I want to create a topic so people can share and discuss their 2019 goals.
My goals are:
Maintaining fitness. I have a newborn son terrorizing my home, so I noticed that gaining fitness is very hard. So hard actually that I run myself into the ground… So maintaining is the goal. Maintenance should keep me in the 3,8/3,9 watt/kg ballpark.
Do a 385 km ride in one day. You have specific cycling routes in the Netherlands. The one I want to do is the LF7b. This runs from Maastricht (South eastern tip) to Bergen (North western tip) in the Netherlands. Most of the times you are cycling next to rivers, lakes, canals etc.
With some friends going for the Amstel Gold Grandfondo 150 km. Nothing hard or racy. Just for fun.
2018 involved a lot less work than I’d ideally like (I’m a freelancer currently), which meant that I’ve spent the year doing more miles than I’ve ever done before and building a massive aerobic base.
In 2019 I hope to work a lot more, and focus my training on shorter but more intense sessions to build on that base in Feb/March.
Then my goals are to get closer to a sub-20min 10mile TT, and - because I’ll be 40 and eligible for veteran categories - enter a few road races.
And I’d like my FTP to go from “about 4 w/kg” to “definitely 4 w/kg”…
Sub 22:30 10 mile/16km time trial w/ TT bike (this year 24:32 on road bike, no clip ons)
Sub 1:00:00 25 mile/40km time trial w/ TT bike (this year 1:02:24 on road bike, no clip ons)
Top 10 overall in TT league
Create a breakaway that sticks in a crit, with aim of top 5 finishes
On the way:
Achieve proper consistency in training
Increase FTP from last seasons peak by 5%
Improve diet/nutritition massively - this is my biggest downfall… At 193/194cm I find it hard to achieve a high w/kg, but my terrible diet does not help with this.
I reckon you could smash those targets on a TT bike if you’re going that fast on a road bike and no aerobars. What sort of power do you do? And what course are you looking at?
I agree but my adaptation to the TT bike is the key component… Race mostly up in the Fife tt league so it would be the Freuchie 10 and 25 courses… last seasons times were set with 328W avg. for the 10 mile and 317W avg. for the 25… Can’t remember NP but it was within 5w for both.
That’s it! Think that was my first crit where I ‘nearly’ held my own, but got dropped on the last 2 laps… Following year I lasted 3 minutes trying to race whilst sick… This year I had the legs and then raced it like a total dumbass for 11th
I found that doing the weekday sessions of Sustained Power Build (with weekend rides mostly outdoors on road bike) on the TT bike was more than enough to get me used to getting power out in that position.
Admittedly on fast courses, but I’ve done a 20:47 10mile with 283 watts and a 55:12 25mile with 258.
If your courses are more technical and hilly, I suppose the gains from a TT bike might be reduced a bit. But with those power numbers I’d say you have every chance of hitting the targets.
@Bestevaer I have targeted 400 a week for the last 18 months and have had a CTL of 50-62 throughout - mostly around 55.
I retire next Spring and I expect to be able to do more training which is why I am looking at a higher TSS figure overall. Adding an outside ride on Fridays when I normally miss training will likely add 100-120 to the weekly TSS total. I know TSS is not everything but more outside riding will help.
My number one goal for next season is to find and maintain a good family, work, and training life balance. A new job with a commute and a baby have made this a new difficult goal for me. My more specific goals include:
Drop Weight and slowly raise FTP to achieve a 4.0+ W/kg (3.5 without weight loss last year before the baby)
Stick to a training plan throughout the year.
Eliminate junk miles and rides that throw off the training plan
State Crit and/or TT Champ (My stretch goal with the TT the more attainable)
Fun goal: Get all the Strava KoMs on my close by training routes.
@Brennus I have the same goal. Riding 385 km within 13 hours. A shorter period will be to hard, but longer will be to hard as well. So a 30/31 km/h average.
What do you do with preparation, calorie intake, support etc? I’m really interested…
And do you have an watt/kg you want to achieve before you start your 240 mile trip? Which TrainerRoad program will you be following?