Goals and a very other things?

[Kovu]

Okay so another annoying Kovu question.

I haven't cycled for nearly over a month now, I was ill and just didn't have time. But now i am motivated and ready for it. Starting back again on Monday I am to cycle regualray out on my bike and can not wait. Just wondered if anyone could help me with some questions?

1. What kind of Goals should I be setting?
(I know this vaires from different people, but i wasn't setting any goals previously)

2. How many miles should I be doing a day and how long should i aim for?
(Again i know this vaires, but justa rough idea would help, I will cycle from monday - thursday, so 4 days a week)

Thanks as always for putting with me

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

1. What kind of Goals should I be setting?

Your goals can be whatever you want them to be, but if you are going to set them make sure they are specific, measureable and achieveable....don't decide to win the TDF on your first day out.

2. How many miles should I be doing a day and how long should i aim for?

I dont know how fit you are, your age, where you ride, what you ride on etc...but I suggest you take a day and just start riding, see how far you get (remember you have to get back!)

 

[Elmer Fudd]

I'd do as BTFB says, perhaps pick a loop e.g 3 miles, if your ok, go round again etc.

 

[Twenty Inch]

Okay so another annoying Kovu question.

I haven't cycled for nearly over a month now, I was ill and just didn't have time. But now i am motivated and ready for it. Starting back again on Monday I am to cycle regualray out on my bike and can not wait. Just wondered if anyone could help me with some questions?

1. What kind of Goals should I be setting?
(I know this vaires from different people, but i wasn't setting any goals previously)

2. How many miles should I be doing a day and how long should i aim for?
(Again i know this vaires, but justa rough idea would help, I will cycle from monday - thursday, so 4 days a week)

Thanks as always for putting with me

Goals: depends what you want to do. Are you training for an event? Cross-training for another sport? Trying to build up core fitness or lose weight?

I think that there's a set of questions you need to ask yourself about why you are cycling. THe answers you get from that will help you set goals.

For instance, when I was a triathlete, I wanted to compete in a half-Ironman. My goals were to build up fitness to that extent - so incremental distances, running straight after cycling home, swimming and then cycling back from the pool.

Now I have a proper job, my goal is to keep my weight down, maintain fitness and enjoy my cycling. I cycle slowly to work and fast back, and try an dget a longer ride in once a week just to get my weekly mileage over 100 miles.

Try to work out why you are cycling, and other answers will come.

 

[domtyler]

Have you thought about entering a few events? Audax, Sportive, TT, RR etc.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

I dont know if this helps at all but this is what i ride each week at the moment on a daws galaxy:

Mon 20km (night ride)
Tues 35km
Wed 35km
Thurs 35km
Fri 90km
sat 35km
Sun rest day

...sometimes I swap the 90 km ride onto another day depending on how I feel. On the 90km ride I tend to drink one bottle of lucozade sports drink on the return leg. I ride in Essex, there are no serious hills on my routes but there are some challenging 'slopes'

 

[Kovu]

Cheers guys. Here's a few stats on me, just if it helps a bit.

• I'm basically cycling because i enjoy it and I want to get my fitness better (bad grammer there)
• I ride a Mountain Bike - 27 wheels. though I have a mountain Bike I rarely go off roads as I prefer to ride on roads
• I'm 15 years old, am nto particularly fit at all at the moment, but I don't want to cycle to lose wieght. I'm at the ideal stage of wieght, so Im okay with that.
• As I am only young, not really aiming to be brilliantly fit. Just fitter.
• Not too sure about doing events personally, not something I have considered.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

I prefer to ride on roads

...you may be better off with a road bike then perhaps?

 

[Kovu]

I'm getting a road bike at christmas hopefully

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

..ain't Santa great?!

 

[col]

Eleven weeks on tuesday.

 

[monnet]

I always had a road bike as a kid but it wasn't until I was about Kovu's age that I started cycling for pleasure rather than transport/ mucking about. At the time I wasn't particularly cycling fit (I did a fair bit of weight training and a bit of walking/ hiking with the scouts). That's just to give you an idea to compare with your own situation.

When I started cycling I began with a 15mile and a 20mile circuit (both fairly flat). From there I found a few extensions, taking the distances up to 25-30 miles and also found a few hillier routes too. If you get your road bike at Christmas then start out with 15-20milers on the flat and by spring you should be ready to extend/ go for more challenging terrain. A regret I have of those times was that I sort of stopped at 30 miles - I was fit, riding fast but never really upped the distance so I got into a bit of a rut. So, make sure that when it starts getting 'easy' you need to add a few miles or hills, or both.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

if you can ride for 30 minutes a day at a rate that keeps your heart rate elevated, not only will you get fitter, but 30 minutes will result in goinn further and further, to the point at which you want to do even more and do something like join a club.

 

[snorri]

I'm getting a road bike at christmas hopefully

Good luck there Kovu!
Now snorri goes in to boring old fart mode and recommends a good book for you

http://www.cyclecraft.co.uk/book.html

Keep safe!

 

[Kovu]

Thanks everyone. Thanks Snorri, I'll have a look at it.

Iv'e decided to have a goal of being able to do 100 miles in July, without stopping. I have smaller goals towards that which should help me be more motivated.