2017 targets

london-red

I thought it might be good to share our targets for the year - these can be anything, from first century, to buying dream bike, to getting through the season without falling off

Mine aren't particularly exciting, but Box & RP are great benchmarks to measure progress, so are always in my thoughts.

1 - Sub 06:30 Box Hill ascent (current PB 07:09)
2 - Sub 56:00 Richmond Park 3LC (current PB 56:47)
3 - Sub 07:40:00 Etape du Dales (never done this, so plucking that out of thin air)
4 - Complete RideLondon without falling off
5 - Do a weekend in the Alps/Pyrenees
6 - Hold sub-80kg
7 - Stop my 'occasional' smoking habit, finally
8 - 5,500 Strava miles (might just make 5,000 this year)

Anyone else?

hopkinb

Mine aren't exciting or quick either, but fwiw.

1. Try and do more non-commuting miles. It's all very well being relatively quick over 700 metre sprints between traffic lights, but I'd like to have more endurance. All depends on my getting out of bed early enough I expect, as my other half doesn't see me disappearing for 4 or 5 hours on a weekend morning, then sitting on the sofa moaning about my sore legs for the rest of the day as acceptable.
2. Sub 18 mins RP lap currently just under 19 mins.
3. Sub 57 mins 3xRP lap, currently just under an hour
4. Get under 83 kg, currently 86.
5. Drink less beer - which might help with 4 above
6. Beat 2016 distance on strava - which looks like it will be just shy of 8,000 km come the end of the year. 90% of which is commute.
7. Maybe join a club

london-red

hopkinb wrote:

Mine aren't quick either...

The bloody cheek of it

Good list though - and fairly similar to mine. The vast majority of my miles are diesel-enhanced as well, and my wife has a similar philosophy...

hopkinb

London-Red wrote:

hopkinb wrote:

Mine aren't quick either...

The bloody cheek of it

Good list though - and fairly similar to mine. The vast majority of my miles are diesel-enhanced as well, and my wife has a similar philosophy...

Oops! I didn't mean it like that! :oops:

I just meant my goals weren't exciting or quick. There're people on here who blast round RP under 14 mins, and place highly in national competitions.

fat daddy

(1) Increase my FTP so I can stick in the main group in zwift and not end up in a groupetto chasing after it in the mini races
(2) More non commuting miles
(3) commit to a scheduled race league in zwift
(4) do the above without pissing my family off
(5) buy or build a single speed CX bike
(6) increase my average speed to 16mph on my journey home (currently 15mph)

edit:

(7) and try and be a bit more sociable .. and force my kid to be sociable as well

london-red

hopkinb wrote:

London-Red wrote:

hopkinb wrote:

Mine aren't quick either...

The bloody cheek of it

Good list though - and fairly similar to mine. The vast majority of my miles are diesel-enhanced as well, and my wife has a similar philosophy...

Oops! I didn't mean it like that! :oops:

I just meant my goals weren't exciting or quick. There're people on here who blast round RP under 14 mins, and place highly in national competitions.

Yeah, I'm with you - only messing. I don't consider myself remotely quick... but then I suppose some of the race snakes might feel the same. There is, after all, always someone quicker...

niallmo

I've done 1596 of my 2000 mile goal this year. I'll be looking to re-start that.

I have a couple of smaller goals on local segments and some non-recordable goals.

To get in the top ten on a short sprint near my home, I need a second to reduce it to 41 seconds although I reckon I could go top five.

There are four or five sections where I'd like to go top 100 (lots of clubs and amateur racers around).

I think generally to progress a bit more on power, get out of the seat and attack some climbs.

rower63

hopkinb wrote:

...as my other half doesn't see me disappearing for 4 or 5 hours on a weekend morning, then sitting on the sofa moaning about my sore legs for the rest of the day as acceptable...

Maybe persuade him to start cycling as well ?

hopkinb wrote:

There're people on here who blast round RP under 14 mins, and place highly in national competitions.

Just one person (okgo), I think, with a fair gap to the the rest (cue howls of outrage...)

whatleytom

Mine, taken from another forum post.

Train all the way through winter, build more consistency and volume - Taking this one directly from last years goals.

Justify my retained 2nd Cat licence with a 2/3 RR Win - missed out on this one this year, but entirely sure given the right circumstances I'm capable.

Short 20 min 10TT - Had a TT bike for the end of this season, and now have some more of the right gear, skinsuit etc. Just need to sort out a disc wheel, then start playing with positions. Fairly sure I can start to be reasonably quick if I'm able to repeat/improve on the watts I had this year. Best 20min was 350w in 2016 (held that for 25mins, so room for improvement anyway), targeting 365w for 2017 with a stretch goal of 370w.

