Very nice video that I can relate to. I set yearly goals for cycling in 2023 after my Mom passed away as a way to deal with the grief and get focused on something to distract me. My goals were 10,000 miles and 1,000,000 feet of climbing. I achieved both goals in early December 2023. However, the euphoria was short-lived as I soon realized what you had stated in your video, i.e., why would anyone care about my mediocre goals. The reality is that they didn't. I got a brief "Yay Me" feel-good moment and that was about it. But working on those goals got me through a rough time in my life so I guess it was all worth it.
The numbers are good for measuring progress in a tangible way, but at some level it's just a matter of how much time you can spend doing it. 10,000 is a massive target, so congrats on hitting it. And condolences for your loss. The open road is usually good therapy, but I'm sure that one knocks everything off balance.
If you don't mind my saying ... Neal Walsh, of "Conversations with God", accomplished author and movie, once thought this too. No one interested? .......................... maybe watch the movie. Thank you for your share.
You somehow taught me a lesson I did not know I needed. 71 years old and have cycled fairly aggressively for my age for the last several years. Two months ago I just stopped, for no apparent reason. This video may have inspired me to get at it again. Thanks.
Quality text, editing, and a really fine soundtrack! Congratulations on the entire package, the rides, the chronicle. Being reflective is always a good thing. At 70, I did 7000 miles last year. I've been riding for forty years, covered maybe 180,000 miles. My best rides always happen in my head.
Nice story ! Real person with average goals, sharing real life experiences & struggles that as cyclists we all go through. Well done & thanks for sharing your story.
Thank you for sharing this. The algorithm pushed this into my recommended list at just the right time. I too enjoy cycling, but never really have goals associated with it. It is my 'get away' place, whether with friends or solo. Your video and the music, made me appreciate all the more what I have through cycling. Thanks. And well done on the 4,000 miles.
Just stumbled on your channel. I can’t believe how relevant your videos are to my life! I just turned 60 and I’m struggling with direction. I love riding bikes, it’s the only constant throughout my life. Thank you.
Struggling, why? Because you are bored with your mundane life or because of your damaging focus on a number 60? Do your self a big favor, forget your age and obey your soul, it is in charge of your attitude, good, bad or of seeking new adventure. Buy a new style bicycle, go hiking, get an active breed of dog for companionship on those back woods trails. Find a new and exciting challenge. Help others, it always helps to bring a smile.
Well done. It's not always necessary to be something amazing, or to always keep doing something crazier. This was a good video, one I will definately be sharing out.
You ground out all of these rides AND, IF THAT WERE NOT ENOUGH, you created the music and you produced this remarkable testament using Audacity and Shotcut on a Linux platform. Bravo!
I set out to ride at age 50 to avoid cholesterol meds. I'm a month way from 70 years old now and still riding. Conservative estimates put me at about 70,000 miles and counting. Almost three times around the earth. I now attempt to ride 50 miles per week. I plan to ride until I no longer can trust my balance. I've gone from racing bike to endurance bike to now a gravel bike for increased safety. I ride because I love it. I ride because I'm an athlete at heart and want to always be. It is not a personal challenge for me, albeit to remain consistent is, as what other sport can one feel fast at my age? Anyway, I commend you for taking on and completing the challenge even through sickness and other life situations. If I set out to run X miles, it would be a similar grind for me and I'd never make it. You did. Thanks for sharing this video journal on two wheels and for the musical compositions! Godspeed!
And then there's this retired German engineer who invented the "sollso" because of his balance problems. The TV clip showed a young lady suffering from MS who was about to stop cycling altogether because her nerve condition made it Harder and harder to put down her feet quickly enough. On a "sollso" the feet stay near the ground. "Sollso" is from the German ""Soll das so sein?" Is it supposed to be like that?" question asked by a young guy in the pensioner riding his prototype, a bike without pedals. Which in fact the origin of bikes. Love it.
Great story about your journey. I started down the endurance goal path back in 1980 when I started running. I’m now 68 years old and still create new goals for each year. I’ve been fortunate to have finished an Ironman 140.6, a couple of Boston Marathons, and even managed to ride on a team that finished Race Across America in 2021. That year, I rode my bicycle 9,600 miles. My bike miles in 2023 was down to 5,300 miles and that’s ok. Oddly enough, my goals these days are more about perseverance and having more fun riding, running, or swimming with my kids. I’ve encountered so many challenges along my journey including a cancer battle which actually sharpened my focus even more to keep moving forward with faith, family, and friends as my companion. Even with six anchors after three surgeries on my right Achilles, I still run. So yep, keep setting those goals and keep moving forward to the next one you set. Cheers. Thank You.
I don't know why your video popped up as a recommended but I watched it as because the title sparked my curiosity. I do not bike other than some trail riding here and there but the last few years I was on a fitness kick at the gym setting goals and breaking them until I peaked and plateaued. You can say I throw in the towel and gave up 6 months ago and regretted it every day. The motivation is gone and I keep using my age as an excuse along with a sore body... This video, your words are inspiring.. especially how you say better then your normal... I like that.. thanks for that
Thanks for this video! This kind of expression is a great example of personal filmmaking. And your music was a nice bonus. Seems to me you don’t need to be so hard on yourself! (External validation is beyond our control. Measure with an internal ruler. I take heart in stoic thinking.) Had a lot of thoughts like these last year as I trained for the most populous ride, a 500 mile 1 week ride across Iowa called RAGBRAI that has spawned a lot of videos. Cheers
Thank you. I too fell into the rabbit hole of pushing myself harder and harder - David Goggins inspired go hard every day - only to end up feeling broken and sore. I'm in my 68th year and sometimes forget that my body can no longer meet the goals my brain sets for me. I'm trying to find a middle ground - a space where I can be appropriately fit for my advancing years - and where I can wake up in the mornings feeling strong and not wincing with aches and pains. Great video - I really enjoyed it - thank you.
