Setting goals, planning training

[kelownagirl]

I have been cycling for a year now and am so excited about setting goals for this year but I feel so scattered. I read and read various training plans and I feel like I want to do everything! Where do I begin? If anyone can give me any input, I'd greatly appreciate it.

My fitness level is very good now. My weight is down and I am working on my getting my fat percentage down to 20% if I can. I have ridden about 3000 km in the past 12 months.

I have just begun running and I love it too. I have only "run" 6 times but I did 5 km in 32 minutes the other day with one 1/2 km walk at the 3km mark and my "cardio" can handle it fine. My legs need to strengthen but I'm pretty sure I can be doing 5 km in 30 minutes within another month.

So my dream goals are:

1. Ride 2500 miles (4025 km) this year.

2. Improve my climbing by climbing more in general and doing Knox Mountain once a week.

3. I would love to do a Time Trial but will settle for riding the local Time Trial route on my own and keeping track of my times this yar. Last year I did the rolling hill 16 km route in 33:50 minutes, 28.3 km/h. My goal is to improve that.

4. Do a 5 km running race, goal to finish in 30 minutes or less.

5. Do a duathlon. There's one on Mother's Day I am considering. It's 5 km run, 32 bike with one big climb, and 5 km run.

6. Almost forgot, I also want to do some long rides - 200+ km at least 2 times this season.

So - can I have more than one focus? I want to be run 5 km 3Xweek, do a couple of 40+ km rides on Sat/Sun, and ride 20-40 km twice a week after school. Is that manageable? Can I ride and run on the same day - run 3-5 km at noon and ride after school?

I have been doing some of the interval training and hill repeats etc with my cycling but not in a structured way. I just don't know how to put it all together..

help...

[maillotpois]

It's great that you have some concrete goals - I find it always helps motivate if you are working towards something.

That said - you don't have to do it all in your second year of cycling! Watch yourself for signs that you are getting burned out. Elevated heart rate in the morning or when trying to go to sleep, tiredness, lack of appetite or energy, lack of enthusiasm. Don't kill your passion for cycling by trying to do too much too soon.

I don't see why you can't ride and run in the same day - I know a lot of triathletes do this. I would suggest you really listen to your body and watch any signs of tiredness or soreness. Triathletes should probably chime in on this one...

Your general "plan" sounds good. If you want to do a 200k, though, you are going to need to build up your rides so you get longer rides in. A 40k ride won't cut it if you want to do a 200k. So pick a date or 200k event to do, and plan out your long rides between now and then so you are building up by 10 miles or so a week until you get to a long ride of about 100 miles. Then you should be ready to tackle the 200k.

[kelownagirl]

Thanks MP - I agree I have to be careful not to burnout - fatigue usually stops me before my brain does. I'm almost sorry I started running this spring because I didn't expect I was going to enjoy it quite so much

My weekend rides are usually about 40 km but we do throw in the odd 50-80 km ride every 3 weeks or so. Last year we did 2 metrics in the June/July so I will make sure we build up to that again carefully. I an gungho to do a loop around the lake that's about 160km (a full century).

I guess I should look at some of the Tri training stuff and see how they fit it in.