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2019 "Get In Shape" Workout Goals Thread

12K views 119 replies 19 participants last post by  Drew 
#1 ·
Time to get the ball rolling on the new season!

My goals:

1) Ride 5,000 miles, run 150 miles
2) Improve on my half marathon PR (2:28, should be easy)
3) Find a new "biggest climb" bigger than Greylock
4) Get my power/weight ratio over 4.0w/kg (currently about 3.55w/kg) by a combination of losing weight and building power.
5) prep for what will now have to be a 2020 Everesting attempt by either doing a half Everest this season, or doing a ride with an equivalent-or-greater elevation gain, of 14,514 feet.
6) Break 10 minutes on a Wachusett service road summit from the visitor's center to the top of the service road where it breaks off to the summit parking lot.
7) Climb more vertical feet than Chris, including his chairlift vertical feet, and get redemption for losing a bottle of scotch to him on betting on that this year.
8) Do a 200+ mile ride in a single day
9) Don't get hurt!

What about you guys?
 
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#80 ·
Average heart rate, and the time spent in certain heart rate zones, is a far more effective measurement of effort than whatever calories a piece of exercise equipment is reporting. It's also why many of use Strava; the relative effort it assigns to individual actives is really, really useful for tracking how much work you're putting in.
 
#81 ·
Yeah, this, though you also want to have some idea what your max is so you can accurately define heart rate zones. Absolutely go for broke either running up a long-ass hill wearing a heart rate monitor, or on a spin bike, and go until you think you're going to pass out, puke, or suffocate. Wherever your HR maxes out on that effort, that's a pretty good estimation. Barring that, 220 minus age is a pretty standard way to ballpark it.

Calories used the way you are are probably fine, but all my personal trainer friends bitch about Fitbits because the methodology isn't especially accurate (not to sell them short, they do fine based on the data they have, but without a direct way of measuring output it's just a crude estimate) and it encourages people to think about how many calories they can take back in after a workout, which is problematic if the estimation happens to be something like 10-20% too high (not uncommon). Time alone isn't great, because a 30 minute walk and a 30 minute threshold-zone run are going to have two VERY different impacts on your overall health and fitness. Time at a subjectively measured strenuously effort isn't bad, but again you have to be honest with yourself.

Really, the gold standard, if you care about tracking calories burned, is some sort of direct estimation of your energy output. If the spin bike you're on includes power metering, then awesome - that should get you pretty close, and as your heartrate tends to drop for an equivalent effort as you build fitness as your body is better able to handle the stress. But, that's uncommon and the serious spinners I know seem to care mostly about heart rate and cadence, so I don't imagine they're common.
 
#82 ·
My biggest hurdle with cardio is focusing on distance vs. calories/time, I always tend to lock in at "what specific increment can I do in XX" vs. "I should see if I can run for this long at this pace" but now that I know what I can do speed/distance wise, I'm desperate to change it up and just see how far I can go.
 
#92 ·
Well, looks like 45 mins is my new goal to get better at; and by better, I mean, just tolerate/enjoy doing :lol:

I kept a solid pace and ended at 4.5 miles in 46:30, but it was just like, a drag. I have no clue how people can do long slow distance style, you're not getring the best or either speed or distance, its some lukewarm middle ground, and as Bill Cutter would say, "so because you are lukewarm, I will spit you from my mouth."

Oh well, onwards and upwards
 
#99 ·
Just following the Laws of Fitness btw. :wub:

No effort is ever good enough, no mountain high enough, no valley loowwww enough, and no distance far enough to appease the cycling gods. :lol:
It is known. :lol:

I'll be the first to admit I was slacking the last three weeks - I was sick, and only really riding on commutes or doing rides with my girlfriend. Which, incidently, Chris kept encouraging me to do, saying how rewarding he finds riding with his wife, even if they're not fast rides. Now I think I know what he was up to! :idea:

(164.93 miles, sir, and when you ask why I didn't do another loop around the parking lot to get up to another 165, believe me, I considered it, but I honestly didn't think I could. :lol:)
 
#102 ·
Alright, so I have a decent routine going with early AM cardio classes, and my wife is training to do a 5K so I should probably start running a bit to get my joints ready for the pounding. :lol:

I decided to publicly announce/commit to this so I can actually take it seriously: I was inspired by the Joe Rogan podcast to do "Sober October" 2019.
It would be better if I had a network of buddies to do some kind of athletic competition with and to keep each other straight, but I'll just put it out here so I have some kind of friendly pressure. :lol:

If anybody wants to stay sober with me for the month, here's your invite. :yesway:

-No booze
-No pot or other drugs
-Consider cutting or eliminating caffeine if it's a problem for you
-Make a fitness challenge for yourself

My goal is exercise 5 days a week, including training for a Turkey Trot 5k next month.
 
#103 ·
Right on man. Before you start running regularly, do yourself a favor and go to a proper running store to get help picking the right running shoes. I don't mean some schlep at the mall who works at Foot Locker - find a dedicated shoe store that specializes in it. You might pay a bit more - like $90 at the shop vs. $75 on Amazon, but having someone put you in the right shoe makes all the difference in the world.

