It’s just hitting me now that we are at the edge of 2020 and can start forgetting about this interesting year we have had.
As cyclists, we are tremendously lucky to be in Taiwan where we can cycle outside and not have to wear masks while riding.
Going forward, in 2021, I won’t put a km goal as that really pressures me until the end of the year to log in some mileage.
I hope to have time to do around the island or at least do a slow tour of the east coast and include SuHua Highway in that trip. I did huan dao last year in December with a few friends, but due to a prior engagement, our trip had to be 6 days and 5 days of riding. I did not see much of Taiwan…it was mostly 5 days of looking at my cycling computer and making sure we made check in time at our destination.
I am going to add, stay healthy, injury free and recover correctly after rides, no matter what the intensity of the ride!
I have 3 hard months of leg and lower back rehab in front of me. Then another 3 months to cement that work in. I was planning on doing the English Channel swim come September but that looks doubtful. Probably have to push that one out to 2023 if all things go well. So that means getting back on the bike this year. I’ve got an ok bike sitting there that needs some work. Stripped back, new paint job, rims, and gears. So if the next 3 months go well I guess I’ll be riding to work after that. Hopefully get back to my 200km per week average by the end of this year.
I did Wuling last year. I barely made it. I walked quite a bit in the last 10km but people say it counts so I’m going to say I did it. To be honest, it was a bit nightmarish and it does not play to my strengths (of rides of no more than an hour). So this year, I want to break my pr up Xiwan Road (that main 10k segment). I came surprisingly close last year by riding on the wheel of someone on a second time up the mountain. I was about two minutes off. Not bad, I think, for a second, consecutive time up the hill. It made me think I can beat it.
The road is close to my house. I can leave in the morning and be back before everyone wakes on a Saturday or Sunday morning. Perfect for me.
It’s definitely not my forte, but at well under one hour (my pr- okay I’ll say it - is a bit under 50 minutes), it’s a goal I can really tackle and enjoy trying. Multiple hour rides just aren’t my thing!
I added a bit. I was lucky enough to go through 2020 with no crashes and no injuries. I hope to be able to continue that trend going into 2021. Life really sucks when you can’t cycle due to injury.
I have noticed that I do not recover as fast as I used to. Factors include, but are definitely not exclusive to age and stress. I know if stress levels keep increasing and I do not eat, cool down and stretch correctly, I will definitely be more prone to injury. So my new goals run hand and hand!
I plan to try the KOM again this year pending how busy work gets. I also want to explore more off-road trails and get the buddhist hand done in under 5 hours.
, but a goal is better than no goal.