2018 Targets

slowbike

It's nearly here ...

so go on then - what are your targets?


and I don't mean the driver of the 4x4 that nearly had you off the other week ... that's an entirely different thread!

I've deliberately not set myself any mileage targets for the last few years, with a toddler in the house I want to spend as much time with him as possible, so going out for hours on end at the weekend just isn't an option. However, I have managed to ride >2000 miles in 2017 - mostly commuting - yes, that's a massive ~40 miles a week (excluding excursions with Little Slowbike - I don't "strava" all of those).
Hopefully, next year, due to childcare changes I'll be able to up that to around 60 miles a week - which should see me ~3000 miles for the year. But I guess my real target will be power output - my hill climbing (lack of) ability has suffered the last couple of years and that's something I'd like to reverse next season ... so I must get on that turbo this winter

hopkinb

All things being equal, I will cover somewhere between 7,500 and 8,000 km. I will be 5 kg over what I consider to be my "ideal" weight because I will drink too much beer and eat too many bits of cake. I will be able to beat nearly all the folk who ride on CS7 at the same time as me over a few hundred metres.

Objectives - rather than anything specific, a few more general ones.

1. Not fall off or get hit by a car, so that I can continue to enjoy riding my bike in much the same way I have over the last few years.
2. One of the dads in my daughter's class who I ride with occasionally keeps chuntering about riding to Paris in some kind of fundraising effort. Do that if it ever gets off the ground, though I went on a training ride with a bunch of people who were going to do a similar thing last year. It was absolutely terrifying, though apparently they did eventually make it all the way to Paris.
3. Go on a riding holiday next Spring.

slowbike

hopkinb wrote:

2. One of the dads in my daughter's class who I ride with occasionally keeps chuntering about riding to Paris in some kind of fundraising effort. Do that if it ever gets off the ground, though I went on a training ride with a bunch of people who were going to do a similar thing last year. It was absolutely terrifying, though apparently they did eventually make it all the way to Paris.

We did that a few years ago - not a charity thing because quite honestly, it's not far enough for it to be a challenge - we rode it as a family - my wife, my sister, my brother and his wife - rode the green route from Dieppe to Paris - stopped 1/2way in a very nice B&B - came back via Eurostar - all self supported.

hopkinb wrote:

3. Go on a riding holiday next Spring.

Sardinia was nice in late March ...

marcinherr

1. Go below 5hr in London Prudential Ride
2. Ride at least 6000miles in 2018 (this year it's been 2200 miles - but I had a break for the first 5 months of 2017.
3. Lose 10kg
4. Some specific target times on specific Strava segments.

slowbike

I'd wanted that sub 5hr on LP this year - but I rode with my brothers for the most - so went at the slowest pace - until we split - ended up being marginally slower than previous year despite having a clearer run on the second half.

inbike

Sub 18 min RP lap
Sub 20 hour off-road 400k
Cycle my toddler to Nursery more than 50% of the year :-)

marcinherr

inbike wrote:

Sub 18 min RP lap

Mine would be sub 20min RP lap

elbowloh

Like some, won't be setting a target for mileage.
1. Cycle a couple of mountains in the summer. Supposed to be doing Ventoux for the Santini NYGF ride, but not booked anything yet apart from entry.
2. Lose 8-10kg.

jstrang

My targets for 2018 are relatively modest, but a step up from what I achieved in 2017.

1. Commute more than 2,000 km (in 2017 I managed 1,670 km)
2. Achieve an average speed of 20 km/hour (in 2017 I did just over 19 km/hour). May not sound much but my journey home has a steep hill for the last few hundred metres which kills my speed!

Merry Christmas and happy New Year to all!

John

wolfsbane2k

I've got one, and only 1.
I've failed the last 3 years to make dents on it. Gotta change.

1) Loose 20 kg, or at least reduce waist by 4 inches.

richk

23.xx for a 10 I need to find six seconds.

kingstonian

Aiming to do 10,000 km. that may prove to be a bit high but I’ll finish 2017 on 7000km and I missed the first 2.5 months so it should be achievable

Sub 18 min lap of RP

Enjoy Tour of Flanders

ricky_h-2

Targets (starting with most likely)
1 sub 18 min Richmond park
2 7000 miles (5000 typically racked up commuting anyway)
3 mtb with my son in the Alps/Pyrenees
4 Lose 8kgs (done before when disciplined)
5 club des cingles (third attempt, prior two beaten back by weather)
6 possible London to Paris and back in two days with a couple of whippets at work (trying to work logistics out)

elbowloh

Ricky h wrote:

Targets (starting with most likely)
1 sub 18 min Richmond park

Clockwise, anti-clockwise or both?

