RadNomad
Senior Retro Guru
...sort of..and it took two years!
As we're into NEW YEAR i thought to share my own little resolution from two years ago. Working full time and being so busy meant that often the cycling just wasn't happening, so back in 2011 i started tracking my monthly mileage but that didn't really work either (and breaking my ankle slowed me down a bit too!). At the start of 2012 i told myself to hell with the lethargy i need a plan, so i decided i will cycle minimum 100km per month and not give up until i'd ridden the equivalent of the entire distance of the 2011 Tour de France. Now there's a goal worth chasing! In the first chart below you can see i logged each ride to get the monthly 100km target done. The running total then feeds into the Tour de France chart which shows the actual distances of all 21 stages and the % progress. I'm not into Strava or have other gadgets so just did it with a simple cycle computer and excel. It has been a mix of road, mountain, solo, with friends - whatever rides came up. Well i'm nearly in Paris (so to speak!) and within the next ride or two i'll be down the metaphorical Champs Elysees
Yeah OK so it took two years, but i remind myself i did most of it on a 12kg Lava Dome with flat pedals, with my nose in the wind every km (no peloton to hide behind) at age 40+ and holding down a full time job
I realize some folks might think that logging every ride is a bit anal or a chore, but for me it was the opposite, it gave me some structure, some reason to go and ride, some goals to hit. I have been thankful for those days when this motivation forced me off my couch and out onto rides which i ultimately enjoyed. What then for a NEW YEAR RESOLUTION 2014? The Vuelta perhaps?
If anyone else has a way of motivating themselves, or a cycling related New Year Resolution for 2014, feel free to share. Happy New Year and keep spinnin' those cranks..
As we're into NEW YEAR i thought to share my own little resolution from two years ago. Working full time and being so busy meant that often the cycling just wasn't happening, so back in 2011 i started tracking my monthly mileage but that didn't really work either (and breaking my ankle slowed me down a bit too!). At the start of 2012 i told myself to hell with the lethargy i need a plan, so i decided i will cycle minimum 100km per month and not give up until i'd ridden the equivalent of the entire distance of the 2011 Tour de France. Now there's a goal worth chasing! In the first chart below you can see i logged each ride to get the monthly 100km target done. The running total then feeds into the Tour de France chart which shows the actual distances of all 21 stages and the % progress. I'm not into Strava or have other gadgets so just did it with a simple cycle computer and excel. It has been a mix of road, mountain, solo, with friends - whatever rides came up. Well i'm nearly in Paris (so to speak!) and within the next ride or two i'll be down the metaphorical Champs Elysees
Yeah OK so it took two years, but i remind myself i did most of it on a 12kg Lava Dome with flat pedals, with my nose in the wind every km (no peloton to hide behind) at age 40+ and holding down a full time job
I realize some folks might think that logging every ride is a bit anal or a chore, but for me it was the opposite, it gave me some structure, some reason to go and ride, some goals to hit. I have been thankful for those days when this motivation forced me off my couch and out onto rides which i ultimately enjoyed. What then for a NEW YEAR RESOLUTION 2014? The Vuelta perhaps?
If anyone else has a way of motivating themselves, or a cycling related New Year Resolution for 2014, feel free to share. Happy New Year and keep spinnin' those cranks..
