2013 Riding Goals

[Miranda]

Mine is to NOT get hurt in any way...and to be healthy enough to ride!

Besides that, it would be nice to be able to finish a century...which is where my epic ride and crash pattern begin about 3.5yrs ago (during my first planned century).

But, that part would be a bonus. Just the health, and happiness of riding would be a blessing.<3

[jusdooit]

I decided early on that I'm not really setting specific goals this year. I'm just going to ride & enjoy myself. I am serving on the board of the local club & leading a weekly ride. I do have organized rides on the calendar, but I refuse to obsess about training this year.

[indysteel]

Yeah, we relented and just made our hotel reservations and signed up for the Horsey. There's a lot to like about the weekend, so we decided to stick with tradition after all.

[Catrin]

Miranda - that is a great goal! That is certainly one of mine this year

Indy - good for you and your DH! Nothing wrong with keeping a tradition.

As for me, I think that I will finally get a century in this year. As I am doing the 24 hours of Booty in Indianapolis, I've decided to have a goal of riding 100 miles in those 24 hours. I don't mean doing all 100 miles at one time. Frankly I don't know that I could be ready for that by late June given last weekend was the first time I've ridden since Christmas. Nope, I think it will be more like ride 25 miles, take a break, ride 25 more, etc. I will be quite happy at riding 100 miles within that 24 hour window and is probably the most realistic way I can accomplish this.

[never2late]

My goal is to ride 3,000 miles this year. It's a big decade birthday year and I've been dreaming for 6 years about what I wanted to do to celebrate this milestone.

I spent 2012 putting my base in, got a new bike (can't remember how to edit my signature, but I have a beautiful Bianchi). I rode the old Schwinn until my dear
husband saw I was serious and then he gifted me with a bike last May. I managed to get just over 2,000 miles for the year. Rode my first century, along with
three other rides earlier in the season, gradually increasing my distance for the September Century.

I now have to work on upper body strength...my least favorite things to do...but necessary.

Congratulations to everyone on your goals for this year, I know we can all encourage here!

till soon,
Susan

[uforgot]

I just need to start riding again. I have neglected it for so long!

[DocZan89]

My first goal...to get around my "block". My block is 4 miles around which is not much but it has some pretty decent hills. Like you smittykitty, I need lots of work on hills. They are my nemesis and the thing that psychs me out of riding close to home.

Rosanna

[shootingstar]

Well, I did meet part of my 2013 goals..to ride several times per wk. during the winter. Short rides, some super cold rides in Alberta, but all good and ..now I'm reminded how helpful it is for today's longer ride..in Vancouver for 42 kms. up several hills and in such fine weather with cherry blossoms. And I didn't die. I haven't done a ride this distance since last November.

As for rest of this year, ah heck. For me, just ride longer every day when I can and wherever I go/visit. At least 1-2 touring trips 2-3 days long. I haven't figured out the total target annual mileage. I just want to keep on enjoying cycling as much as I can. Not sure, I guess last year I did probably under 3,000 km. So if I do that this year, great or more, that'll be great. But I'm not keeping accurate count and haven't been for past decade. I just know the trips where we've done 80-100 km. in 1 day vs. other trips 15-45 km. around town during the day.

[lovelygamer]

I have gotten into road cycling this year. We are planning to train for a century in October. We have a long way to go! I am also working on speeds. Starting next week, I am commuting to the farm to pick up our CSA. I think those are my goals for the year.

[indysteel]

Yeah, we relented and just made our hotel reservations and signed up for the Horsey. There's a lot to like about the weekend, so we decided to stick with tradition after all.

Well, we have another Horsey Hundred behind us. We had planned to ride Saturday and Sunday, but DH ended up getting called into work at 3 a.m. on Friday morning and working through the night and well into Friday. By the time he got home, we had decided to skip Saturday's ride. So, we drove down to Kentucky Saturday afternoon and started early on Sunday. The weather was great; cool and overcast. The horses were out in droves, which was fun.

We ended up with 55 miles and a 15 mph pace over rolling terrain. Prior to the ride, I'd ridden a grand total of 20 miles since sometime in mid-October. So, while it didn't always feel good, I'll take it. But I need to figure out how to get more motivated to road ride. I've felt pretty blah about it for awhile. But that's a subject for a separate thread.

[colorisnt]

This is a great thread. It's cool to see all of the goals on here.

I have two main ones:
1. to ride a century by the end of the summer/early fall
2. to try out cross before the end of the year.

I also have been trying to bike commute pretty regularly but, unfortunately, it's been kind of a PITA thanks to the awful weather. I never thought I'd rather see heat!

[Crankin]

I don't have very many miles this year, even though I've been riding regularly since March 24th. However, I feel like I'm meeting my goals of doing longer rides this year. Last weekend I rode 90 miles in 2 days. I've also ridden twice with the faster riders of my group. Today, we're doing a 30 mile ride which is hilly, mostly at the end and we are thinking of riding to the start, although I have a feeling that if I do this, I won't be happy at the end. That will turn it into a 50-55 mile ride. On June 9 I am doing a hilly metric and at the end of June we are going to the Berkshires and (finally) doing what our friends call the "Taconic Challenge." Apparently, it's a 7 mile climb with a steady 4% grade, that goes into NY and back to Williamstown.

[Catrin]

Great that you were able to get down there for at least one day Indy, good for you!

I've few miles this year so far compared with the last couple of years, the weather and my increasing dislike of riding in cold temps being the culprit. I also find that I want to maintain much of my current gym work, so I cannot ride every day of the week like I used to. I do want to do a very long ride in September (the Hope ride), and possibly the Hilly Hundred. I've a couple of friends who want me to do it with them. If I can manage the train well enough to face those hills (the ride has that name for a reason), then I will do it.

This year I am intent on making riding fun again, and if that means shorter rides then so be it! I am also determined to make 2013 the year of no cycling related injuries...most of which have been from over-doing things (outside of the mtb accident - that was different)

[Owlie]

Recap:
Ride off-road? Did a little bit, between just tootling around/taking shortcuts and taking the Charge on the mountain bike trails. Not as much as I would have liked, but work, moving and a wet summer sort of killed it.
Rode to school? Once. Realized I hated riding with a backpack.
Riding more with people from work? Yes! We started doing "shop rides" every Sunday before work.
Century? Yes! With people from work. And it was probably one of the more awesome things I've ever done. It wasn't the whole length of the trail, but I've done the whole thing (south of Xenia, anyway) in bits and pieces, and I'll take it.
Ride to work? I could never find a route that I was comfortable with, so no.
Explore more trails: Yes, and no. I rode on one a little to finish off that century, but it was pitch black and right before I left. The other trail that I'd wanted to try this year was closed due to construction.

I was hoping to be able to get 2000 miles in this year, but I don't think that's going to happen unless I somehow manage to do another 1000 between now and the end of the year. :/