The three answers to your question are: no, no and it depends.
1. What is your definition maintaining current form? Or rather, what is your definition of “form”?
Once you’ve defined it, then you can see how to measure it.
Is it form, as in TSB, or a physical condition like in form to race, or something else.
2. Your goals are “your” goals, not someone else’s. If you define it and own it, then you might need help setting process/step goals to help you get to your desired outcome.
I would agree that finishing the CTCT and 947 comfortably could be a bit vague. Finishing with the start group is a little more specific, as it allows you to start in a group you feel comfortable to ride with.
As for a comment on distance, it can be a dangerous metric. Chasing miles can be fatiguing, just for the sake of getting there at all costs. Speed can vary, especially now that you’re riding with a group as opposed to on your own, so you might be able to achieve the 10k total mileage with less hours/rides. But it can be an applicable goal, eg. I want to do 100 imperial mile rides by the end of 2029 (an Eddington score of 100; in miles). I was on 36 at the end of 2024, so 64 means 13 per year, or one every 4 weeks, as a way to spread it out and make it achievable. So every year, I have a review of where I am and what adjustment I need to do to get there. Would I have failed if I only get there in 2030? No, the goal is 100 rides of 100+ miles.
As for motivation, my tips are:
- find, and do, things that are enjoyable.
- stop doing it before boredom sets in. This way it’s like an “addiction” but without the need to keep doing it.
- write it down, and have a way to show progress. I’ve shared two of my visual charts showing progress on some goals.
100 imperial miles - automatically updates after each ride, using the Intervals APi.
The challenge I set my daughters to complete the Versus Back to Base running challenge. They walked/hiked and ran 50km while on holiday last year, so I asked them if they wanted to do it “officially” this year. For my older daughter, she fell in love with cross country at school, so this is part of her conditioning for netball and cross country this year.
