>I set some targets back in January. They were designed to be challenging and this is reflected in the fact that I missed most of them. This season has turned out pretty much the same as last. This is, perhaps, not that surprising in that I fell back into old habits of training and racing. I did, however, reduce the total racing load (1009 miles this year, 1303 last) in an effort to produce more quality rides.
- Beat 23:00 for a 10 mile TT by the end of the season.
- Sub goal: personal best (currently 23:37) by the end of the season
Target #2:
- Personal best for a 25 mile TT (currently 59:07) by the end of the season.
- Sub goal: beat the hour by the end of the season.
I was pleased to hit the sub-goal with a 59:50 in August. It was almost 25 years since I had last gone ‘under’. The speed for this time is exactly the same as the speed for my ’10’ time above.
Target… forgot to put this one in:
I was pleased to ride a PB for 30 miles in June. 1:12:44 on the Bentley course is a good ride for me.
Target #3:
- Average 22+mph for the BBAR distances by the end of the season.
- Sub goal: personal best (last 3 seasons) for 50 miles (currently 2:06:03) by the end of the season.
- Sub goal: close to personal best for 100 miles (currently 4:24:14) by the end of the season.
- Sub goal: close to personal best for 12 hours (currently 238ish miles) by the end of the season.
A big fail on these targets with a DNF in my only ‘100’ and no 12 hour entered. My ride of the season, however, was a PB at 50 miles of 2:03:08 in June. I was pleased with that.
Target #4:
- Finish, on average, in the top third of finishers in solo time trials during the season.
A big fail here as well. Last year I finished, on average, 55% of the way down the finish list. This I averaged… 55%. Doh! In fact I was about 0.6% worst, but I’ll call that statistically insignificant. A poor start and finish to the season let me down, but the pattern was not dissimilar to last year.
I set no targets for circuit and road racing and that’s just as well really. An even worst season than last year.
When I set next year’s targets I think I need to concentrate on the process as much as the ends. It’s more difficult to stick to a plan that to formulate it.
With the house move hopefully taking place in the New Year, it’ll be a little while before I have a sense of what next year’s season will be like. I may delay setting targets until later in the year. That said, training has started and there’s even an embryonic schedule in place.
Lance Woodman 