Wonderful series of videos, so well said, shot, and thought provoking. I throughly enjoyed them all, and hope to see more this year… thank you! Cycling clears my mind of the mundane and chaos of daily life and stimulates my thinking and creativity. Many happy miles to you in 2024 and beyond.
Wow. 4000 miles in one year. To me, that is an achievement that ranks up there with hiking the whole Pacific Crest Trail. Hiking the whole Appalachian Trail. Hiking across America and back ( a lady just accomplished it). Living well until you are 100 years old. An achievement to be proud of, sir.
Congratulations! This is awesome. Last year I finished a huge goal for myself. I can say that I have ridden a bicycle in all of the 50 United States (and Washington DC.) It took me 5 years, 8 months and 1 day. I have TONs of go-pro footage and still pictures to document the rides, and I know how overwhelming video editing can be. Eventually I will get a relatively short video put together.....
That's quite a task! I'm sure you have a lot of great stuff to share after that. I'd love to do some more travel-based riding. Maybe this year I'll pick some destinations to try out. What would you say your top five states were?
Man, that ending was great, great video overall, congrats on the achievement, glad you learned something about yourself and that it gave you a new perspective
Thank you for the video and the great narration ! I logged 4000 miles on Dec 12th 2023. Started my log in march. So far for 2024 I have 300 miles logged thanks to the mild Michigan winter. Turning 70 this year. Shooting for 5 grand by years end. Keep it up!
This is so good. THANK YOU for not saying that your accomplishment proves that anything is possible if you just put your mind to it. I'm weary of that nonsense. But a lot IS possible with intention and consistent effort. Your suggestion of stretching and finding our limits seems much more authentic and deeply motivating than, "Anything is possible if you just believe."
Thank you for your thoughts about setting and making a relatively modest goal. Many you tubers seem to be stretching to do things unobtainable by a normal rider. While interesting, beyond what most of us can do. Good luck in 2024 and hope you can simplify producing videos.
Excellent video; should enter it ro any bicycle film festival or conference. Producing for my channel, I too found that editing and arranging a video of the ride takes longer than the ride iyself, so relatable. "No story, no ending, just a thing I'm doing" indeed.
First, very impressive achievement. Second, I can relate to the disappointment of setting a difficult goal and reaching it. This video is well done and tells a story that SHOULD be told. Having done similar efforts, I empathize and validate your feelings. 20 years later, I now gain a small amount of personal satisfaction from accomplishing something I wasn't sure I could.
My riding got a lot more enjoyable when I quit comparing myself to others. My goals are my goals, that’s all that matters. I enjoy riding with my friends for the ride and the friendship, not who’s the fastest. Thank you for posting.
Nicely done, setting goals and achieving them builds character, confidence, self-worth and a knowing in your heart and mind that if you want it, you can go get it. I just got back on my road bike at 64 after a long hiatus. I had to delete the drop bars to put risers on to make the bike more comfortable. I don't ride as hard, fast or far, but getting out there is what it is about. Clears the mind and is good for the body and soul. Just yesterday I just pulled the MTB out of the dark corner of my shed it has been hiding in to bring it back to life too. A video like this is good inspiration for me to keep pedaling.
I’m 69 and I’ve done about 100 miles in the last week. Cycling is very low impact compared to running and it’s a great activity to get into when you retire. Recently joined a cycling group and surprised to find the average age of the mid week cyclists is mid 60s!
An impressive journey in search of yourself. And you have found yourself in many ways, moreover you have found more than expected. Although the actual result might not seem as heroic as expected in the beginning of your journey, I believe that you came out a better and wiser person which is worth so much more than the pure physical result. Thanks for sharing this.
Congratulations! The real meaning though isn’t in your destination but your perseverance and journey to get there. Hopefully you learned more about yourself in the process.
Very nice video. Thanks for sharing. I set cycling goals at the start of each year and break these goals down by week and by month so I know how I'm tracking. These goals are personal to me, not shared, but they keep me motivated to get out there and enjoy the freedom of cycling most days of the year.
Understanding why we tend to set goals and pushing ourselves out of or daily comfort zones is a big thing. I found for myself, that my soul has a longing for it's blossoming and started to live in the moment only.
For what its worth: I regularly break down at the end of September, early October. Don't understand why. Well done for getting the job done in the colder and darker autumn months.
I enjoyed your video. I made a cycling goal to get me through a difficult time in my life. It gave me a positive healthy path to follow and focus on during a very challenging period. At the end completing my cycling goal I had the confidence and positive mindset to move on. Cycling is a wonderful.