I used to hate running until I found a shop that took 15-20 minutes with me to figure out what shoe worked out the best. Then I ran a ton and lost almost 50lbs. Running sucks WAY less when it doesn't make your feet and shins hurt all the time.

Good luck man, go get it.
 
#105 ·
Right on man. Before you start running regularly, do yourself a favor and go to a proper running store to get help picking the right running shoes. I don't mean some schlep at the mall who works at Foot Locker - find a dedicated shoe store that specializes in it. You might pay a bit more - like $90 at the shop vs. $75 on Amazon, but having someone put you in the right shoe makes all the difference in the world.

I used to hate running until I found a shop that took 15-20 minutes with me to figure out what shoe worked out the best. Then I ran a ton and lost almost 50lbs. Running sucks WAY less when it doesn't make your feet and shins hurt all the time.

Good luck man, go get it.
Great idea mang, I haven't done that in probably 6-7 years. I ended up with the Brooks Beast last time, because I overpronate, however I'm going to ask to be fitted into a slightly less structured shoe because it felt like running on a platform. :lol:
 
#104 ·
I've been trying to add in Saturday to my routine of Tue/Thur/Sun, but god damn does it not want to happen :lol: Between 50-55 hr work weeks/commuting/the other gym days, by Saturday my brain wants nothing than more than to do absolutely fuck all on Saturday, even if it means picking up the 'around the house' slack on Sunday as getting myself back in gear for Monday.

But hey, I'm back into size 44s comfortably, so that's neat.
 
#107 ·
3Q check-in, I finished the quarter at 3,800 miles, more than any full year to date. I was exactly 1,000 in the first quarter and I think exactly 2,000 in Q2, so that means I did 1,000 miles each quarter for the first two quarters of the year and 1,800 for the third. Had I not broken my collarbone when I did I'd likely be in the mid-4000s right now, but even then after my B2VT make-up ride I'm ahead of track for 5,000 for the first time this year.

I haven't run a single mile this year, so I think that goal is out of the picture. I may try to NOT run a single mile in 2019, but I'm signed up for a 5k so that could be hard. :lol:

Other than that:

1) Ride 5,000 miles, run 150 miles On track for the riding, not the running
2) Improve on my half marathon PR (2:28, should be easy) probably punting on this one
3) Find a new "biggest climb" bigger than Greylockdone
4) Get my power/weight ratio over 4.0w/kg (currently about 3.55w/kg) by a combination of losing weight and building power.Last FTP test was two days ago, and I'm now up to 310, or about 3.65-7w/kg
5) prep for what will now have to be a 2020 Everesting attempt by either doing a half Everest this season, or doing a ride with an equivalent-or-greater elevation gain, of 14,514 feet. my collarbone put a damper in this, so far my biggest 1-day elevation is about 10k feet this season
6) Break 10 minutes on a Wachusett service road summit from the visitor's center to the top of the service road where it breaks off to the summit parking lot.Haven't had a chance to ride it once. I need to before year end, this may be attainable
7) Climb more vertical feet than Chris, including his chairlift vertical feet, and get redemption for losing a bottle of scotch to him on betting on that this year. Chris is up by 20-40k feet right now. Attainable, but it'll take some work.
8) Do a 200+ mile ride in a single day 165mi is the longest I've done this season, and this will have to be a next season goal simply because that was a 12-hour day and there isn't enough daylight in the days anymore, unless I find the world's flattest 200 mile course
9) Don't get hurt! Yeah, about that. :lol:

Other goals I added since:

10) Break 55 minutes on Greylock I cut my PR down from 58:23 to mid-57:51 this spring, a PR I haven't been able to touch since 2016. My FTP is roughly 3% higher now so assuming that equates to a 3% faster time that implies I should be able to do 56 minutes flat in a max effort. I'm on a faster bike too and the top is pretty flat, so if I get a still day and have enough in the tank to hammer the big ring for the flat mile before the final kick, maybe...?
11) Take the KOM on five segments up Winter Hill around my place. I've gone for two of them so far, and I'm 2-for-2 on them. Those were probably the easiest of the five though.
 
#108 ·
Been at it pretty decently since my Oregon trip despite mostly poor weather. On days I'm not really feeling it I've at least gotten out in the backyard with the dog and done some laps trying to work on manuals and bunnyhops as I haven't really learned good technique. (I mostly monstertruck on the trails). Also been doing some work on local trails adding some more difficult option lines to spice things up a bit. Unfortunately I landed a drop-gap a little sideways and absolutely mangled my back wheel. I'm not sure the rim is going to straighten out and I don't really have spare cash for a wheel build so I'm stuck to the rigid for the moment. Which is going to make fall riding a little more boring on one hand, but should also help fitness wise for next season.

My last couple fall/winters have been pretty lazy so I'm just going to go hard in the paint on fitness/technical skills and put myself in a good position for a great season on the trails next year.
 
