The New Year brings new cycling goals. Perhaps you have a major race on the docket and need to start training right away, or maybe you just want to get out on your bike more. Whatever your goals are for 2023, try to keep a few things in mind as you go about achieving them.
Reflect on the previous year. Think of at least 2-3 things that you did well on and praise yourself for doing them. What motivated you last year? Is that something you want to build on for this year or are you interested in something new? You can use a previous goal to push you even further in 2023. For example, if to riding in one Gran Fondo in 2022 was on your list, make it two Gran Fondo events in 2023.
Keep in mind that you do not need to start working on your new resolutions January 1st. Start when it works for you. Be sure you take the time to reflect and really think about what you want to do for the year before you just jump right into it.
It's easy to get ahead of yourself and want to go all out, but sometimes this can lead to setting unrealistic goals. Haven't ridden a bike in a few years/months and you want to break the Everesting record in 2023? Anything is possible, but this is likely too big of a goal and sets you up to feel like a failure if not achieved. Instead, think of adding things like, riding your bike for 30 minutes 2 times a week. Once you've done that for a few weeks and feel good about it, increase the minutes and/or days you are riding. Keep it easy in the beginning and increase intensity over time. Breaking personal records are manageable and rewarding goals worth celebrating.
It's difficult to achieve your resolutions if you don't have something to measure. If your goal is something along the lines of, 'I want to ride more in 2023,' make sure you know what that means to you. Is that riding every day? Riding 2-3 times a week? Once a month? For some, it can be about completing a specific race/event or setting a record. Figure out what that is and keep track. This gives you accountability and helps to keep you focused and motivated. If you don't keep track of your progress, you will not know how well you are doing.
Thinking positively has numerous benefits to our physical and mental health. Did you run out of time to do your goal this year or didn't complete your training for the week? Don't beat yourself up over it. Try to figure out why you fell off the wagon or didn't accomplish what you had originally planned. Think of the positives you have accomplished so far and reconnect with what drives you for the next year or even just the next week. Focus on gradual, continuous improvement.
Most of all, make sure you are having fun! These are goals and resolutions you set for yourself, not something someone mandated you to do. You wanted to accomplish them for a reason, so try to remember that and have a great time getting there.
Not sure where to start with your goals and resolutions for the New Year? Get inspired and motivated by what some of our employees have planned!
For 2023, my goal is to ride one totally new mountain bike trail/trail network in Colorado each month (when conditions permit) including scouting several sections of the Colorado Trail as training and familiarization with trail conditions for different segments with the goal of riding the entire Colorado Trail in 2024. For those scouting missions, I'd like to also start bikepacking more and dialing in my set up and skills.
Having been side-lined most of 2022, I'd like to get back to a more normal routine of riding and going on more group rides to make myself more of a social rider than I currently am.
My cycling goal for 2023 is to have fun and smile! I want to continue to build connections in the local cycling community, spend more time on new-to-me-trails, and commute by bike more.
I'm also looking at a few gravel events, and hopefully bikepacking adventures with friends.
I enjoy getting out to ride anytime and that's most critical to wanting to keep riding for me. Planning meetups with friends and joining group rides as well as the occasional lunch ride!
After several seasons with no races due to COVID, I'm looking forward to pinning a number on and doing some races. New Jersey has a pretty good Time Trial series with races all over the state, so I'm looking forward to competing in as many of those races as possible. I'd also like to race the Tour of Somerville crit again. I did it in 2019 and it is easily the biggest race in my area...lots of history and excitement.
I spent most of 2022 getting myself back in decent shape...I'm looking to just maintain that fitness through the winter and then hit the training pretty hard in January to start to get ready for the season.
Just like every year, my goal is to ride as much as possible and stay in good enough shape so I fit into a medium sized primalblends Flyte Suit. For motivation, I registered for the Lifetime Events LeadBoat competition which is a combination of the legendary Leadville Trail 100 and Steamboat Springs Gravel the same weekend.
I plan on training for these events like every other event but incorporating a ton of zone 2 work while maintaining a huge aerobic base going into the summer. This means purposely staying away from crit racing and insanely high paced group rides unless that is part of the weeks plan (which will be very rare). Dealing with the altitude will be the one factor that can't be controlled and integrated into a training plan. The zone 2 base will be very critical in controlling heart rate at altitude and not blowing up too soon during both days. I know how I felt the day after the Leadville Trail 100, so starting another epic race the very next morning should be nothing but interesting.
My main goals revolve around cyclocross; win WI State Masters Championship and finish in the top 10 (hopefully besting my previous 8th place) at cyclocross nationals. Placing well in gravel season, maybe even win an event! Possible gravel events include Rule of Three, Unbound Gravel, and Gravel Worlds. For cross, I'll do the Midwest Circuit including the Treck Cup, MN and WI state championships with the main goal of nationals in Louisville. I may hit up a gravel event in Italy as well.
To train/prepare for these, I plan to ride my bike...a lot. Mainly have fun through the process, cross train, yoga, and eating well. Having fun is critical, many racers forget about that part!
I'm at a different phase of my cycling career. My goal is to keep my love for the sport alive and continue to perform and have fun! Next year, I will become the owner/manager of the current team I race for, while still racing at the highest level. I also just got selected to be part of the Life Time Grand Prix 2023, which is 7 events on MTB and gravel bikes! Unbound Gravel, which is over 200 miles, is one of the most epic races included and will probably take me 12hrs if everything goes right!
My main discipline is cyclocross (1hr full gas), so training for these long events is opposite of what I'm used to and good at. Long events require many hours of training and being sure your nutrition/hydration is dialed; not to mention the mental aspect. Being on the bike for so long can be challenging for your head to not go all over the place. One of the goals will be to not cry too much on the bike for 2023.