I'm glad you did it. You only get one chance to do things like this. You'll never be 40 in 2023 ever again. So Congrats bro, and I hope when I turn 40 I'm able to do something similar. And maybe you'll pass me while I'm doing it, lol!
Congrats on meeting your goal. As others have noted, excellent production value on the video. I also record many of my rides with a handle bar mounted action camera, but I never turn the footage into a video. I was a runner, but age and bad knees pushed me to ever slower, more painful running. When covid hit 3 years ago and running events were cancelled, I turned to biking. I live in a flat part of the upper midwest (MN) and don't do much climbing on the bike. Except for a small group of yearly bike tours, most all of my biking is on paved bike trails. I don't want to ride on busy roads. I had a good friend and colleague die in a bike-truck accident about 12 years ago. I don't trust drivers. I did over 6500+ miles this year, a year in which I turned 70, and over the past four years I have averaged about 5800 miles/year. I can't say I ride as long as some of your rides, but I am consistent and usually top 200 miles a week. It is not for everyone, but it is nice to be outside and see the world changing each day.
I bought a new bike in late Feb of 2023 and eventually made a goal of 4k miles after doing 100+ miles/week during the summer. I had never really biked seriously before that. I only made it to 2,600 miles and ended up taking a 3-4 month break at the end of the year when the weather got bad. All that to say, I can understand how difficult this achievement is, so congrats. I am going for it again this year!
Congratulations! What an awesome accomplishment. 👏🏼
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Great story! I set goals too, and have usually been able to pull through. This year I've had a slow and frustrating start. But I'll get there. Perhaps, inspired by you, in late 2024 I'll tell my story too. Keep up the good work.
Congratulations! I’ve had a goal of 5,000 miles per year for well over a decade now. Sometimes I hit the goal, sometimes I exceed it and I’ve had several years where I’ve fallen short. I don’t beat myself up over it; each year presents unique challenges. My health, the health of my loved ones. Other life goals that intercede. It’s a whole package. As of today, I’m 250 miles behind schedule to hit my 5,000 mile goal for 2024; I caught COVID shortly after New Years and couldn’t ride for 2 weeks. This is my first week back riding at the volume I need to be doing. I’m not worried, I know by June I’ll be ahead of my goal… by October? Who knows? Hopefully I’ll make it through without too much turbulence and cross that goal line. Either way, I’ll have a good time riding my bike. 👍
Good video. 50 years ago I met Johnny who held the cross-Canada record for years. Wayne who broke that record. Gerry who used to do big touring events. And you are correct. Nothing miraculous happens from heroic athleticism. But if you like being outdoors with the scenery rolling by, don't hesitate to ride more, especially with friends.
Nice video. I can relate. Goals are what drive us. I am 68 and try and ride at least 4 times a week. Goal setting for me is critical as it is a motivator for me. Without that goal, it would just be way way to boring and not really enjoyable. I also encourage those beginners or average riders like myself, to enter some charity events. Getting in better shape for those metric centuries or an actual century ride is great motivation as you then are actually riding to accomplish that goal not to mention you are supporting a good cause. A few years ago, at 60, I put in 1,600 miles in less than 4 months in preparation to ride the hardest century in the southeast, the Assaults on Mount Mitchell in North Carolina. It was crazy hard work, but I managed to complete it. But without that goal setting, I would never have attempted a 11k vertical century. Keep going. It doesn't matter who gives a crap except you. Ohh, if you do those charity rides/events, keep your ride number! I have made a wall in my man cave that is filled with my ride numbers along with my Assaults jersey and medal. Often when I am watching TV, I will glance over at that wall which brings back a lot of memories. It is a lonely trek for sure, but the memories are worth it.
As a fellow cyclist, I can relate. I ramped up hard early in 2023. But I went in too hard and did some good things, but by mid-summer, my legs were in full revolt - knee problems, sore muscles, and general depletion took me off the bike for a month of well needed rest. Then a crash in August took me off the bike for a couple more weeks. I got to 4,100 miles and had a great year over all. But I learned lessons. Cross training, resting (so hard when you are on a roll), 'listening to my body'. 2024 is a new year. Best of luck to you. It will be a good one, I suspect.
great vid - so many times you have a goal and it doesn't seem to matter to anyone else in the world. it makes it seem small and unimportant, especially when it's not going to make you money or move the 'success' needle. Accepting that it only matters and it doesn't matter if anyone else even sees it kinda makes it almost spiritual.
Just came about your story. Can fully relate, 2 years ago from nothing to a 5k, 10k, HM and 1/8 Triathlon reached my plateau got injured…. ever since. That’s life we deal with it comeback stronger.
This is a really good video. I hope you keep riding and recording. Subscribed to your channel. I'm a cyclist too, but have never done a miles based goal, except for a charity. Thanks for the inspiration!
Very nice cinematography. I find numeric goals like this leave very little room for flexibility and feel like a grind. I prefer to set a big ride goal to train toward. The Belgian waffle ride or choose a destination. I rode from San Diego to Joshua tree over a week in 2022. Hard and very fulfilling.
