Shamelessly stealing Rob's post (which is a great idea...), a quick review of the resolutions to date this year
Fitness/Cycling
1) Sub-23 minute 10 mile Time Trial - first time trial of the season was yesterday, unfortunately I was a DNF due to a puncture in the first 2 miles. It was a tubular (tub) tyre, so it costs about £100 to replace and attach, which is a pain. Looking into Time Trial Clinche wheels instead...
2) Sub 5-hour 100 mile ride (really hoping for that RideLondon place!) - I got the place in RideLondon, which is in August, so I'll be using that as my target event. A couple of weeks ago I did a 100 mile ride in 5h30 (not counting stops), though that was a pretty hilly ride, and I spent the last couple of hours pulling people along.
3) Achieve Power/Weight ratio of 5, maintain throughout the season (April - September) - on target. Hit "dry" weight of 64kg in March, and did a power test at 338w...this equates to a power/weight ratio of 5.002w/kg. The next month will be working on transferring this "lab power" to the road.
4) Beat every hill I face - On target. Got round the Fred Whitton (a 112 mile ride in the Lake District that goes over the "big 6" mountain passes), and next week I'm off to battle Sierra Nevada. Also have planned a trip to France/Alps, and a week in Mallorca
Arts/Literature
5) Read works by 4 new authors - bit slow here, though I'm not in my normal "reading season". Done one author (Richard Ellis Preston Jr...2 books based on a Steampunk setting). Currently catching up on some authors who I'm a bit behind on.
6) (vague) Be aware of new music, add to collection where appropriate - not done too much on this one...once I'm riding outside more I'll get some new music on the playlist.
Life
7) Survive holiday with Gill's family - This is in June/July. Main challenge at the moment is finding a hire car that can fit the bike!!
8) Adopt and maintain a long-term healthy diet - On Target. I'm currently maintaining a weight of 64-65kg...I fluctuate by a kilo or so a day, mainly due to stomach and food weight. I tend to drop weight throughout the week, and gain it at the weekend. I'm not currently on strict calorie counting, instead trying to self-regulate intake.
Comments
I have been wondering, if I were to lose enough weight, train and get a good-ish road bike, could I beat Pete in a cycle race?
After reading the above, no, never, what feck was I ever thinking! Not unless I am allowed to fit some kind of improbability drive to my bike; or he gets an unlucky puncture.
Nah, it's all down to 3 things;
I'm definitely not some genetic outlier with super-human capability. I am extremely average in terms of responsiveness to physical training. As such, anyone could do it, they just have to want to. No-one on this forum is really old enough that there is any noticeable physical drop-off (and there are plenty of elite-level athletes well into their 40's to back that up).
Bang on. Mind over matter. And Pete has always had a bloody-minded-over-matter to a level that I admire.
Great progress on your targets, mate. :)