Take a new approach toward getting fitter and faster in the new year

Setting firm goals just doesn’t work in these uncertain times. But that doesn’t mean giving up on getting fitter and faster in the new year. The road ahead, the right road, is in fact paved with the best intentions

Setting firm goals just doesn’t work in these uncertain times. But that doesn’t mean giving up on improving on the bike. The road ahead, the right road, is in fact paved with the best intentions

Let’s be honest: any resolutions you had for 2020 likely got chucked out the window the day lockdowns began, or when you realized that your racing season wasn’t going to happen, or when it became apparent that, in addition to still working your day job, you were also now in charge of home-schooling your kids. In short, for most of us, 2020 was probably not the banner year we were hoping for.

While 2021 might see the return of some degree of normal life, including training and racing, it’s hard to set specific goals and make resolutions when the future – as if life were a slightly broken Magic 8 Ball – is hazy. But instead of asking again later and waiting on those goals for 2022, consider setting more general intentions for this year instead. (And let’s get honest: 2020 wasn’t great, but even in past years, have resolutions ever really worked for you?)

Unlike resolutions or goals, intentions can be a bit more open-ended. You can consider them a bit more spiritual, a bit more “woo woo,” a bit less “get me to the finish line.” Intentions are more expansive, and can actually help push you to even bigger wins than a set resolution can. They’re also more internally structured, while resolutions tend to be linked to external goals.