For many years I diligently tracked my stats, especially mileage. For three years in a row I managed to top 11K, which I thought would make me happy and proud and - I dunno, really what I thought it would do. But it seemed like setting and ultimately meeting a goal WAS the goal. And oddly, I got little satisfaction from the knowledge of having done so. I enjoy riding, but in my case I had become so obsessed with the tracking of data that I wound up losing touch with that joyfulness of just being outdoors. In what I can only describe as a “wild hair moment,” I took the computers off all of my bikes and gave them away. Deleted Strava entirely. And for the past three or four years I couldn’t tell you within any degree of reason how far I’ve ridden. But what I CAN tell you is that I generally considered the time I was spending in the saddle. If I missed a day or shortened a ride, I realized I felt far more cheated than if I had missed a mileage goal. I’m riding for me, and enjoying it more than ever. Thanks for sharing your video - I really enjoyed it, and it definitely resonated with me.
I'm hearing this a lot, and I think it's a fair observation. I am probably more caught up in the numbers than I should be, but I don't think tracking rides is necessarily unhealthy. I keep my logs and stats in a spreadsheet on my local computer and don't use Strava or any other competitive apps. I've tried to keep away from comparing what I'm doing to what anyone else in the sport is doing. I mean, the world record for annual cycling distance is something like 86,000 miles so I think it's fair to say I have nothing to brag about. For the most part, I'd say I use my stats to inform/plan the rides for the next week. Many times last year, all it took was going an extra mile or two over what I was normally going to do in order to get a weekly personal best. I think that subtle motivation was helpful more than harmful. There were only maybe a handful of weeks where I pushed significantly harder or spent more time than I wanted simply in order to keep a streak going. But there were also weeks where I smashed my previous best simply because I felt good and the conditions were suitable. I expected and intended to go through the highs and lows of this, and I think as far as the challenges on the bike go, it was all within reason. For what it's worth, I haven't entered any logs so far this year. I've done some rides and tracked them via GPS, but I don't know my actual total yet. I took almost the whole month of January off, and I haven't decided on any particular goals for this year. I may just see how it goes. My feeling is that the only way I would ever try to top what I did last year is if I can get considerably faster on the bike. I currently just don't feel like I have additional time to commit to riding without further impacting my ability to recover, which was one obvious issue last year that made everything harder than it needed to be. Thanks for the thoughtful discussion!
Well done... thank you for sharing this part of your journey. I particularly appreciate your concluding insightful message (starting at 7:40). I'm 66, and have pushed myself in so many ways throughout my life. With your words, you've encapsulated some of the wisdom I believe I've accumulated over that time. I am continually improving, often in small and incremental ways (I like to call this process "titrating" because it sounds scientific). And, most importantly, I'm learning to let go of the notion that I am building toward some great payoff... other than experiencing the joy that exists right here, with this breath, in this moment. 😇 🙏
I am lucky to get 1,000 miles a year in. Even that is a lot of work for an old guy who still has a job. Congratulations on finishing what you started. Even hollow seeming victories are victories. You don't have the regret of not completing the task.
Well done in your achievement, I take my hat off to you sir. Great video. I hope you go on to achieve greater things. Take care from a fellow cyclist in Scotland 🏴.
I am a few days away from a 75th birthday. I hope you don't mind my considering your video as an early birthday gift. Thank you for sharing and inspiring.
Very nice video that I can relate to. I set yearly goals for cycling in 2023 after my Mom passed away as a way to deal with the grief and get focused on something to distract me. My goals were 10,000 miles and 1,000,000 feet of climbing. I achieved both goals in early December 2023. However, the euphoria was short-lived as I soon realized what you had stated in your video, i.e., why would anyone care about my mediocre goals. The reality is that they didn't. I got a brief "Yay Me" feel-good moment and that was about it. But working on those goals got me through a rough time in my life so I guess it was all worth it.
The numbers are good for measuring progress in a tangible way, but at some level it's just a matter of how much time you can spend doing it. 10,000 is a massive target, so congrats on hitting it. And condolences for your loss. The open road is usually good therapy, but I'm sure that one knocks everything off balance.
I respect you. Losing mom is hard
Its still an accomplishment you can be proud of.
If you don't mind my saying ... Neal Walsh, of "Conversations with God", accomplished author and movie, once thought this too. No one interested? .......................... maybe watch the movie. Thank you for your share.
The last sentence nailed it.
You somehow taught me a lesson I did not know I needed. 71 years old and have cycled fairly aggressively for my age for the last several years. Two months ago I just stopped, for no apparent reason. This video may have inspired me to get at it again. Thanks.
I am not sure how this ended up on my feed, but it was a great use of time to watch. Thank you.
Quality text, editing, and a really fine soundtrack! Congratulations on the entire package, the rides, the chronicle. Being reflective is always a good thing. At 70, I did 7000 miles last year. I've been riding for forty years, covered maybe 180,000 miles. My best rides always happen in my head.
Nice story !
Real person with average goals, sharing real life experiences & struggles that as cyclists we all go through. Well done & thanks for sharing your story.
Thank you for sharing this. The algorithm pushed this into my recommended list at just the right time. I too enjoy cycling, but never really have goals associated with it. It is my 'get away' place, whether with friends or solo. Your video and the music, made me appreciate all the more what I have through cycling. Thanks. And well done on the 4,000 miles.
Thanks for the video man. I appreciate the thoughts and beautiful vignettes. The music was a relaxing way to end my day.
Just stumbled on your channel. I can’t believe how relevant your videos are to my life! I just turned 60 and I’m struggling with direction. I love riding bikes, it’s the only constant throughout my life. Thank you.
