2012 Goals - Cycling and Fitness

[Blueberry]

I'm starting to think about my goals for next year, and wondered if others are doing the same.

Still very much in the formative stages - I had lots of tentative tri/run goals which have been completely derailed by the ankle from hell. I will run again, but the timing is completely in the hands of my PT. So - I'm thinking on focusing on cycling/swimming goals and will take running as it comes.

I want to set a mileage goal for cycling - not sure what it will be. If I went by my mileage this year, it could be very low....It will include indoor miles and outdoor miles.

I am debating Blood Sweat and Gears again - and whether to repeat the 50 or try for the 100.

Swimming goals - I'm fuzzy on what to shoot for here. I can swim and am comfortable in the pool. I've not done much counting laps, etc. Maybe a time goal? Or a number of workouts goal? Not sure how to quantify this one (and I do very, very well with goals that are quantified as opposed to just mushy).

2011 was lackluster for me - for mostly personal reasons. I did gut on the big ride I wanted to do - but I have a feeling it could have been a lot more fun than it was had I trained more. It's time to take charge for 2012 and meet some fitness goals. Thanks to Veronica and the December Challenge, I'm well on my way!

[Owlie]

I hope your ankle cooperates, Blueberry!

Let's see...
Until it gets consistently warm enough to ride outside again, I'm going to set a goal of 90-120 minutes of trainer time a week, however my schedule will allow.
I'm going to see if I can manage a metric in early summer (June/early July). Beyond that, my goal is to ride as much as possible, weather and school permitting. I'd like 1000 outdoor miles for 2012, but I won't hold myself to that.

[Jen12]

I'm running a full marathon for the first time since 2008, and I have a list of half marathons and a couple of cycling events. Last year I thought I wanted to do a century, but I did a 50-mile event and decided that that was quite long enough on the bike for me. I don't like to cycle alone and I don't really have any friends nearby who do it. I went to one cycling club meeting this past summer, but their rides conflict with my CrossFit classes and most of the people seem a lot older than me, so I didn't go back. Maybe I will try again this summer. If I can find someone else to do one with me, I may do something longer than 50 miles. We'll see.

Right now I'm trying to formulate some CrossFit goals because our coaches always want to meet with us to list goals. It's difficult because I'm at a point where my goals are the same as they've been for a year now and I'm just not getting there. I'm very frustrated.

"Lackluster" would also be be a good term for me in terms of 2011 fitness goals. I started off well, but injuries and then some laziness got the better of me. It's time to dial in the eating and dial up the fitness!

[rubysoho]

I signed up early last Fall for the NC Tour De Cure in June 2012. I am supposed to ride the 150 mile route. With a team of riders who are much stronger than I am. Sigh. Today the bike went on a trainer I have on loan from a friend and I hope this gets my lazy, cold-hating butt in the saddle more often over the next few months.

After that, I want to do a sprint tri in Fall 2012. I missed signing up for a local, all women tri. It was a bit too expensive anyway.

In my post-exercise endorphin rush I signed up for a 5k on January 1. Not sure what I was thinking since I have been anything but consistent with my cycling/running... but I am confident I can muscle through. Hoping I might meet some other locals too. I need more friends who want to bike or run... (I need more friends! )

[nscrbug]

Well...my cycling goal for 2012 will be to match or surpass my mileage for this year, which at the moment is 7,265. But I will likely ride on Saturday, and hope to add another 35 to make it an even 7,300.

I'd also like to get back to where I once was, with my running. For about the last 6-8 months, I've had to really scale back on my running due to my lower back issues (spondylolisthesis). I've had to incorporate more walking breaks, and I've also had to slow down from my already slow 10m/m pace. Today was actually the first day in over 4 months that I was able to run a 5k distance (albeit very slow and on the treadmill) straight through without walking. I can generally tell within the first 5 minutes of a run, whether or not my back is going to be a limiting factor. Today was a good day...which usually means tomorrow won't be.

[ivorygorgon]

I don't think a mileage based goal is realistic for me, with that said, here is what I hope to accomplish in 2012.

I really want to lose about 10 pounds, at least - 15-20 would get me to goal weight. I have lost a total of about 85 so far, but would really like to get the rest off, because of the goals that follow.

I signed up for a training program to ride a double century. I rode an ultra (144) in October, but need a bit of help to get to the double.

I want to increase my MPH. I tend to be a pretty slow rider, but I really want to increase speed to keep up with the club rides easier and to finish centuries faster.

I want to increase climbing speed.

I have a team together to ride the Furnace Creek 508. That is a big goal for this year.

I think that is probably it for now, but I might think of more

[azfiddle]

I am still basking in the glow of reaching my 2011 goals of 4800 miles and riding the full length of El Tour de Tucson that I haven't thought much about 2012.

I have been neglecting my music with all my riding but want to stay active and take off a few pounds that have crept back on in spite of the bike miles. At least 5 lbs are back but it might be as much as 8 if the jump on the scale this week is real (I think it actually in between the 2 numbers - extra salt and some water retention in muscles with all of the riding over vacation



A reasonable goal might be 4000 miles, and riding at least a century again, as long as the unstable left side ( back, hip, leg) cooperate. And if circumstances lean toward more music and less cycling, or I have time off with injuries, I will try to keep a flexible and positive attitude.

