The Goals

Goals are good, goals are fun, goals give an added purpose to all the fun.

I’d normally try to sign up for a couple of events or sportives during the year so I had something to be fit for early in the year and then something to maintain it for later in the year. I used to find that I’d struggle June/July because I’d have a bad hayfever/asthma week in June and then lose all momentum, take ages to get back to it and then it’s October, so by trying to find an event in July/August it gave me an incentive not to slip into lazy mode.

Oh and holidays! What a way to break all momentum and good habits!

So obviously I’m looking at around 10 months off the bike realistically by the time I get back on and while there’s plenty of motivation having a fixed date/ target is really going to help keep me focused and recover in the right way. By the right way I mean in as much time as it takes under the guidance of my physio, surgeon and Spok’d.

2020 I got a place on the Fred Whitton, covid cancelled that so my place got deferred, obviously I don’t stand a chance of getting back for it this year so they’ve deferred my place to 2022 for me. Being one of the most popular events in the country, and one of the hardest, having got a place through the ballot there’s no chance I’m giving it up!

So first and foremost that’s my return from injury goal. If I get to the start line I’ll be happy. Plenty of time.

I was supposed to ride the Paris – Roubaix challenge last year too. I’ve still got my entry for that but I’m undecided as to whether that would be unrealistic to attempt that as well as the Fred. So I’ll keep that in my pocket as a bonus card.

One thing I have decided is that regardless of how I actually get an entry, either through the ballot or one of the tour providers – I’m going to enter the Maratona dles Dolomites. I tried to get in last year, it’s a proper bucket list event for me and I owe myself a treat! I know I could book it myself, go at any other time but it’s not the same and is too easy to back out of!

There’s other events I’ll try to do depending on dates and availability like the Struggle Dales and Moors but having ridden those I have to prioritise.

For this year I need to get back out on the road and regain some fitness. We used to do a lot of walking too so that’s a goal. I want to get back to exploring the Dales and not being out on my arse after climbing the stairs!

I want one of the three peaks this year, maybe do the Yorkshire three peaks next year but that’s a bit more flexible. I’ll aim for the one to start and see how things go!