You described me perfectly. I just turned 72 and ride every day. But other than the bike riding, I am, as they say, "without purpose".
@@msnoonan Don't say that.
I’m 63 and riding around 2,500 to 3,000mi per year. Keeps me young!
Struggling, why?
Because you are bored with your mundane life or because of your damaging focus on a number 60?
Do your self a big favor, forget your age and obey your soul, it is in charge of your attitude, good, bad or of seeking new adventure.
Buy a new style bicycle, go hiking, get an active breed of dog for companionship on those back woods trails.
Find a new and exciting challenge.
Help others, it always helps to bring a smile.
@@ellerybice3787 This.
"Regardless of the magnitude, a personal achievement is worth celebrating"
Exactly.
Well done. It's not always necessary to be something amazing, or to always keep doing something crazier. This was a good video, one I will definately be sharing out.
You ground out all of these rides AND, IF THAT WERE NOT ENOUGH, you created the music and you produced this remarkable testament using Audacity and Shotcut on a Linux platform. Bravo!
It's refreshing for me to watch and hear your video. So thank you.
I set out to ride at age 50 to avoid cholesterol meds. I'm a month way from 70 years old now and still riding. Conservative estimates put me at about 70,000 miles and counting. Almost three times around the earth. I now attempt to ride 50 miles per week. I plan to ride until I no longer can trust my balance. I've gone from racing bike to endurance bike to now a gravel bike for increased safety. I ride because I love it. I ride because I'm an athlete at heart and want to always be. It is not a personal challenge for me, albeit to remain consistent is, as what other sport can one feel fast at my age? Anyway, I commend you for taking on and completing the challenge even through sickness and other life situations. If I set out to run X miles, it would be a similar grind for me and I'd never make it. You did. Thanks for sharing this video journal on two wheels and for the musical compositions! Godspeed!
And then there's this retired German engineer who invented the "sollso" because of his balance problems. The TV clip showed a young lady suffering from MS who was about to stop cycling altogether because her nerve condition made it Harder and harder to put down her feet quickly enough. On a "sollso" the feet stay near the ground. "Sollso" is from the German ""Soll das so sein?" Is it supposed to be like that?" question asked by a young guy in the pensioner riding his prototype, a bike without pedals. Which in fact the origin of bikes. Love it.
Extremely good. This is what the Internet is for. Love for you from a cycling friend you've never met
Ditto from me…
Thanks for posting this. I'm sure there are lots of folks out there like me that love the bike, and needed a little nudge to get back out on it.
The calm I felt after watching and listening to the video, thanks and congrats on your achievement
Inspiring, beautiful piece. So glad to have stumbled into it.
Great story about your journey. I started down the endurance goal path back in 1980 when I started running. I’m now 68 years old and still create new goals for each year. I’ve been fortunate to have finished an Ironman 140.6, a couple of Boston Marathons, and even managed to ride on a team that finished Race Across America in 2021. That year, I rode my bicycle 9,600 miles. My bike miles in 2023 was down to 5,300 miles and that’s ok. Oddly enough, my goals these days are more about perseverance and having more fun riding, running, or swimming with my kids. I’ve encountered so many challenges along my journey including a cancer battle which actually sharpened my focus even more to keep moving forward with faith, family, and friends as my companion. Even with six anchors after three surgeries on my right Achilles, I still run. So yep, keep setting those goals and keep moving forward to the next one you set. Cheers. Thank You.
I don't know why your video popped up as a recommended but I watched it as because the title sparked my curiosity. I do not bike other than some trail riding here and there but the last few years I was on a fitness kick at the gym setting goals and breaking them until I peaked and plateaued. You can say I throw in the towel and gave up 6 months ago and regretted it every day. The motivation is gone and I keep using my age as an excuse along with a sore body... This video, your words are inspiring.. especially how you say better then your normal... I like that.. thanks for that
Thanks for this video!
This kind of expression is a great example of personal filmmaking. And your music was a nice bonus.
Seems to me you don’t need to be so hard on yourself!
(External validation is beyond our control. Measure with an internal ruler. I take heart in stoic thinking.)
Had a lot of thoughts like these last year as I trained for the most populous ride, a 500 mile 1 week ride across Iowa called RAGBRAI that has spawned a lot of videos.
Cheers
Thank you. I too fell into the rabbit hole of pushing myself harder and harder - David Goggins inspired go hard every day - only to end up feeling broken and sore. I'm in my 68th year and sometimes forget that my body can no longer meet the goals my brain sets for me. I'm trying to find a middle ground - a space where I can be appropriately fit for my advancing years - and where I can wake up in the mornings feeling strong and not wincing with aches and pains. Great video - I really enjoyed it - thank you.
Awesome and very inspirational! Congrats on achieving your personal goal!
Wonderful series of videos, so well said, shot, and thought provoking. I throughly enjoyed them all, and hope to see more this year… thank you!
Cycling clears my mind of the mundane and chaos of daily life and stimulates my thinking and creativity.
Many happy miles to you in 2024 and beyond.
This is a beautiful video, keep on riding!
Wow. 4000 miles in one year. To me, that is an achievement that ranks up there with hiking the whole Pacific Crest Trail. Hiking the whole Appalachian Trail. Hiking across America and back ( a lady just accomplished it). Living well until you are 100 years old.