[Veronica]

I signed up for a training program to ride a double century. I rode an ultra (144) in October, but need a bit of help to get to the double.

Which double are you planning on doing?

My goals? Hmmm... I have a lot of events I plan on doing, but I haven't really set specific goals.

April - Devil Mountain Double - I just want to finish.
May - Angels Camp Tri - not freeze my a$$ off, have fun and run.
June - Tri 4 Real Olympic - better my time from 2008
July - Norway Tri in Maine! - just enjoy my first out of state tri.
July - Barb's Race - HIM, the elusive sub 7 hours would be nice.
August - Back to Maine for Rev3 Old Orchard Beach. I just want this to be a blast. We're doing it as a relay. Old Orchard Beach is where we went for senior skip day in high school. I get to swim in that COLD water. Thom is doing the bike; it goes through our home town. I'm doing the run. It would be cool for us to podium, but I don't think my run is good enough.

Veronica

[shootingstar]

Just ride at least twice per week in winter, and then switch to daily when it warms up, by commuting and adding on mileage afterwards.

I'm not even looking at mileage, I need to do more hills. Each time I return to Vancouver, I'm reminded...

[Crankin]

Keep going to my strength training/core classes through the summer (not sure if I can do this)
Do at least 2 metrics, on my own or organized and maybe another century
Work a little harder when I ride. Not looking for huge mph gains, but I slacked off this year a bit. I am good with that, but I need to work on my mental attitude
Ride at least 3,000 miles
Get more comfortable on my Guru, which I haven't ridden much
When my foot gets a little better, start running again

[goldfinch]

This is a work in process:

Get faster on the bike, which probably means pushing it more rather than simply putting in the miles. I am very slow and want to be able to ride with people and do long rides in the time allowed.

In a few days I turn 57. I want to ride 57 miles some nice day in January when it isn't too windy.

Ride 100k.

Do a multi-day charity ride, either Habitat for Humanity or one of the MS rides, when I am up north this summer.

Work on strength training by doing trainer designed weight program in motorhome two days a week. In spring return to gym for a refresher with the trainer.

Do neck and shoulder exercises every other day. No matter how boring it is. I've fallen off on this one since getting to Texas. I can feel it in my neck

Exercise at least 6 hours a week.

Maintain weight to no more than 112 pounds.

Count calories every day.

Weigh in once a week.

Eat plenty of blueberries, even though they cost way too much money.

Watch my impulsiveness: I buy too many things I don't need.

Not sure whether to have any running or walking goals yet.

[Giulianna23]

1.- Keep losing weight until I reach my ideal which is 160 lbs. Hopefully I'll reach my goal by the Summer.

2.- As soon as the winter its over I will love to start commuting to work everyday until winter again. It will be a total of 18miles round trip.

3.- I want to get a brand new Road Bike

4. - I want to travel somewhere on a vacation to a tropical Island.....maybe back in Panamá or it could be in Colombia or I may go the opposite way to London...

[Anelia]

My first goal is in April and it is to finish this challange and do my best on the next day. My next goal is to become national cahmapion again in XCO and XCM.
And hopefully to participate in the 24h marathon.
Meanwhile there will be lots of other races.
I would like to keep on weight lifting but I find it very difficult with approaching of the season, so many hours of base training so I don't want to set up such a goal.
I will maintain my weight of 112 pounds until the start of the season but later it is still difficult for me to balance on the thin line between good recovery and overloading with carbs.

[marni]

this link pretty much says it for me.

http://vimeo.com/34028125

I will have to take it day by day with ailing 90 year old FIL. Two two hour sessions a day at the rehab center, monitoring his meals (he is allergic to eggs and yet they persist in serving him things that contain eggs. I live in fear of having him die of allergic reaction in front of me since the staff at the rehab center don't seem capable of conceiving of this as the life and death issue it is) take a big chunk out the day it's a half hour commute each way. I do breakfast, go to the gym which is about midway, do a two hour work out of training session, run errands, go back the the rehab center, monitor lunch , go home, grab some lunch, catch up with backlog of stuff, etc.

Himself takes the dinner shift and gets home for a late dinner.

It's kind of exhausting, but I sure miss the road biking.

Here's hoping something changes for the better in 2010.

In the meantime, I take the link as an inspiration and a goal.

marni

[Bike Writer]

2012 Goals, good subject and none too soon to plan for.

Bike riding goals will look pretty much like this

• Shoot for 1300 miles of outdoor riding.
• Increase MPH avg by 20%
• Increase distance per ride
• Increase endurance and hill climbing abilities
• Get fast enough to keep up with group rides

Some of these goals are easily quantifiable, the endurance and hill climbing abilities are not as easily documented so they are going to have to be a subjective thing. If I measure my first full year of riding from July 24, 2010 to July 23, 2011 I come up with just over 1140 miles. This last outdoor season I had a full season to work with and managed just over 1213 miles for the year so there was a tiny increase, almost negligable. I didn't plan for much of an increase this coming outdoor year because it will be a campaign year for me and I'm not certain that I will have the time to devote to pleasure riding, but I do intend to make use of my bike while campaigning! Plus I want to continue to maintain my current level of fitness. Some of that may have to come from walking as opposed to cycling. Well, these are goals related to the bike, not enough space to write about non cycling goals...

Oh, one last but very important goal - continue to use my bike as a vehicle for exploration and have fun doing it!