WonderMonkey

Like many here I use biking as at least part of my calorie burning, cardio, etc. Last year was a break-out year for me on weight loss (health actually, weight contributes) and I helped others do that same (feels good). Though my schedule is going to be far busier than I was last year I am going to be able to be more intentional about racking up miles and what KIND of miles the are.

Last year I went for distance and time on the bike. This year I'm going to work on some distances for sure but I'm going to focus on taxing my lungs and burning many more calories in a shorter amount of time. I local bike fitter helped me with my setup and also helped with some gearing goals. I also push some of the people I work with towards him, he's wonderful. The gearing I am using will initially up my average speed and lower my distance but will in time allow me to surpass all that I have done. I just have to work it hard which is fun for me.

So... my miles last year was 1,514. Chump change for some of you here. This years goals is 150% of that which comes to 2,271 miles. To keep myself on track I made a spreadsheet. Not everybody uses things like this to keep them going but it works for me.

On the below I don't officially start until the beginning of March so the small amount of miles I've been out this year puts me ahead by just a tad.

2013 Total Miles = 1,514
2014 Goal (150% 2013 Miles) = 2,271
2014 Total Miles = 6.32
% 2013 Miles = 0.42%
% 2014 Goal = 0.28%


2014 Goal Time Measures
Riding Days (Subtract Dec, Jan, Feb) 275
Total Distance = 2,271
Monthly Goal = 252.33
Weekly Goal = 58.02
Daily Goal = 8.26

Progress
YTD Pace (Date * Daily Miles Goal) = -33.03
YTD Difference = 39.35

Not all goals are just about plain miles and calorie burning. I want to accomplish the following distance goals:
- 2 x 40 milers by the end of March
- 2 x 60 milers by July 4th
- 1 x 100 miler
- 1 x 200 mile weekend
- 1 x 200 mile outing (this will probably kill me)

CommuteCommando

Realistic goals are all good. I used to do the whole spread sheet thing. If you really know how to work the formulas, rather than just filling in boxes as some do* it's actually fun. Now with Strava, I no longer spread sheet my rides very much, same with diet tracking thanks to Training Peaks.

Last weekend I hit one om my 2014 goals of climbing a mile in a single ride (62 miles-5600 ft climbing)

In the last five years I have lost 100 lb,and my annual mileage has gone from about 1500 to over 4500. My weight loss goals are starting to get elusive as I hover on the border of Obese/Overweight. I am suffering from chronic plateaus.

*(Years ago I was teaching a basic computer literacy class in one of those for-profit diploma mils and had a lab exercise in Excel. The exercise was to make a checking account ledger with basic arithmetic formulas. I found one kid calculating the values with a pocket calculator and manually entering every value in the cells. One of many face palm moments I had there.)

TrojanHorse

Episode 3 - the Return of the Monkey!

1,500 miles is low for a tour professional but for the rest of us it's a very solid number, especially when you lose a couple months to winter. My stated goal this year is 3,000 miles and a double metric but secretly, I want to hit 4,000. I finished about 30 shy of 3k 2 years ago and ankle surgery derailed 2013 and I only finished with about 2000 miles. I'm shooting for 300 miles a month, so just a couple over that and I'll hit 4k. My other goal is to stay off the operating table this year. My other-other goal is to climb some local roads that have kicked my butt in years prior, including glendora mountain road all the way to the lifts.

CommuteCommando - do you use training peaks in conjunction with a power meter? (and do you subscribe or just use the free web version?) Or is it just to track various things you can track over there.

WonderMonkey

I use endomondo.com to track my miles and all I'll have to do is copy over my miles to date and everything else calculates. Nothing awesome but I like looking at it.

WonderMonkey

Staying off the operating table for at least A WHILE to give you a break would be good. In theory I should easily be able to hit my goals but with most weekends being taken up by coaching, etc. my theory will be smacked around. Saturdays is normally my long ride.

CommuteCommando

I have training peaks premium because it allows me to plan meals in advance. I use it mostly for diet planing, but use it as opposed to the others because it lets you enter actual workouts from the Gramin. Others like "MyFitnesPal", have check boxes like "15 minutes moderate cycling", that can be way off. I do not use a power meter, though have considered getting a CyclOps hub. I use a HRM which does a pretty good job of estimating calories burned.

Ursa Minor

Good luck to you wondermonkey - I'll be rooting for you. This year is hopefully gonna be my comeback year. I started
out on the road to recovery 3 years ago at 352 lbs. Quit drinking plus low carb diet and biking got me down to 217 but
3 weeks of bronchitis last july got me back up to 239. That scared me and I got serious on Jan 2 started strict food plan and riding schedule.
Now Im at 219 and my riding is good. My goal is to break 200 by May 9 (my 3rd recovery birthday) and 162 sometime this year.

Good luck to all of us on achieving our goals.

Charlie

bbeasley

Mine is to get back to where I was in July last year 192 lbs and able to go 20 for 20 on the bike. Broken foot side lined me for 6 months, it's amazing how much can be un done in such a short time.

WonderMonkey

Thanks and I hope you get to where you want to be in a healthy manner. I've read your posts and get great value out of them so I'm rooting for you as well!

I should make the offer to my fellow clydes to get involved with what I'm doing for sustained and healthy weight loss, energy and recovery. I'd share privately if you are interested. Locally many do this and it's a great thing.

WonderMonkey

What is 20 for 20? I hope you do it whatever it is!

WonderMonkey

I skimmed over where you climbed a mile! Wow! Did that burn! Do you stand and pedal? I just learned that at the end of last year.

WonderMonkey

Ohio People....

