goals- the finishing year and the new year

[Crankin]

I met my goal this year, which was to ride 3,000 miles. Since I have only done this once before, I set an intermediate goal of 2500 (which I routinely meet) and then when I saw I had hit that earlier in the year than usual, it was no sweat. My total was 3,227. I was helped by clear, warm, and dry weather. Our last snow was March 1, 2010. Except for some flooding rains in April, which did not interfere with weekend riding, I don't think I had to cancel any rides. I also rode outside regularly much longer into the year and my tolerance to cold riding increased, too. Oh, and I started riding in the dark, before work at least once a week this past fall.
As for next year, I hesitate to set any goals. I have the perpetual ones of improving my skills, which while I've kind of given up on, I might have the most realistic chance of reaching than others. I will be graduating in May; once I start working full time, I am not sure how often I will be able to ride during the week. It depends totally on how far away my job is, as well as if I can get some time off during the week (a possibility), and if I can commute. My target job is at a clinic 5 miles away. It's the perfect set up for commuting. I've never worked in the summer before, and believe me, I am worried how this will affect my cycling goals!

[limewave]

It's a tradition of mine to set goals or resolutions. I started it when I decided to stop letting life happen to me and to start living my life instead! I love it.

2010 Goals
1) Lose 40 lbs. I ended up losing 60!
2) Run a 2:30 25k. Finish time was 2:31:06
3) Run a sub 2 hr 1/2 Mary. Finish time 1:59:06
4) Finish Iceman Mntn Bike race in 2:30. Clock time 2:37 and missed podium by one stinkin place

I'm really happy with 2010. I looked at what I thought was possible, and then I set the bar just into the impossible. I achieved things I never thought I could.

2011 Goals
1) Lower body fat % to b/w 18-20% and increase muscle mass to 60+%
2) Run a 2:20 25k in May
3) Run a sub 4hr marathon in Chicago
4) Kill-it at the Du-North Duathlon in Sept (it's a new off-road event, 4 mi trail run, 19 mi mntn bike, 6 mi trail run). It just came up on the schedule so I haven't thought about a tangible goal other than I want to do well there really, really, really badly. It's my new "A" race of the year.
5) Iceman Cometh. I have to say, I'm torn between avenging myself and earning a place on the podium or doing the 8 mile race with DD on the tag-along bike. I think she'd get a kick out of doing something like that.
My biggest goal for 2011 is to continue down the healthy-lifestyle path that I started last year. I want to transform my body and see what's possible for me athletically.

[roadie gal]

I'd hoped to redo my HIM and go under 6 hours. (I did it in 6:09 the year before.) But my blood clot sidelined me. I wasn't allowed to swim at all and I could only ride my bike with other people. As I usually ride alone that left me on the trainer all fall.

I hope to be allowed to start swimming again in the spring. If I can I'll try to do some olys. I don't think my cardiologist will let me do the swimming necessary for another HIM. If I can't swim at all I'll look into duathlons. Either way, I'll keep active.

[hebe]

Wow, every post an achievement!

I only set two goals this year, to ride 50 miles in each of November and December (modest as I'm a brand new cyclist and a stay at home mum). I didn't reach either, largely due to 2 weeks of snow and ice in each month. I'm glad I tried though, and know that my real achievement was learning to ride. I'm hoping to set some fresh goals for the new year, maybe starting off with just 25 or 30 miles in January which should be more attainable.

[surgtech1956]

My 2011 goals include: continue to lose weight - my goal is 55# by April 30th(my 55th birthday) - I have 19# to go. Start riding my bike earlier this year - maybe March(I'm in Michigan). I don't have any mileage goal - just ride and ride often. I want to start jogging/running. I guess my main goal for 2011 - keep the weight off, become physically fit.

[Owlie]

No mileage goal for 2011. I'll just work on losing weight and improving overall fitness.

[limewave]

[QUOTE=limewave;551003]
2011 Goals
1) Lower body fat % -- Well, I didn't lower it as much as I hoped, but I did a bit and have the lowest bf% I've ever had.
2) Run a 2:20 25k 2:13:30!!!!!!!
3) Run a sub 4hr marathon We had a wedding the weekend of the marathon I registered for . . . Didn't run one this year
4) Kill-it at the Du-North Duathlon Family obligations caused me to miss this one as well.
5) Iceman Cometh PR by 15 minutes

I started the year off strong and faded as we got towards mid summer. My parents are very generous and have always watched our kids one night a week. In July they stopped doing that which made it incredibly difficult to train (especially on the bike). Then the mntn bike trails by us that were supposed to open did not open. And the wedding clashing with the marathon . . . It just seemed like one thing after another was piling up and I became discouraged.

2012 Goals
1) Run a sub 2:10 25k
2) Ride a couple of XC races with DD
3) Finish a 100 mile XC race
4) Continue to work on lowering my body fat to 17-18%

I don't want to get too wrapped up in mileage or performance goals for this year. A lot of what I'll be capable of doing will depend on the availability of trails in close proximity, help from my parents or how much DH ends up working (or not working) weekends

[Veronica]

Well, I've got some big stuff I want to do in 2012, but mostly I just want to continue to have fun.

April - White Rim trip and Thom and I are planning on doing the Devil Mountain Double together.
May - Angel's Camp Tri - I just want a better time than last year. Should be easy if the swim buoy stays put this year!
June- Tri for Real, it better not rain. Improved time from 2008 should be easy. I'm 15 pounds lighter!
July - Barb's Race - HIM. Still looking to break 7 hours on this one.
August - Rev3 Maine doing this as a relay with Thom. I plan to swim hard for a change , hang out for three hours (or less!) while he bikes and then I want to run a good half marathon. Key word being run. I don't care what my time ends up being, I just want to run the whole thing. I hope my family shows up to cheer me on.

Veronica

[indysteel]

V, when are you doing the White Rim (I assume you mean the one in Canyonlands)? DH and I have plans to do it in later with Rim Tours.

[Veronica]

We' re going over my spring break - closer to Easter. Haven't picked a company yet. We've done tours with three, including Rim, and have been happy with all. Probably going to go with Western Spirit. Their tour, the week I have off, starts the day before both Rim's and Escape Adventures.

Veronica

[indysteel]

Have a great time! This will be our first trip to Moab. We opted for the three-day WRT itinerary; I sure hope it doesn't kill us. We wanted to have enough time to get some hiking in as well and the dates worked better all the way around. The only hitch is that there's a classic car showing coming into town about the time we're leaving. Hotel rooms were hard to come by, so it's a good thing I started planning this as early as I did.

[kcmpls]

For this year, my goal was to hit 1000 miles. I hit it in September and put on a couple hundred since then. I also had a goal of losing weight, which I totally failed at.

Next year my goal is 2000 miles and to lose 80 pounds. Since I'm riding all winter this year, I should get off to a good start.

[OakLeaf]

This year was kind of a bust for me. I started the year injured, and after I healed up I still struggled emotionally pretty much all year. Still, I managed to set some times at shorter distances that I was really happy with, which has to have been all a matter of experience. It means a lot to me that my times have dropped even when I'm out of shape physically.

My goal this year is a sub-4-hour marathon, which would be a BQ for my age. This time, if I qualify, I'm running, before they change the qualifying times again! I'm signed up for the Champaign-Urbana Illinois Marathon the last weekend in April. If I don't BQ then, I may try again in Columbus in October - but then again, maybe not.

[maillotpois]

April - ....and Thom and I are planning on doing the Devil Mountain Double together.

Glad you're still planning this. I've encouraged several friends to do it to take their doubles up a notch. Let's see how many are speaking to me after.