Goals, who needs goals

Can't miss a workout, even while camping

Every year I try to set a few goals for myself outside of race results and finish times. They may not always be tangible or really even something I track but I have them somewhere in the back of my mind. For example, one goal in 2017 was to do more group rides in the Lansing area. A goal I can say I accomplished, whether the TNR guys appreciate it or not is another matter altogether.

This year, one of my main non-race goals is tangible and trackable; to log over 10,000 miles between riding and running. This is an arbitrary number I have always had out there as one of those “maybe someday” goals, but as my miles have steadily increased over the last few years it has become attainable. And now is the time to go for it.

Time for me to nerd out on some simple math for a moment, bear with me:

10,000 / 12 months = 833.333 miles per month

10,000 / 52 weeks = 192.308 miles per week

10,000 / 365 days = 27.397 miles per day; but let’s be honest this will not happen

10,000 / 312 riding days (6 days a week) = 32.051 miles per riding day

It is only a little daunting when I break it down like this, especially if I miss a day or, don’t say it, go on vacation. If I focused on that daily number I would probably give up; but it is kind of fun (read “sick”) to see what I am getting myself into.

Now for the good news: my mileage goal for 2017 was only 8,500 miles; which I absolutely crushed at 9,831 miles.

Sorry it is metric (how far is a km?)

Some even better news: as of January 31^st I have logged 845.35 miles, 12 whole miles more than needed in a month and 186 more than last January.

The year started a little rough when I ended up with a pretty nasty sinus infection which all but knocked me off my training plan and the bike for the first week of the month. I was able to get right back into the swing of things for week number two after a course of antibiotics and some much needed rest.

For a little extra light reading, here is an article I read a few years ago that helped plant the 10,000 mile seed:

https://www.bicycling.com/training/fitness/how-these-amateur-cyclists-ride-10000-miles-year

Trying to use all 24 of those hours

And pretend to be happy about it