#110 ·
Although right now I'm a bit slowed down because I just got a Lyme disease diagnosis. :ugh: So 3 weeks of antibiotics it is...
Ouch, that sucks - I honestly didn't know you guys had that in europe, or even ticks in general - I thought it was mostly an eastern US seaboard thing.
 
#113 ·
Minus the days I went on vacation recently, I've been locked in to my gym schedule, and while I've made improvements with weights, it's definitely noticeable with my runs. 45 mins don't seem nearly as long to run for, and my pace is fucking dynamite, this week has been 5 miles at no more than 45:15, with my all-time PR now at 43:30 somehow; like I was flying that day and didn't notice it at all, hit 5K in just under 28 minutes. I'd like to start doing a mile or so on my 'off day' so that I can start transitioning back to that and have a legitimate run.
 
#116 ·
Alright gents, its New Years Eve, where'd we all land in terms of goals?

I ended with a total of 216 miles over 49 runs since joining the gym on Aug. 10th. Since October I've been consistently doing 5 miles and yy fastest pace ever was 36:33, and tonight I ended with my 2nd fastest PR at 37:50 which feels good.

Next years goal is going to be just keeping this routine of going to the gym strong, and hopefully get it up from every two days to every other day I'm going. If I maintain at least the same schedule, I should break 600 miles, but again, I just want to keep working out.

Also, I bought Jeans in store for the first time in ...fuck, maybe a decade since I think even my last pair were ordered online. Size 40, when I was wearing a 46 with a belt earlier this year, with still a hair to spare, and holy fuck if those things dont make me look infinitely better than other pants I own. Now I just need khakis that make me feel that good and I can die happy :lol:
 
#117 ·
My goals for the year, color coded, green for the ones I acheived, yellow for ones I'll give myself partial credit on, and red for the ones I didn't.

Find something biigger than Greylock - done, Mt. Lemmon is now my biggest ever climb.
Break 55 minutes on Greylock - 54:21, blew through that one with some time to spare.
Break 5,000 miles - fell 99 miles short. Just didn't have it in me, because...
Outclimb Chris, including his chairlift elevation gain - I was 40,000 feet behind when I left for Spain in early November, and he got one final 9k day in on the lift. I came back, and just massacred my legs doing 70k feet of vertical in 6 weeks (Strava helpfully pointed out that their average user rode 25k feet of vertical in 2019, for perspective). I'm fucking cooked, but I did finish the year 5k in the lead and once I have a few more days to recover, I ought to be in pretty killer climbing shape.
Take 5 KOMs in my neighborhood running up Winter Hill, including one on my own street I broke a collarbone which put me behind a bit both on training and on not having a "fast" bike to ride until August, at which point I got sick and had a hacking cough for a month. Excuses, excuses. Of the 5 I rode three this year, took 2 of the three (including my street to the top of Prospect Hill), and am currently 3rd on the third, one second off the KOM. I'll keep working on this one in 2020.
Power to weight over 4w/kg. Nope. :lol: I'll need to do a final FTP test once my legs spring back a little to see where I ended the year, but more likely than not I'm still going to be around 3.7k/kg, which is a modest increase from 2018, but not as much as I'd hoped. Moving your FTP is hard, and while I lost weight, I didn't lose as much weight as I'd hoped this season.
Prep for a 2020 Everest attempt by doing a ride with at least a half Everest of elevation gain. Well, especially the last half of the year I did get a lot of climbing in, but my biggest single ride was 10k feet. Everesting is still a long term goal but probably more like 2021, where coincidentally I'll turn 40. Giving myself partial credit, though, for doing a ton of climbing, equal to roughly 10x up Everest, which is a great baseline to start training from for this coming year.
10 minutes on Wachusett I never actually got a chance to ride Wachusett this year. 10 minutes will be tough, but I'm confident I can beat my PR, at a minimum.
200 miles in one ride Ran out of time. Biggest was 165 in September, and while that was ectremely hilly and a flatter course might have given me a chance, it was also pretty clear that by that point in the year daylight was going to be a real constraint, and I didn't have the time to burn another vacation day before it got a lot worse.
Don't get hurt Yeah, about that... :lol:
run 150 miles, improve my half marathon PR I ended up barely running all year.

Still thinking about 2020 goals, so that can wait till we have a new thread.
 
#120 · (Edited by Moderator)
I haven't decided if I'm going there this spring or somewhere else (I'd like to explore some more, but I haven't decided NOT to, exactly), but yeah, it was an awesome climb. Never all THAT steep (until the final kick to the observatory), but it's a 20-mile stretch at an unbroken 4-5% and the air starts getting perceptively thinner towards the top in ways you begin to notice.

I came fairly close to this. 334 hours. :yesway: I workout 6 days a week almost every week, and try to get out an hour a day so I'll take it.

I don't want to interrupt Drew's victory lap about beating me in vertical with his virtual rides, but I had a rough last three months of the year with deaths in a family so I couldn't get out as much. :(
No arguments there, man. :( My year didn't exactly go as planned either, (snip snip).
 
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