Tag Archives: goals

In 2011 my goal was to cycle 5,000 miles during the year, but I ended up with 6,836 miles. Twelve months ago I decided my cycling goal for 2012 was “to have fun” and ended up riding 6,444 miles. Back in 2011 I was trying to rack up as many miles as possible and that meant I got most of my miles while cycling on the road. This past year I spent more time on off-road trails and, thanks to the 4″ wide tires of my Surly Necromancer, I also spent a lot of time riding in snow, mud and on the sandy beaches around Lake Michigan (OK, sometimes I was actually riding in Lake Michigan).

Fun In The Snow With My Surly Necromancer Pugsley

On September 7 of this year I hit the 5,000 mark and thought I would probably pass 7,000 miles before the end of the year. However, that evening I came down with a virus that knocked me off my feet for twelve days! On the thirteenth day I still had a fever, but my legs were hurting so bad I just had to get back on the bike—so I rode 72 miles. While it felt good to get back on the bike, my average speed dropped by over 15% (it might have been because I still had a mild fever). It took me another two weeks to fully recover.

Once I knew I wasn’t going to set a new record I decided to spend more time weightlifting. Though I’ve used resistance training in one form or another for ten years, I’ve never taken it as seriously as I should have—I lift weights to develop core strength, not because I enjoy it. However, a few months ago I bought a set of Bowflex SelectTech 552 dumbbells and they work far better than I expected and I would highly recommend them to anyone.

I am 53 years old and work full-time. However, I have somewhat flexible hours so if I ride 50 or 60 miles in the morning it means I will be at the office rather late that night. All three of our sons are grown, so Cub Scout meetings and high school football games do not interfere with my cycling—and my wife is a very patient woman.

I often think about some of my friends who are in their 40′s but already taking medication for diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol. All I can say is, “There but for the grace of God, go I.” All of those diseases could either be cured or minimized by spending a few hours a week on a bike. How many chronic health problems in America could be cured by just diet and exercise? I’ve had friends die in their 50′s and I know the death certificate listed their cause of death as heart disease, but I have to wonder if it shouldn’t have read “suicide by inactivity.”

We all cycle for different reasons. Some ride for their physical health, others for mental health. Some people ride because they enjoy group rides, while others enjoy a quiet ride on the back-roads so they can work out their problems in solitude. Whatever your motivation for cycling is, I hope you can enjoy this new year on a good bike.

As the new year begins I want to thank God for my good health, Trek for making awesome bikes, and my wife for not looking at the American Express statements. On a related note, I have promised the love of my life that the next time my cycling results in me entering an ambulance I will tell her the same day instead of waiting a week (apparently wives like to know about stuff like that).

Yesterday I took my last bike ride for 2011 and ended the year having cycled 6,836 miles. Twelve months ago I set of goal of 5,000 miles for the year and I passed the target by such a wide margin that I am now qualified to run the Congressional Budget Office.

When I set my cycling goal for 2011 I had no idea that the worst blizzard in over 30 years would hit Chicago in February, followed by the one of the wettest springs in recorded history. I also didn’t plan on being knocked off of my bike for twelve days in June due to food poisoning. This past July was one of the five hottest months in Chicago history, but I was still able to cycle over 850 miles that month anyway.

When the temperature is hovering around zero or the wind is gusting at over 30 MPH it is very easy to tell yourself, “I’ll skip riding today and make it up later.” However, big goals are only reached by passing a lot of smaller goals along the way.

I am 52 years old and work full-time (about 50 hours a week). However, I have somewhat flexible hours so when I ride 50 or 60 miles in the morning it means I will be at the office rather late that night. All three of our sons are grown, so Cub Scout meetings and high school football games do not interfere with my cycling.

While there are many reasons to cycle I suppose most of us do it to improve our “quality of life.” That is, we want to live longer and healthier lives. Obesity is a national crisis in America and our health care system is overburdened as a result of people overeating and failing to exercise. I ought to know—I used to be one of those people who was committing suicide one meal at a time.

Since I am in a contemplative mood I want to add one more thing. Some cyclists pretty much ignore their families just to rack up the miles. If you are one of those people let me kindly inform you that you are an idiot. Your children are only young once so spend as much time with them as you can. It doesn’t take any extra time to eat healthy food, nor does it take all that many miles on a bike to keep your circulatory system in great shape. When your children are big enough you can have them join you for a ride. If you still need more miles, wait till they are asleep and ride at night (but don’t neglect your spouse either).