An achievement to be proud of, sir.
Excellent video … and congratulations. You should be proud of both your accomplishment and the video/message you shared. Thank You.
Congratulations! This is awesome. Last year I finished a huge goal for myself. I can say that I have ridden a bicycle in all of the 50 United States (and Washington DC.) It took me 5 years, 8 months and 1 day. I have TONs of go-pro footage and still pictures to document the rides, and I know how overwhelming video editing can be. Eventually I will get a relatively short video put together.....
That's quite a task! I'm sure you have a lot of great stuff to share after that. I'd love to do some more travel-based riding. Maybe this year I'll pick some destinations to try out. What would you say your top five states were?
Man, that ending was great, great video overall, congrats on the achievement, glad you learned something about yourself and that it gave you a new perspective
Thank you for your efforts - physical, emotional and philosophical - the insights are valued.
Congratulations on reaching your goal especially in light of the setbacks you overcame. Thanks for making this video.
Thank you for the video and the great narration ! I logged 4000 miles on Dec 12th 2023. Started my log in march. So far for 2024 I have 300 miles logged thanks to the mild Michigan winter. Turning 70 this year. Shooting for 5 grand by years end. Keep it up!
Well done for pushing on and getting to your target. Nicely done video too and an especially good commentary. Sounded great. All the best.
Thanks for sharing your journey! Congratulations on your persistence and accomplishment. And I loved the video, great job!
Thank you, I lived this video, it’s compelling and inspiring in equal measure! Great work on hitting your target
This is so good. THANK YOU for not saying that your accomplishment proves that anything is possible if you just put your mind to it. I'm weary of that nonsense. But a lot IS possible with intention and consistent effort. Your suggestion of stretching and finding our limits seems much more authentic and deeply motivating than, "Anything is possible if you just believe."
Bro! this video is seriously awesome and you're critically underrated. I hope the algorithm pushes you out more!
Great motivational video. Reassures myself to keep chasing my cycling goals. Thank you 🙏
Congratulations on hitting your goals! Thanks for the very relatable video!
You set a hard goal and achieved it. Congratulations. Be proud!
Thank you for your thoughts about setting and making a relatively modest goal. Many you tubers seem to be stretching to do things unobtainable by a normal rider. While interesting, beyond what most of us can do. Good luck in 2024 and hope you can simplify producing videos.
Excellent video; should enter it ro any bicycle film festival or conference. Producing for my channel, I too found that editing and arranging a video of the ride takes longer than the ride iyself, so relatable. "No story, no ending, just a thing I'm doing" indeed.
Thank you for the insight and inspiration, great music. For me, mindset is key to reaching your ultimate self and thriving.
Nicely done! Hopefully you'll surpass your 2024 goal as well. Thanks for sharing your experience 👍😁
I need to see this video! Great music and words.
Thanks for the fantastic, inspiring TH-cam with great music. It has certainly inspired me to be my best.
First, very impressive achievement. Second, I can relate to the disappointment of setting a difficult goal and reaching it. This video is well done and tells a story that SHOULD be told. Having done similar efforts, I empathize and validate your feelings. 20 years later, I now gain a small amount of personal satisfaction from accomplishing something I wasn't sure I could.
The number and variety of accomplishments chronicled in this video are impressive.
My riding got a lot more enjoyable when I quit comparing myself to others. My goals are my goals, that’s all that matters. I enjoy riding with my friends for the ride and the friendship, not who’s the fastest. Thank you for posting.
Really well done. Thank you for a thoughtful and inspiring ten minutes.
Great stuff, great stuff, great advice. And now that reminds me that I feel great when I get enough sleep. Thanks for sharing.
Nicely done, setting goals and achieving them builds character, confidence, self-worth and a knowing in your heart and mind that if you want it, you can go get it. I just got back on my road bike at 64 after a long hiatus. I had to delete the drop bars to put risers on to make the bike more comfortable. I don't ride as hard, fast or far, but getting out there is what it is about. Clears the mind and is good for the body and soul. Just yesterday I just pulled the MTB out of the dark corner of my shed it has been hiding in to bring it back to life too. A video like this is good inspiration for me to keep pedaling.
The best is yet to come. At 54 I feel I am better at cycling than 20 years ago.
I’m 69 and I’ve done about 100 miles in the last week. Cycling is very low impact compared to running and it’s a great activity to get into when you retire. Recently joined a cycling group and surprised to find the average age of the mid week cyclists is mid 60s!
Congratulations on earning your goal. I am 57 and rode 3500 miles last year and am thinking of doing 4000 this year. This was motivational! Thanks.
Great video and a terrific achievement with everything, the riding, the music etc. Very talented.
Good video, great job getting to 4,000 for the year. I like the music too. Hope you have a good year going for this one as well.
Wow really refreshing to hear a balanced personal growth video with a calm voice and some nice insights.
well done bro. sometimes it's better not to think too much. you will have this memory forever.
An impressive journey in search of yourself. And you have found yourself in many ways, moreover you have found more than expected. Although the actual result might not seem as heroic as expected in the beginning of your journey, I believe that you came out a better and wiser person which is worth so much more than the pure physical result. Thanks for sharing this.
Love your honesty!!! Thank you for sharing your story! Loved it.
