The stats are in! For 2012 I rode:
Distance: 3,690.11 mi (481.98 more than 2011)
Time: 351:18:48 h:m:s (only 7:18:28 hours more than 2011)
Elevation Gain: 343,260 ft (83,766 more than 2011)
I did spend quite a bit more time on the road in 2012, but still some good signs of improvement!
Currently I'm on my third day out of a three week rest period, and all I want to do is ride! Seriously, how do people go every day not doing anything active? I'm going crazy already and I'm not even half way through! In the meantime, this is a good time to go over my goals for 2013.
Goal #1: Weight!
Once again, the elephant in the room is power-to-weight ratio, because I was the elephant last year. After losing a sufficient amount of weight for my first race (which I won), I gained back much of the weight I had lost, started losing races, and wasn't able to get back on track. After counting every calorie and refusing to eat anything remotely bad for weeks, I would have mental break downs where I was binging and then had worse mental break downs after gaining a lot of weight (I gained 10 lbs in two days... I'm aware it was mostly water weight, but still, that's crazy). And that's what we call an eating disorder. I told myself winning wasn't worth not eating... which is true, but I think I can do both for 2013. Next year I'm approaching weight loss differently. No more counting calories. I know what I need to eat and more importantly what not to eat to lose weight. I would get upset every time my wife made something because I had to add all of into the calorie counter, and I HAD to know every calorie. This stressed both of us out... definitely not healthy. Also, I'm going to indulge once a week, but within moderation. Having a little bit of bad is much better than not having anything bad for weeks and then eating everything in sight. Limiting my beer intake! This by far was the biggest factor for me not keeping the weight off last year. And lastly, starting the weight loss early so I lose it in a slow, healthy way; which I am currently doing successfully. The hard part is when summer hits and there is less training to keep the weight off between races, and you seem to find reasons to drink and eat. I can only 'weight' and see how it goes.
Goal #2: Go Pro!
All I have to do to compete in the Pro class is cut off 30 minutes from my best race, and do it constantly! Simple, right!? Okay, maybe first step should be to spend 2013 getting on the podium in the class I'm in, and then maybe go Pro 2014, but you gotta dream big to go big.
Goal #3: More races... without killing myself.
So far I have 14 endurance races planned for 2013. I only did 7 in 2012, so quite a jump. That should help keep the weight off too!
Pretty lofty goals for 2013, but I'm not getting any younger. Training starts in January, and I'm ready to hit it hard! Can't wait for the first race in April!