For a teaser I’ll post a very generic route that I’m thinking of for my 200 mile weekend. It is a three day, two night outing. We will have to pull our camping supplies but we will also try to buy our food and “next day” items where we can. It’s a risk showing up somewhere and expecting there to be a place to eat, etc. but I’ll try and have all that mapped out arranged before he get on the bike.

jazzgeek79

Last year I did my first 1000 mile year. I decided to do my next 1000 before my 35th birthday in May, and to do my first century this year.

MRT2

I did about 1,000 miles last season. I hope to exceed that. Maybe 1,200 to 1,500 miles. including continuing the annual tradition started last year of riding my age on my birthday, which this year means riding at least 49 miles on or around my 49th birthday. I also want to do at least 2 metric centuries, and one century.

And, I want to do a 150 mile weekend. I have a vague idea of doing an ride from Waukesha to Madison on the Glacial Drumlin Trail, and back in a weekend. I told my wife about it and surprisingly, she told me she wanted to do it, too.

WonderMonkey

Nice job! For my 200 mile weekend I'm breaking it up into three riding days and staying in a campground for the overnights. It will be interesting to see how three days with fairly long miles each day compares to one huge 100 mile day.

Cycle Babble

Congrats wondermonkey and others here for having lofty goals to shoot for.

I was 280lbs at my high and am now 258. Last year I rode 500 miles and lost 10lbs. This year my goal is to complete at least 1,000 miles (assuming the weather breaks soon). I used to do 1,000 miles in my youth so I know it can be acheived. I also hope to drop another 20lbs with a final goal of 200lbs.

My approach is not to follow a diet plan, but to change my life style so I can get down to my goal weight and sustain it once I get there. While it is taking me a few years, I feel I can work with this system and not lose interest like one would while going on a purge diet.

Thanks to all who post here. It is a true inspiration.


Good luck to all in achieving your 2014 goals,
John S

TrojanHorse

What's the longest distance you've ridden in 3 days?

I did that strava "festive 500" thing in December after having been mostly off the bike all fall (like 100 miles a month, so not totally off but not really on either) and man, going 320 miles in 8 days was an effort. The WORST part was my kiester. My legs were tired too, but that's pretty easy to live with. Interestingly, they felt more tired than they were- the daily results (power, speed etc) were OK. Apparently my solution is to only wear my really good bibs on long days and use better chamois cream. I pitched my old jar. TMI, I know. I'm sure you can bring your favorite pair and just wash them out each evening - they dry fast and really, don't need to be completely dry anyway.

WonderMonkey

Ding ding ding.... lifestyle change. Winner. You just have to find a way to get there that is sustainable. That is the major difference in what I did then and do now. I am on a sustainable path.

WonderMonkey

Longest three days is just over 100 miles and that is all in one day. I've done two 30's in a row but that's it. The 200 mile weekend, if I go on it, will be late fall so I'll have time to be in shape and focus on riding "days in a row". It is going to be a fun challenge. I think the biggest key is my recovery at the end of each day to prepare for the next day's ride. I've got good products for it and will practice before trying the journey.

MRT2

That is the rub. Every time I think I figured out a way, something changes.

unabowler

It's funny that just before coming onto the clyde site I was thinking about goals for the year. One of my goals is to no longer be a clyde. I've spent a lot of time on my trainer this winter and have been cutting out the between-meal snacking, and I've lost about 10 pounds. I've got a little more than 20 to go.

Another goal I was thinking about is to break 3 hours for 50 miles on a solo ride. I think the best I did last year was 3:07, but I'll have to check that as the course I did that on was a little longer than 50. But 16 and 2/3 mph for three hours isn't something I've ever done and seems like a good target.

My most important goal is to cycle consistently. I don't have a mileage target but my goal is to avoid or minimize the down periods that I've had in the past.

NZier

Some great goals here!

My goal this year is to ride around 2,500 miles. Last year I rode 1,500 (500 in one week) but was derailed due to knee injuries. I blew my ACL in May so couldn't ride until June. I rode like a madman June and July and was under the knife on August 1 for reconstructive ACL surgery. Luckily that cycling made my rehab easy. The doctor and PT were impressed with my weight bearing and speed of recovery. I thanked cycling! Unfortunately, knee surgery was not good on my weight, I jumped back up to 245.

ill.clyde

Paraphrased/condensed from a similar thread:

Weight goal - 225 by Thanksgiving. It's a lot to lose, probably around 70 pounds or so, but I can do it. It's 1.47 pounds per week, definitely doable

Fitness
Right now
- workout three days a week, a mix of strength training and cardio. May increase this to four days a week.
- Track food intake religiously, end day under caloric allowance.

Future
Commute three days a week when Spring arrives (starting as soon as possible, weather dependent).
Get in good enough shape to do the Dairy Roubaix (4/16)
If personal schedule allows, do the Bear 100 (5/24)
Join a local Bike Club, ride often with the club.
Do either the Udder Century or the Ride for the Arts on 6/1
BayView Bike Classic on 7/13
Cream City Century in August
MS Ride with my son - August
Race as many CX races in the fall as possible.
Ride 3,000 miles total.

MRT2

I hung out with Cream City Cycling Club a bit last year. Nice people. The hammers in the groups were too fast for me, but I managed to hang on OK with the back of the group in the rides I did with them. You might be able to hang with the faster riders.

I tried to ride with Bay View Club but somehow, they blew through the meet up spot and stranded 3 of us waiting in Port Washington. To be fair, it was a busy day and a lot of people were hanging around the Harbor area, so it was just one of those things. That was the day I did 60 miles solo.

WonderMonkey

With consistency many other things follow.