Cool vibes and great video , filming does take up so much time, I started filming last year and don't even keep track of the miles anymore 😊
Congratulations! The real meaning though isn’t in your destination but your perseverance and journey to get there. Hopefully you learned more about yourself in the process.
Very nice video. Thanks for sharing. I set cycling goals at the start of each year and break these goals down by week and by month so I know how I'm tracking. These goals are personal to me, not shared, but they keep me motivated to get out there and enjoy the freedom of cycling most days of the year.
Understanding why we tend to set goals and pushing ourselves out of or daily comfort zones is a big thing. I found for myself, that my soul has a longing for it's blossoming and started to live in the moment only.
Absolutely wonderful and honest. Thank you for sharing your experience with me and all of humanity, that takes big brass ones. Pedal on, brother 👍🏼👊🏼
Excellent stuff. Inspirational. Thank you.
Great job! My goal for 2023 was to hit 3000 miles pedaled at the age of 42. I think I'll try 4 this year. You have inspired me! Thank you for sharing.
Very inspiring video. Thank you for sharing your goals. 👍🏻
For what its worth: I regularly break down at the end of September, early October. Don't understand why. Well done for getting the job done in the colder and darker autumn months.
I enjoyed your video. I made a cycling goal to get me through a difficult time in my life. It gave me a positive healthy path to follow and focus on during a very challenging period. At the end completing my cycling goal I had the confidence and positive mindset to move on. Cycling is a wonderful.
Congratulations. Great Ride and excellent video.
Touché! You hit on the key point...dare to be greater than your normal...if only we could all do that routinely..what a world it could be. 😊
I'm glad you did it. You only get one chance to do things like this. You'll never be 40 in 2023 ever again. So Congrats bro, and I hope when I turn 40 I'm able to do something similar. And maybe you'll pass me while I'm doing it, lol!
Really nice video, and congratulations on hitting the goal!
Congrats on meeting your goal. As others have noted, excellent production value on the video. I also record many of my rides with a handle bar mounted action camera, but I never turn the footage into a video. I was a runner, but age and bad knees pushed me to ever slower, more painful running. When covid hit 3 years ago and running events were cancelled, I turned to biking. I live in a flat part of the upper midwest (MN) and don't do much climbing on the bike. Except for a small group of yearly bike tours, most all of my biking is on paved bike trails. I don't want to ride on busy roads. I had a good friend and colleague die in a bike-truck accident about 12 years ago. I don't trust drivers. I did over 6500+ miles this year, a year in which I turned 70, and over the past four years I have averaged about 5800 miles/year. I can't say I ride as long as some of your rides, but I am consistent and usually top 200 miles a week. It is not for everyone, but it is nice to be outside and see the world changing each day.
I bought a new bike in late Feb of 2023 and eventually made a goal of 4k miles after doing 100+ miles/week during the summer. I had never really biked seriously before that. I only made it to 2,600 miles and ended up taking a 3-4 month break at the end of the year when the weather got bad.
All that to say, I can understand how difficult this achievement is, so congrats. I am going for it again this year!
Congratulations! What an awesome accomplishment. 👏🏼
Great story! I set goals too, and have usually been able to pull through. This year I've had a slow and frustrating start. But I'll get there. Perhaps, inspired by you, in late 2024 I'll tell my story too. Keep up the good work.
Congratulations! I’ve had a goal of 5,000 miles per year for well over a decade now. Sometimes I hit the goal, sometimes I exceed it and I’ve had several years where I’ve fallen short. I don’t beat myself up over it; each year presents unique challenges. My health, the health of my loved ones. Other life goals that intercede. It’s a whole package. As of today, I’m 250 miles behind schedule to hit my 5,000 mile goal for 2024; I caught COVID shortly after New Years and couldn’t ride for 2 weeks. This is my first week back riding at the volume I need to be doing. I’m not worried, I know by June I’ll be ahead of my goal… by October? Who knows? Hopefully I’ll make it through without too much turbulence and cross that goal line. Either way, I’ll have a good time riding my bike. 👍
Good video. 50 years ago I met Johnny who held the cross-Canada record for years. Wayne who broke that record. Gerry who used to do big touring events. And you are correct. Nothing miraculous happens from heroic athleticism. But if you like being outdoors with the scenery rolling by, don't hesitate to ride more, especially with friends.
Nice video. I can relate. Goals are what drive us. I am 68 and try and ride at least 4 times a week. Goal setting for me is critical as it is a motivator for me. Without that goal, it would just be way way to boring and not really enjoyable. I also encourage those beginners or average riders like myself, to enter some charity events. Getting in better shape for those metric centuries or an actual century ride is great motivation as you then are actually riding to accomplish that goal not to mention you are supporting a good cause. A few years ago, at 60, I put in 1,600 miles in less than 4 months in preparation to ride the hardest century in the southeast, the Assaults on Mount Mitchell in North Carolina. It was crazy hard work, but I managed to complete it. But without that goal setting, I would never have attempted a 11k vertical century. Keep going. It doesn't matter who gives a crap except you. Ohh, if you do those charity rides/events, keep your ride number! I have made a wall in my man cave that is filled with my ride numbers along with my Assaults jersey and medal. Often when I am watching TV, I will glance over at that wall which brings back a lot of memories. It is a lonely trek for sure, but the memories are worth it.
