This year has been incredibly validating with respect to personal goal setting. I'm not a particularly goal-oriented person, but I have set and achieved a number of goals related to cycling in 2023. I rode 1-way on the Virginia Capital Trail back in May. I hit a metric century (100 kilometers) back in September. And this past Friday, less than 6 months after riding 1-way on the Capital Trail, I made it there and back. But that wasn't my goal! I wanted to ride 200 kilometers, about 124.27 miles, which is a significant distance in endurance cycling.
On this ride:
- I beat my previous longest ride (the 100k)
- I beat my previous total miles in a day (70.5 miles)
- I hit my first imperial century (100 miles)
- I crossed that 200km line with a final distance of 127.42 miles
- As this weekend draws to a close I find that I'm 500 miles away from hitting 6000 total for the year, having initially set a goal of 4800 miles.
I don't really like to brag and, for most of my life (including the present), I haven't had much to brag about anyway. Considering I was essentially sedentary 18 months ago, I'm pretty damned proud of how far I’ve come! I don't know when I'll have the time (or the luck of such good weather) to ride like this again, but I'm super grateful it worked out this weekend.