds before the end of the year :p

Power
- Ramblers/Gisborne Interclub TT - average 32kph
Achieved: :) I did 32.3kph Woohoo!

- Club Champs TT - average 33.5kph
Almost Acheived: The Club Champs was a nasty nasty windy day, and most people came in slower than there personal best, plus it was measured long. So I was just under 33kph.Not too bad - maybe next year.

Club Racing
- Competitive (regularly) in "F" by the Winter Series
Achieved: Winter series is over, but I don't get dropped by the lead bunch til the end of the race and sometimes not at all. I don't finish in the top 3, but am usually 7th-10th rider in.

- Interclub Champs ~ Ramblers/Gisborne - compete in all events
Not Achieved: I rode in 3 events and marshalled for one. But I still won my age category :)

- Club Championships - compete in both events
Achieved:

End of the year in sight - its been quite a sucessful one
:)
Hope your years are panning out well too.