Podium again at RPTT - Probably the best chance is going to be road bike, but will see closer to the time how the TT bike is going. Came 3rd at both this year.

Pointless one - Sub 15min RP lap, maybe more on the TT bike.

Once more will be looking to lose 10kg, but I tried and failed once more this year, and in fact ended up putting more weight acting like a fat cat banker.

hopkinb

rower63 wrote:

hopkinb wrote:

...as my other half doesn't see me disappearing for 4 or 5 hours on a weekend morning, then sitting on the sofa moaning about my sore legs for the rest of the day as acceptable...

Maybe persuade him to start cycling as well ?

Her, she'd be a bit upset to be called a bloke! She does cycle, in summer, about 600 metres each way to the train station.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Stay under 80Kg or even better, lose a bit more excess flab and get down to ~75Kg
Use my bike more than for mainly commuting and the odd pop out to the shops
Start doing some recreational cycling again, especially if I choose to use the bus for commuting over the next ~2 winter months
Try and safely get my PB commute time to work on Strava under 15 minutes from a current PB of ~16mins30secs
Try and and get more Strava commute times home under 20mins, besides that single freak day so far!
Despite their cost and my low disposable income, get round to buying a pair of G-One Speeds (possibly the balloon 29x~2.3" variety) and depending upon their rolling resistance plus general performance, a pair of the new Vee Apache Fatty Slicks
Get round to finally trying tubeless on either my FatNotFat 29ers and/or my fat wheels
Given all the "spares" I've accumulated this year through upgrades, possibly try and sneak a bargain fatbike frame to the garage and try and build up my first ever bike? :twisted:

rower63

hopkinb wrote:

rower63 wrote:

hopkinb wrote:

...as my other half doesn't see me disappearing for 4 or 5 hours on a weekend morning, then sitting on the sofa moaning about my sore legs for the rest of the day as acceptable...

Maybe persuade him to start cycling as well ?

Her, she'd be a bit upset to be called a bloke! She does cycle, in summer, about 600 metres each way to the train station.

haha bait swallowed

hopkinb

rower63 wrote:

hopkinb wrote:

rower63 wrote:

hopkinb wrote:

...as my other half doesn't see me disappearing for 4 or 5 hours on a weekend morning, then sitting on the sofa moaning about my sore legs for the rest of the day as acceptable...

Maybe persuade him to start cycling as well ?

Her, she'd be a bit upset to be called a bloke! She does cycle, in summer, about 600 metres each way to the train station.

haha bait swallowed

D'oh. :oops:

kingstongraham

Not in priority order....

1) Be fit enough to enjoy a week riding hills in Italy in September.
2) 17:30 lap of Richmond Park
3) Sub 3:10 marathon (not cycling, but keeping cycle commuting through winter is cross training for this).
4) Top 10 on one of the Strava segments on my commute across the middle of RP
5) Cycle more miles than this year.

mattsaw

Break 10k km for the year
If I get in through the ballot go sub 4.15 in Rie London
London to Paris inside 24 hours
LOndon to Devon solo
Finish a bike build project that has been cluttering the hallway for 6 months

prawny

This year I'm on for an annual total of just under 8900 miles, so next year I'm going to have to go for the ten.

Other than that, dunno. I wish I'd got out on my mountain bike more this year, so will have a good go at that.

I don't do sportives, and I'm happy enough with my Strava performance locally, on the road at least, will see where I am MTB wise in the spring I suppose.

dyrlac

1) Recover the watts of FTP lost over my crash-induced layoff and subsequent rehab. While we're at it, definitively shift the extra 9 kg acquired by continuing to eat like a cyclist without actually cycling (3 kg gone so far, but just holding the line over the holidays will be a success).

2) Do my bit to deliver a credible showing for our age group for 4-man RAAM in June (sub 6.5 days for us geezers (well, not counting me)).

3) Work out how, exactly, to ride the time trial bike I bought while depressed as a result of (1). In the coming months, if you see someone pottering around Richmond Park on a bright orange Dolan Scala, probably best to give him a wide berth when overtaking. Then ride it for real.

4) Keep the cost of replacements for replacements (as a result of cack-handed fettling) below £100. Relatedly, rebuild my road bike from scratch with less than two trips to wiggle/evans/crc after starting.

5) 16,093.44 kilometres in CY 2017 (I should hit 10k this year even with 3 months off, so doable).

6) Incidental to (1) and (2), work out how to stick to structured training; Zwift may help, but it's really just making the time.

7) No more crashes!

Hinaultscrapcousin

1) Finish the Etape Du Dales on my fixed wheel.


That's it so far.

secretsam

Chiltern 100 (the longer route).

That's it. My goal is to be fit enough to ride every metre, including the dreaded Whiteleaf, which I've never conquered.