Some people prefer anti, some clockwise, I'm faster and prefer clockwise.

hopkinb

elbowloh wrote:

Ricky h wrote:

Targets (starting with most likely)
1 sub 18 min Richmond park

Clockwise, anti-clockwise or both?

Some people prefer anti, some clockwise, I'm faster and prefer clockwise.

Faster clockwise? But you have to turn right at all the roundabouts and go up Broomfield!

elbowloh

hopkinb wrote:

elbowloh wrote:

Ricky h wrote:

Targets (starting with most likely)
1 sub 18 min Richmond park

Clockwise, anti-clockwise or both?

Some people prefer anti, some clockwise, I'm faster and prefer clockwise.

Faster clockwise? But you have to turn right at all the roundabouts and go up Broomfield!

I think it's just because I prefer it. Starting at the Café, you get the biggest climb out of the way fairly early and it just seems (to me) that from then on it seems more downhill than uphill.

ricky_h-2

My benchmark is anti clockwise starting at Roehampton gate mainly because you have the long drag up to the top of Richmond Hill and you have got the bulk of the "uphill" out of the way and it's left turns at roundabouts. Shouldn't be too far out of reach as I am only 9 seconds off it solo and I suspect some of my "chain gang" type pals will want to have a crack at a flying lap next year. In essence, it will be cheating !

marcinherr

elbowloh wrote:

hopkinb wrote:

elbowloh wrote:

Ricky h wrote:

Targets (starting with most likely)
1 sub 18 min Richmond park

Clockwise, anti-clockwise or both?

Some people prefer anti, some clockwise, I'm faster and prefer clockwise.

Faster clockwise? But you have to turn right at all the roundabouts and go up Broomfield!

I think it's just because I prefer it. Starting at the Café, you get the biggest climb out of the way fairly early and it just seems (to me) that from then on it seems more downhill than uphill.

You are right, Broomsfield is steep but short. Get it out of the way quickly as opposed to going uphill on a gentle but much longer Sawyers Climb - I usually do anti-clockwise though. I think I'll switch to clockwise.

rhodrich

My only target is to continue enjoying my riding. I'm not 'training' for anything, so there's no point in worrying about stuff.

One of my colleagues this morning was complaining about his commutes being 'junk miles'. He does the odd sportive, and weekend rides, but isn't training for anything in particular. In fact, he seems to train just for training's sake, and seems to miss the whole point of cycling just for enjoyment. Unless you're a pro, or you race, there's no such thing as 'junk miles', and there's no need to set any arbitrary targets.

wolfsbane2k

Rhodrich wrote:

.... Unless you're a pro, or you race, there's no such thing as 'junk miles', and there's no need to set any arbitrary targets.

My attitude.

marcinherr

Rhodrich wrote:

Unless you're a pro, or you race, there's no such thing as 'junk miles', and there's no need to set any arbitrary targets.

I'm not sure I'd agree - I used to commute to work in London, however, due to the fact that there were traffic lights every 200yards on my route and hundreds of cars stuck alongside with cyclists, it had nothing to do with enjoyment, let alone training and everything to do with frustration and inhaling fumes. For that reason, I considerably decreased my cycling to work time. I just do it every now and then as I see no pleasure or benefits from doing it (apart from money saved).

It is such a different experience than cycling on less busy roads.

elbowloh

Rhodrich wrote:

My only target is to continue enjoying my riding. I'm not 'training' for anything, so there's no point in worrying about stuff.

One of my colleagues this morning was complaining about his commutes being 'junk miles'. He does the odd sportive, and weekend rides, but isn't training for anything in particular. In fact, he seems to train just for training's sake, and seems to miss the whole point of cycling just for enjoyment. Unless you're a pro, or you race, there's no such thing as 'junk miles', and there's no need to set any arbitrary targets.

Completely agree!

