My physical fitness goal for this year was to ride 5,000 miles by December 31. I am happy to report that I reached my goal yesterday, which means I still have three more months of cycling so it is possible I will pass 6,000 miles before the year is over.
The All Seasons Cyclist passed the 5,000 mile mark this week
Last December I wrote out a plan on how to reach my goal. This plan involved monthly goals, and that filtered down into weekly goals. Having a mileage goal in front of you is a great motivator. I’ve found that posting your goal on a social networking site like Facebook will make you work harder because of the feedback you get from friends along the way.
I have also found that there is a downside to setting a mileage goal for the year. Because I was focusing on mileage this year I haven’t spent nearly as much time on the off-road trails as I used to. Riding off-road is fun, but three hours on the trails will not rack up as many miles as three hours on the road. I love riding on off-road trails, especially in the fall of the year. Whatever goals I set for next year are going to have to include a way to incorporate more time on the bike trails.
Most of the time when people reach some milestone in life they like to thank those who made it possible. I give thanks to God for the good health I have experienced this year and I also want to thank my wife for not looking at the American Express bills every month (distance cycling can be a fairly expensive sport).
homegoo
September 24, 2011 at 11:23 AM
Great Job! I hold my breath when the credit card bill arrives that I will get to it before my wife:)
Chasing Fifty
September 24, 2011 at 4:10 PM
The good news is, you’ve got three months to ride the trails now!
Tracy Wilkins
September 24, 2011 at 8:28 PM
Good job. I haven’t looked at my mileage in a long time, but I think I’m on track to get about 5,000 miles again this year. As much time as I spend on the road already, I can’t imagine having that many by now!
Hit the trails…..
pathguy
September 24, 2011 at 8:55 PM
Wow, great job!!
lovethybike
September 25, 2011 at 4:36 AM
How exciting for you – it is great to get closer to a goal! I use to love my milage counter, but I misplaced it? Somehow I am not so bothered by not having it anymore.
Five Seed
October 12, 2011 at 6:16 PM
Way to go! That’s so awesome! I was so excited this year – I just found out I have driven about 2,000 miles in my car – in ONE YEAR. Jiffy Lube estimated I would drive 3,000 miles between August and November of 2010 (a pretty standard and accurate estimate in these parts), and in September 2011, I wasn’t even close to that 3,000th mile! Wahoo! My bike speedometer broke a long time ago, and I don’t mind, but it was sure amazing to find out how little I have driven this year – which means I’ve been biking a LOT!
All Seasons Cyclist
October 12, 2011 at 10:37 PM
I bought my wife a new Kia 23 months ago and she hasn’t hit the 5,000 mile mark yet! I think that means I should be able to buy a new bike — in fact, I ordered a new Surly Black Ops Pug yesterday! It has tires that are nearly 4 inches wide and makes cycling in the snow even better than before.