We’re taking part in the London to Brighton bike ride in September in aid of Abigail’s Footsteps, a local baby loss charity, so naturally, I’ve been thinking about training.
And if I’m honest, I’ve been a little slow off the mark.
I started with some indoor cycling workouts to ease myself back into it, before gradually getting back out on two wheels again. Early mornings are always a great time for me to exercise. There’s something about getting a workout done before the day really gets going that sets me up well, and cycling is no different. With the temperatures we’ve been experiencing lately, getting out early is definitely the better option!
Setting a cycling goal
Initially, I set myself a goal of cycling 50 miles a week. It sounded like a good target. Something to aim for and something that would hopefully help me build up my fitness and confidence ahead of the 54-mile London to Brighton route.
But there was a problem: I’m really not at the “bike fitness” level to be cycling 50 miles in a single day right now. I will work up to that kind of distance eventually, but at this stage, it simply isn’t where I am and I have to be realistic.
Last week, I managed 22.3 miles. That’s quite a long way off my original target. For a moment, it would be very easy to look at that number and think I hadn’t done very well. But actually, I think there’s a much more important lesson here about how we measure success.
What if I hadn’t set a goal at all?
Had I not set myself that 50-mile target, I might not even have done 10 miles. That’s the great thing about goals. They give us something to focus on. They give us direction and a reason to keep moving forward. Even better if we have someone or something to hold us accountable!
However, they shouldn’t become the be-all and end-all. If you don’t quite hit the target, that doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you’ve made progress. And 22.3 miles is still 22.3 miles more than I would have done if I hadn’t got on the bike.
Progress, not perfection
This is where my approach to fitness may be a little different from some personal trainers or coaches. I’m a big believer in progress rather than perfection.
Yes, it’s important to have goals. Whether you’re training for a cycling event, trying to get stronger, improve your overall fitness, lose weight, or simply feel better in yourself, having something to work towards can be incredibly motivating. But your goal shouldn’t make you feel like you’ve failed every time you fall short.
Life happens. You might have a busy week at work. You might be tired from family commitments. You might have holidays, social plans, or simply days where you don’t feel like exercising. That doesn’t mean you throw everything out of the window. You just keep taking the next small step.
As the Swahili proverb says:
“Little by little, a little becomes a lot.”
Small steps add up
- Maybe you didn’t manage three workouts this week, but you did one.
- Maybe you didn’t walk 10,000 steps every day, but you walked more than you did last week.
- Maybe you didn’t lose the weight you hoped to, but you’ve started making better nutritional choices.
- Maybe, like me, you didn’t cycle 50 miles, but you got out on your bike and managed 22.3.
It all counts. Fitness isn’t about being perfect. It’s about building habits that you can actually maintain and continuing to move forward, even when progress feels slow. Sometimes, the goal is simply there to get you started. The real achievement is what happens along the way.
So, I’m going to keep working towards that London to Brighton bike ride, keep building up my cycling gradually, and try not to get too hung up on the numbers. 22.3 miles isn’t 50 miles. But it’s 22.3 miles closer. And I’ll take that.
What goal are you working towards?
If you’ve been putting off starting your fitness journey because your goal feels too big, perhaps it’s time to forget about the end result for a moment. What’s one small step you could take today?
Because little by little, those small steps really can become a lot.
Are you struggling to build a fitness routine that fits around a busy schedule? You don’t need 10 hours a week or extreme goals to see real progress, just a realistic plan that works for your life.
If you’re ready to build sustainable habits without the burnout, book a free 15-minute consultation and let’s map out your next small step together.