The Year That Was

Well, I guess it’s time to look back at 2006 and see how I did compared to the goals I set out for myself. I’ve gone back to the post I put up on my old blog site way back on January 3rd of last year just to see exactly what my stated goals were. Let’s see how I did. Last year's stuff is in italics for easy reference.

So anyway, here's what I'd like to do this year:
- Participate in all four of the local cyclocross races (Knoxiecross). I would say "Race in...", but I know better than to think I stand much of a chance to be anything more than pack fodder.
OK, well, I did accomplish this goal, but I was right not to expect too much of myself performance-wise. Especially in the last race, in which I rode with a pulled muscle in my back.

- Ride in at least two century events. For those unfamiliar with the term, that means doing a ride of 100 miles or more in one day. I have done at least two each year for the last several years, so I shouldn't have a problem with this. I hope to do the Smoky Mountain Wheelmen Fall Century this year - I've done the last five except the latest, when I was out of the country. I haven't decided on the other one(s) yet.
Complete and total failure on this one. I had planned to do the 3 State 3 Mountain Challenge in June, but that plan disappeared into the ether when I re-broke my right collarbone mere hours before doing a 62 mile ride on May 20th. I then pinned my century hopes for the year on the SMW Fall Century in October, but that one also fell off of my radar due to my catastrophic crash on Labor Day and the subsequent surgery to repair that damage.

- Help organize my bike club's century, the English Mountain Challenge. This will be the 2nd annual event. I helped organize and also drove the SAG Wagon last year, so I won't get to ride (unless the organizers decide to make a test run...hmm).
This one I was able to do. I rode in the SAG Wagon again, this time with John B. I didn’t do a test run, though.

- Ride at least 2,500 miles. I had over 2,100 miles last year even though I missed most of October and November due to injury. This sounds like a lot, but Jon N. rode about twice that this year. Thanks to the Tour de Downtown Parking Garages, I already have my first 13.25 miles in the books.
Failure here as well. I achieved just over half of this goal. I spent way too many good-weather riding days on the Disabled List this year (rough estimate – 3 ½ to 4 months). But, just like last year, the Tour de Downtown Parking Garages gave me my first mileage of the year.

- Go on at least two unsupported multi-day tours by bicycle. I'd like to make one of them a camping trip.
HA! Yeah, well, this didn’t happen either. Mostly for the same reasons as stated above (on the DL), but I may not have found the time anyway.

- Ride my mountain bike at Tanasi and Panther Creek. Most of my mountain biking buddies talk about doing rides at these two places, but I've never been to either. This is the year.
I got to ride at Tanasi. That was fun, even though I was having bike trouble at the time (rear shock died). Panther Creek still eludes me.

- Ride the Virginia Creeper with Mrs. Guy (by tandem). We were supposed to do this in November, but I was still in a sling. We still made the trip, but only walked part of the trail while our friends rode on it.
No, I didn’t get to do this either. MG and I rode less than 100 miles together on the tandem this year, and all of that was during cold weather months. Most of those miles came last month while we were in Florida.

- Participate in my first mountain bike race. I just hope I've got some good karma built up for this one.
Ah, now this is one I can proudly say that I exceed expectations on. I rode in not just one but two mountain bike races last winter, and I did much better than I’d expected to do (an 8th and 4th place finish, respectively). I wanted to ride in more, but my mountain biking was on hiatus from mid-April until late December.

- Lose 20 more pounds (at least). I was doing well until the crash, but I have gained more over the holidays than I'd like to admit. Still, I weigh less than I did at this time last year.
Well, I was on my way there, more or less. I struggled a little bit in the Spring after my April surgery, but was able to keep from gaining more than I could easily lose again after. I was in pretty good shape going into the Fall up until the Labor Day debacle. I lost September and October on the bike, and part of November. By the time I was back to the bike the days were to short for me to ride during the work-week, and the weekends were cluttered with other obligations as well. One ride a week was about all I could muster, and that just isn’t enough to counter the effects of the holiday season on my wasteline. Comparing what I weigh now to what I weighed then, I’ve actually had a net gain of a few pounds, even though I’d lost a good bit during the warmer months.

So, where do I go from here? Well, some of my goals for the next year are a little different, though maybe a little more reasonable.
- I still want to ride at least 2,500 miles (12 down, 2488 to go).
- I still want to lose 20 or more pounds. Emphasis on 'more'.
- I won't be riding in the KnoxieCross races. They've grown to the point where I think I can best serve by dedicating myself to scorekeeping full-time. I'll still get some practice laps in.
- I'm already helping organize the bike club's century ride for this year.
- I've been talking to John B. already about trying to do another unsupported multi-day tour, maybe from here to Blowing Rock, NC. And we've started thinking about a supported multi-day tour on the Natchez Trace Parkway (a suggestion originally from John H.)
- I haven't decided about more mountain bike racing this year. MG might not think much of that, and my conditioning stinks right now as well.
- I want to ride in one, maybe two, century rides.
- I want to finally take MG on that Virginia Creeper ride on the tandem.
- I want to avoid further visits to my orthopedic surgeon unless they are purely social calls.

I think that's a good enough list for now.