“Go find out.”
Bingo.
Thank you for your unique camera shots/views/angles... and yes, your story. I ❤💥💫 originality.
As a fellow cyclist, I can relate. I ramped up hard early in 2023. But I went in too hard and did some good things, but by mid-summer, my legs were in full revolt - knee problems, sore muscles, and general depletion took me off the bike for a month of well needed rest. Then a crash in August took me off the bike for a couple more weeks. I got to 4,100 miles and had a great year over all. But I learned lessons. Cross training, resting (so hard when you are on a roll), 'listening to my body'. 2024 is a new year. Best of luck to you. It will be a good one, I suspect.
great vid - so many times you have a goal and it doesn't seem to matter to anyone else in the world. it makes it seem small and unimportant, especially when it's not going to make you money or move the 'success' needle. Accepting that it only matters and it doesn't matter if anyone else even sees it kinda makes it almost spiritual.
Damn, I didn't expect to be deeply moved
love your video!!! thank you for sharing
Just came about your story. Can fully relate, 2 years ago from nothing to a 5k, 10k, HM and 1/8 Triathlon reached my plateau got injured…. ever since.
That’s life we deal with it comeback stronger.
Congratulations! You got it! Maybe 'they' didn't but you did. Great job!
This is a really good video. I hope you keep riding and recording. Subscribed to your channel. I'm a cyclist too, but have never done a miles based goal, except for a charity. Thanks for the inspiration!
Very nice cinematography. I find numeric goals like this leave very little room for flexibility and feel like a grind. I prefer to set a big ride goal to train toward. The Belgian waffle ride or choose a destination. I rode from San Diego to Joshua tree over a week in 2022. Hard and very fulfilling.
For many years I diligently tracked my stats, especially mileage. For three years in a row I managed to top 11K, which I thought would make me happy and proud and - I dunno, really what I thought it would do. But it seemed like setting and ultimately meeting a goal WAS the goal. And oddly, I got little satisfaction from the knowledge of having done so. I enjoy riding, but in my case I had become so obsessed with the tracking of data that I wound up losing touch with that joyfulness of just being outdoors. In what I can only describe as a “wild hair moment,” I took the computers off all of my bikes and gave them away. Deleted Strava entirely. And for the past three or four years I couldn’t tell you within any degree of reason how far I’ve ridden. But what I CAN tell you is that I generally considered the time I was spending in the saddle. If I missed a day or shortened a ride, I realized I felt far more cheated than if I had missed a mileage goal. I’m riding for me, and enjoying it more than ever. Thanks for sharing your video - I really enjoyed it, and it definitely resonated with me.
I'm hearing this a lot, and I think it's a fair observation. I am probably more caught up in the numbers than I should be, but I don't think tracking rides is necessarily unhealthy. I keep my logs and stats in a spreadsheet on my local computer and don't use Strava or any other competitive apps. I've tried to keep away from comparing what I'm doing to what anyone else in the sport is doing. I mean, the world record for annual cycling distance is something like 86,000 miles so I think it's fair to say I have nothing to brag about.
For the most part, I'd say I use my stats to inform/plan the rides for the next week. Many times last year, all it took was going an extra mile or two over what I was normally going to do in order to get a weekly personal best. I think that subtle motivation was helpful more than harmful. There were only maybe a handful of weeks where I pushed significantly harder or spent more time than I wanted simply in order to keep a streak going. But there were also weeks where I smashed my previous best simply because I felt good and the conditions were suitable. I expected and intended to go through the highs and lows of this, and I think as far as the challenges on the bike go, it was all within reason.
For what it's worth, I haven't entered any logs so far this year. I've done some rides and tracked them via GPS, but I don't know my actual total yet. I took almost the whole month of January off, and I haven't decided on any particular goals for this year. I may just see how it goes. My feeling is that the only way I would ever try to top what I did last year is if I can get considerably faster on the bike. I currently just don't feel like I have additional time to commit to riding without further impacting my ability to recover, which was one obvious issue last year that made everything harder than it needed to be.
Thanks for the thoughtful discussion!
Well done... thank you for sharing this part of your journey. I particularly appreciate your concluding insightful message (starting at 7:40). I'm 66, and have pushed myself in so many ways throughout my life. With your words, you've encapsulated some of the wisdom I believe I've accumulated over that time. I am continually improving, often in small and incremental ways (I like to call this process "titrating" because it sounds scientific). And, most importantly, I'm learning to let go of the notion that I am building toward some great payoff... other than experiencing the joy that exists right here, with this breath, in this moment.
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I am lucky to get 1,000 miles a year in. Even that is a lot of work for an old guy who still has a job. Congratulations on finishing what you started. Even hollow seeming victories are victories. You don't have the regret of not completing the task.
I loved this. Thanks.
Great video full of the real elements of life and there effects.
Well done in your achievement, I take my hat off to you sir. Great video. I hope you go on to achieve greater things. Take care from a fellow cyclist in Scotland 🏴.
Well done. We are our own worst critic. You are an inspiration. Thank you.
Valuable advice and a worthwhile achievement!
I am a few days away from a 75th birthday. I hope you don't mind my considering your video as an early birthday gift. Thank you for sharing and inspiring.
Just well done on every level!