There are a number of core enablers for this goal, including losing weight, but these are not the overall goal.

london-red

Hinaultscrapcousin wrote:

1) Finish the Etape Du Dales on my fixed wheel.


That's it so far.

With or without putting your foot down?

Hinaultscrapcousin

London-Red wrote:

Hinaultscrapcousin wrote:

1) Finish the Etape Du Dales on my fixed wheel.


That's it so far.

With or without putting your foot down?

I'm pretty much 100% sure I'll have to walk some bits, but that's part of riding fixed in areas you've not ridden before. I'm hoping I won't have to do it very often.

london-red

Hinaultscrapcousin wrote:

London-Red wrote:

Hinaultscrapcousin wrote:

1) Finish the Etape Du Dales on my fixed wheel.


That's it so far.

With or without putting your foot down?

I'm pretty much 100% sure I'll have to walk some bits, but that's part of riding fixed in areas you've not ridden before. I'm hoping I won't have to do it very often.

Have fun with that :shock:

I'd be practising this manoeuvre for the descents

Hinaultscrapcousin

London-Red wrote:

Hinaultscrapcousin wrote:

London-Red wrote:

Hinaultscrapcousin wrote:

1) Finish the Etape Du Dales on my fixed wheel.


That's it so far.

With or without putting your foot down?

I'm pretty much 100% sure I'll have to walk some bits, but that's part of riding fixed in areas you've not ridden before. I'm hoping I won't have to do it very often.

Have fun with that :shock:

I'd be practising this manoeuvre for the descents

Hahaha, funnily enough a few people have suggested this or a variation!

I've done the Rise Above Sportive twice on a fixed wheel (120km first year as I was injured and 160km this year) and managed ok with the descents and some of them are very steep. I know there are going to be some longs ones on this but it should be ok. I have considered fitting a freewheel on the other side and flipping the wheel, it can be a bit cramp inducing...

norvernrob

Actually get out on the bike (and the turbo) and get some fitness again. This year has been pretty much a write off due to a new baby last September then a car crash in August that knackered my back.

On the plus side, I did finally check out the Trans Pennine Trail route to work, and it's a perfect scenic, quiet and hilly (both ways!) 6 miles. A steadiyish ride in, then hammer it home which will be a nice interval session due to the undulating ground.

At the moment it's so frustrating going out, as I know what I should be capable of and I'm nowhere near it.

itboffin

Drink more beer, trust me that's a pretty tough goal given my current intake levels, might need to sleep less.

ugo.santalucia

London-Red wrote:

1 - Sub 06:30 Box Hill ascent (current PB 07:09)
2 - Sub 56:00 Richmond Park 3LC (current PB 56:47)
3 - Sub 07:40:00 Etape du Dales (never done this, so plucking that out of thin air)

WIth my friend we are looking at 7:30 on the EDD, so feel free to tag along

I never managed to do under 7 minutes up Box hill... which is strange, as I have done higher VAM on other climbs... I guess it's not steep enough

ugo.santalucia

fat daddy wrote:

(5) buy or build a single speed CX bike

Done that... just need some CX tyres

pastryboy

See if I can get to 5 w/kg FTP.
Average about 180 miles per week.
Crack the strava top 10 on the local climb.
Make the most of my expensive gadgets I bought this year.
Get my youngest daughter on her bike as much as possible as she's got a knack for it.

paul_the_pedaller

1. Actually get back in the habit of riding again.
2. Avoid getting addicted to upgrading..
3. Average 60 ish miles a week.
4. Make a decent attempt of an Epic (100 mileish) event.
5. Join a club.

hopkinb

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I never managed to do under 7 minutes up Box hill... which is strange, as I have done higher VAM on other climbs... I guess it's not steep enough

I did 7 and a half first time up, while waiting for a hill to appear, and so holding back something to tackle the fearsome col that I was expecting. I am not built for hills, what with the gut and the shoulders and all that! Not done it since mind you, so it could have been a one off. Nice lump of bread pudding at the top.

london-red

ugo.santalucia wrote:

London-Red wrote:

1 - Sub 06:30 Box Hill ascent (current PB 07:09)
2 - Sub 56:00 Richmond Park 3LC (current PB 56:47)
3 - Sub 07:40:00 Etape du Dales (never done this, so plucking that out of thin air)

WIth my friend we are looking at 7:30 on the EDD, so feel free to tag along

I never managed to do under 7 minutes up Box hill... which is strange, as I have done higher VAM on other climbs... I guess it's not steep enough

It would be good to hook up - compare notes on Dales v Fred

The friend I'm doing it with is targeting gold (sub-7). So when I'll shake hands at the start, and see him at the finish