2009 Road Racing Goals

[Eden]

Not really a racing goal.... but a worthy goal, I think...
years ago, before I started racing we went for a little ride following a "suggested bike route" on our county bike map.... Well there was a little 26% grade hill on that route... It's been years since I've been back to there (its out on an island) and I decided that today, I wanted to go back over there and tackle that hill again. The first time up it was on my old steel touring bike that was a bit too big for me... I didn't make it, my front wheel wouldn't stay on the road...
Made it to the top without stopping today! It's followed up by a shorter, but I think just as steep little brother. That one was still a bit covered in sand from our Dec snow and I almost lost it on that one. Rear wheel started to slip and I had to sit to put more weight on it. Once I was sitting, standing again seemed a bit impossible, but I made it the rest of the way seated.

[Pedal Wench]

Eden, what a great feeling!

[tribogota]

Oh, this is a cool thread, ok, so here are my goals and doubts, hope you don't mind.
Have a tri (olympic) in 13 days, have had an injured calf muscle, so may not do the run, and only do Aqua-bike. Am hoping that it feels better and can run slow.

May, a very difficult tri with a hilly bike course, did it last year, came in second to last overall, this year would like to do much better.

June, have a sprint, at home, so it's like a training day.

JULY, FIRST half ironwoman at Vineman, am worried since I haven't been able to train as aggressively as I was last year when I signed up, because of calf muscle, hope march to july is enough. Am still an intermediate cyclist, so the 90k is daunting, and the run, 20k, it'll be the first time I ever run that much.

Finally, I have the physical shape to be a great athlete, but for some reason I don't have the competitive gene, and my adrenalin just doesn't push me to go faster, I go at my own little "fun" pace. While, I enjoy "enjoying" the races, I would like to try and do well in my age category (39), but don't have the drive DURING the races, although I train as if I did. Is this just who I am? or is it some sort of "writer's block" in sports?

[letsride89]

i like this!

well, i'm no racer, yet. BUT i do still have a few goals this summer!

1. Tackle that stupid Pirate Hill. I rode 60 miles of crazy hills and was doing good until this massive hill. I finally got off the sattle and could barely pedel one more stroke when i had to freakin get off my bike and WALK IT UP. yeah, i walked it up. i can't believe it! Guess what girls, emotions meet cycling. I CRIED! lol, BF laughed at me and gave me a hug. That being said, i'm going to get that hill and beat it to the ground by the end of the summer.

2. I want to average 25 by the end of the summer. Right now i'm getting about 20-22 on average but i'd like to bump that up. Maybe a new set of wheels will help me =)

3. As of now i'm handling about 120 miles per week. eh, i work three jobs and school full time so i'm having problems finding time! I get off at 7, i think i'm going to be riding in the dark this summer so i need to find a group of girls in my area with the same goals that wouldn't mind riding in a pack with a huge lantern =)

4. I want to have fun. I tend to get very tense when i ride and i constantly hear BF saying "LANCE, RELAX!!!"! He usually has to ride next to me and get me to smile by pretending to be an interviewer "so mandi, now that you've won the tour de france, how does it feel!!!" So this summer i'd really like to have fun on my rides, not just tense up and worry about my speed as much!
turns to


=) dang, now i'm ready to ride!!!

[Trigress]

Oh dear, this is probably going to strike back at me - hard!

Right, I'm going to ride Enebakk rundt, 1st of May.

I have a half marathon trail run coming up in late May, and then there is the Frøs triathlon 21st of June, which is this season's main goal, being primarily a triathlete. Then there is the Norwegian championship in triathlon, Olympic distance, some time in August.

Then there are some plans, and these are the ones that might backfire: I would like to participate in the masters' cup, and particulary the team TTs. I'm not sure I'm good enough, and I don't know if there will be other summer plans that interfere, but I do want to race more this year.

[papaver]

my goal: I want to cycle to my parents house. They live 160-170 km's away and I hope to pay them a visit on my bike this august/september.

First part of the course is hilly and the second half is very very flat.

Mama, here I come!