Tbh, I don't think I've ever properly trained for any event before. I've only really signed up for things like L'etape because yes, it's a challenge and an experience, but more importantly (to me) it's given me incentive to get out on the bike more and just enjoy doing it!

ricky_h-2

I agree on getting out there and enjoying yourself but personally I find it easy to drift without a challenge. I had one event this year (the Mallorca 312) which I had to can because of family commitments and the net effect was just drifting through the year and now 8kgs heavier.... Sure I have had lots of fun off road with my son and a few fast chain gang rides but I really lacked the motivation to dig in and do the "hard yards" necessary for a proper challenge. I will still end up riding around 6500 miles for the year but my fitness has faded (marginally) from last year. It's not the be all and end all but I find having achievable goals good for the mind and body through the year.

keef66

Having spent the last 8 months doing very little but DIY in my evenings and weekends, I can now see an end to it. So my rather vague plan for 2018 is just to make time for 3 rides a week. No distance or speed targets; at 60 I've stopped caring about that stuff, and rarely can I be @rsed to put on the HR strap or take the Garmin. I just value the hours spent on the bike in the great outdoors, breathing fresh air, giving my legs and lungs a bit of a workout and with the wind in what little hair I have left.

keef66

Wolfsbane2k wrote:

I've got one, and only 1.
I've failed the last 3 years to make dents on it. Gotta change.

1) Loose 20 kg, or at least reduce waist by 4 inches.

What have you tried so far? I have an unhealthy relationship with food, and in middle age my weight was creeping up year on year. Tried and failed repeatedly to shift any of it.

The 5:2 diet saved me

Tashman

For me it'll be to ride more often. Come the lighter days I will do more than the solitary commute I managed this year which will increase this easily.

JakeJ

Last year was my first year of road cycling, my target was 1500 miles, I did 1994 or something like that, this year my target was 3000, to this moment in time exactly, I've done 3,155, so next year? I don't know, I like realistic goals, maybe 3500, that's achievable and if I beat it, then great.

Me and a bloke from the tuesday night club ride have just joined the gym together and have been having a go on the wattbikes, yesterday before we started I said my goal for at least January is to hit 1200W, laughing as I said it because I didn't think I'd ever hit that number as I just touched 1100W last week giving it absolutely everything I had.

20 minuets into the sweat session, I gave it a good go...
Hit 1214W

So I guess my goal is now 1300

slowbike

Rhodrich wrote:

One of my colleagues this morning was complaining about his commutes being 'junk miles'. He does the odd sportive, and weekend rides, but isn't training for anything in particular. In fact, he seems to train just for training's sake, and seems to miss the whole point of cycling just for enjoyment. Unless you're a pro, or you race, there's no such thing as 'junk miles', and there's no need to set any arbitrary targets.

Unless the training is the enjoyment part of it for him. And no - there's no need to set arbitrary targets, but sometimes, some people like something to aim for - even if there's no obvious point to it.

I do the odd club TT - why? Not because it's enjoyable, it isn't - but I get satisfaction from achieving an arbitrary goal I've set myself. I use my commute miles to give me some training in order to achieve those goals - otherwise, why would I bother? The cost of driving isn't prohibitive (I'd have the car anyway) - it's a main road commute - so whilst there are a few nice commutes, most of them are more endured than enjoyed.

roger_merriman

Not really targets but probable predictions.

Assuming work remains where it is, I don’t change jobs etc. Then should clock up a good 5k maybe 6k next year.

In terms of aspirations well do more MTB rides and such! Maybe even gravel/CX such sportives.

Though my favourite is rides in new/interesting places.

slowbike

Being a data cruncher I tended to think in terms of measurable results - I really should've included coffee stop rides with my little Slowbike. Any coffee shop is currently too far for his balance bike - but he will be on pedals in a couple of days time ... that should help

drhaggis

Per the 2017 targets thread:

DrHaggis wrote:

Even with 3 months to go, I hit all my unmabitious targets for this year. For 2018, my second full year as a mamil, my targets would be:

• Keep commuting by bike through the winter...
• ...without being hit by rouge taxis or have an accident...
• and break the 70 kg barrier (currently at 73.2).
• Ride an imperial century (longest ride so far is a mere 70 miles)
• Climb at least a Cat 2 col, or a Cat 1 for extra props.
• Beat my total time in the Lepra ride.

On top of that, my garmin has a goal of 5000 km for next year. I don't know, it seems less than 25% likely. Looking at the list, I can see 4/6 being achieved. I doubt I'll do 100 miles next year, and both the 70 kg and Cat2 targets are about 50/50.