It's that time of year again to look ahead for next year, pick some goals, and start training towards them.
I think the big lessons that I learned this year are that I prefer to pick my own races (no series-type goals) and that I need numerical performance goals to train towards and use those performances to get results, not to aim directly for the results. You can train towards a power-at-duration goal much more easily than you can train towards "win this race" because you never know who will be there and what their fitness level will be. I did that much better in 2013 than I did this year.
In previous posts I've mentioned that I plan to rework my body composition, aiming to change my current 171 at 17.5% into 164 at 12% by getting into the gym. Of course, I am looking at more cycling-specific goals as well. Here are a few possibilities for next year:
Church Creek Time Trial
This 40K (24.8 mile) race on a pan-flat course was my primary goal for 2013.
My goal that year was simple: finish in under an hour. I far exceeded that goal, finishing in 57:42, a averaging 25.8 mph and a power of 260 watts.
For 2015, I'm aiming for about a 10% increase in power to 285 watts. That should let me finish just under 56:00 (55:54 to be exact), a speed of 26.6 mph. Looking at results from recent years, that would put me in 3rd or 4th place.
That gives me definite numbers to aim for throughout the winter. If I
achieve them, I will have a great a fitness level that will help with
other goals.
I also like that this race is held twice: once in June and once in August, so I have two chances to try it. The second one is a bit more competitive because it is the Mid-Atlantic Bike Racing time trial championship, a multi-state championship that covers Maryland, Delaware, DC, and eastern Virginia.
Philly Time Trial
This 8.1 mile, mostly flat race on West River Drive in early June has been one of my favorites for almost as long as I've been riding and I've ridden the course more times than I could count. My best result in this race was in 2013, when I was in 4th place with a time of 18:09 with an average 26.7 mph at 284 watts.
If I can improve that power by the same 10% as my 40K, I would be at a blazing 312 watts, which should put me around 17:35 (assuming the winds aren't too crazy), an average of 27.6 mph. In most of the recent years, that would be a winning time.
PA State Time Trial
While neither the course nor the date has been definitely picked for next year yet, it will most likely be roughly 25 miles over rolling hills (since that's the terrain for most of PA) in June or July.
The rolling course will work against me. Even with the weight loss, I'll be a good bit heavier than other riders that I'll be competing against, most of whom will be in the 140 to 150 pound range. Still, the power output increase that I'm working towards should help me get a decent result.
I'd love to see a Top 3 finish this year, but it will depend on the course. Hopefully that will be a stepping stone to win it in 2016.
Other Test Races
I'll want to do a few races just to make sure that I'm making the progress I need in order to reach my primary goals. That will probably mean doing some of the NJ time trials that were primary goals for me this year. Races like Allamuchy (8.1 miles) and the NJ State TT (25 miles) could be good races for me to see just where I'm at. I'll probably do a few others just for fun, but I'll be picking them based on what the weather is like and whether I feel like driving that weekend.
You might notice that I'm looking at three state championship events. It's not entirely by accident... I'm doing them to get information. As a long-term dream goal, I'm looking at what it will take to finish on the podium of (or win) all three races in the future.
I'm pretty comfortable with these goals for 2015. I have specific numbers to hit for my weight, body fat percentage, 20-minute power and 60-minute power. Taken together, they should lead to solid racing results.
Now I just have to do the work to reach them!
