On December 31, 2025, I set a goal to ride my bike everyday of 2026. Whether it was a hard workout, a long ride, just a leisurely ride or even just spinning lightly for 5 minutes because I was just exhausted from the day, I would be on the bike everyday. I made it 24 days before old man winter decided to show his ugly F’n face again and I spent a month at work last week, January 24th-today. I don’t think I have another re-start in me. I’ve re-started so many times over the past few years, started making good progress and then something happens that puts an end to the progress. I’m burned out from re-starting and I don’t think I have another re-start in me and the Tour is upcoming.
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That’s a really noble goal Sir Eric. I think you’re amazing for even setting the goal and starting it off.
I hope you can be encouraged to be a little gentler on yourself and keep trying to get on the bike every day but not beat yourself up when a day is skipped.
The fact you are still trying and still going is in itself a big achievement when it isn’t happening exactly like you wanted.
I don’t find myself able to remain motivated by any stretch of the definition. However if I can make it into a habit or add or into an existing one, then it happens. My current attempt to remain “motivated” (not really motivated, just doing the thing) is weights. I try to take my morning coffee down to the rack and drink it between sets. Since the habit of morning coffee is not one I can break.
Maybe there’s some way you can work your goal into some other habit to remove the motivation need a little…
Also, winter is tough. We are in about a month of - 30 Celsius or below where I am. The cold and dark is difficult mentally and physically and I encourage people to be very kind in themselves January in winter. Best wishes Sir Eric with the rest of 2026!
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Life happens. Riding everyday is a noble goal but it may not be realistic because if you miss one day due to outside factors, it seems like failure. I think it is Primers where there is a quote to be precise not perfect. That way if something doesn’t go to plan you aren’t SOL.
You are always welcome to jump on the Knight Rides if you are free on a Saturday morning. I do it because I enjoy the people, the bad (or dad) jokes, the movie trivia, some hard sprints or KOMs and suffering (or not) loves company. Other than our Jousting Fest (Deca Dash), all the rides are ‘no drop’ rides….the group will slow (and sometimes someone will drop back to help pace).
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@Eric Sir Eric, I too suffer from training setbacks of all kinds, but @Chris_Wright ‘s recommendation to join the knight rides is spot on. I look forward to Saturday, and my desire to contribute to the group ride encourages me to squeeze in rides during the week. Hope to see you next Saturday. 
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While riding every day may be a great goal and may be achievable and may result in many positive things, you’ve already discovered what a double-edged sword a goal may become. You’re feeling the sharp edge today.
The danger wasn’t in the goal, but in how you held it, not as a desire or aim to achieve something (see definition of “goal”), but rather as a strict pass/fail objective that allows no deviation whatsoever. You do it perfectly or you fail.
I suspect that anyone who has achieved any great thing in any realm could tell you that they got there with failure as part and parcel of the process.
I suggest doing a Google search for “goals that are not achievable” just to see some things that might lend balance in forming goals, as well as seeing some of the consequences of goals that might not be achievable. (And realize that “riding every day” is NOT unachievable, at least in hindsight, it is also NOT NECESSARILY ACHIEVABLE for any specific individual. Some things happen and cannot be controlled, avoided, or even mitigated! Unless you can foresee all of the future, you cannot even know a specific goal is possible.)
I formed a goal on spur of the moment last January (2025) when I rode an indoor hundred mile century on my KICKR Bike, following an outdoor course. When I finished it, I decided that I would ride a hundred miler every month of 2025. That was the only month I did it indoors, thankfully, but I at least knew if a month was just too harsh in terms of weather, I could fall back on that option. I succeeded in my goal, and even got in 2 in month of July, and am doing my best to carry it forward another year, having done my January Hundo earlier this month.
But I’ve struggled with weather since that ride, lost miles and time on the bike, missed multiple days, fought with back pain, now knee pain for about 2 weeks that seems to let me ride if I choose to but then hurts again most of the time most every day. It might force me to give up on the hundred mile ride some month or I may be able to ride through, I can’t say.
But I can say that I’m master of my goals, and my goals are not master of me. It’s pretty certain that I won’t manage to do a hundred mile ride every month for the rest of my life, unless my life ends soon. Injuries, possible extended travel opportunities, and many unexpected or unforeseen life circumstances could become so demanding that I have to adjust and do with what I have. This is very freeing to me. I’m happy to pursue the century plan as long as I can, but I’m also willing to lay that down for a time if that’s better. If I get to pick it back up, wonderful! If I have to reduce my goal to a Metric someday, so be it. I plan to be as grateful for whatever is possible then as I am grateful for what I can do now.
Hope you find more peace in the process and less frustration in the potholes that will inevitably show up…
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This is a great quote.
Realistic goals and being precise not perfect. 
A lot more excellent advice!
Set yourself up for success. Don’t set yourself up for failure.
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I think that 23 days of bike riding per month for a year would be damned impressive.
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Dear Eric
I can hear the burn out in your post, and I, like all of us on here, want to help. You sounded hopeless and you don’t deserve to feel like that. Firstly, and you won’t know this, but you Eric, helped me a lot on here, I have really enjoyed your posts and as I am very unsure of myself, I found it hard to post but you gave me confidence to ask questions, take part, and I have learned from you. So, thank you.
I burned myself out last year and it really scared me, I now wished I did what you did and came here.
You can see from the replies on here how much everyone cares, and I want to second all the advice including being nicer to yourself. You don’t strike me as someone who would give up on a friend so, please talk to yourself in the same way you would speak to a friend in your position. And that goal you set yourself well Wowzer!
I tried the mental training on Systm, and you might find one that resonates with you. I seem to think there are some historical subjects on here about burn out and there were some trainer contributions in there. I found some of these very helpful but it’s ok if that is not your cup of tea.
Just don’t do anything you can’t manage at the moment. In fact, don’t put pressure on yourself to do anything, do it when you are ready and because you love it.
My instincts make me want to tell you to have a break but that might not be right for you so maybe take some time to remember all the aspects you love about cycling. The group rides sound great for that and remember burn out is a very real thing with big consequences that need to be healed.
You will recover; give yourself time and care. You will be ok. Do it as and when you are strong enough and don’t overdo it. When you are ready for the next new start it might have to be different in some ways, ways that will ensure it is sustainable. I know you will find a way. Keep us posted please
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@Eric - really sorry you are feeling this way.
Some great advice for you on this thread. I also wonder if, sub-consciously, you are setting yourself unattainable goals - so that you can beat yourself up and tell yourself you’re not good enough.
As others have said, you can be an inspiration on these threads (and your yoga continuity is incredible).
We’ve all been there with regards to frustration and goals - honestly, it’s far more important that you just get out on your bike (when you want to as opposed to feeling you have to) and enjoy it. Cycling is so good for your mental health - but it can be a double edged sword as we can also beat ourselves up a lot when things are not going well.
What has worked for me this winter to reignite my passion for cycling is doing some of the older SUF videos that have not been remastered. The laugh out loud moments, great tracks and storylines have all got me looking forward to getting back on a bike as opposed to dreading the thought of doing a workout.
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I think what’s about to be typed might sound odd but: goals (especially training/workout ones) are just means to a more ultimate end. At least for me, goals and objectives aren’t the real goals at all. At my age, all these targets (x workouts/week, hard/easy ratios, FTP, VO2, fitness scores, silly SYSTM badges) are ways to make me feel better in general through health, fitness, occasional feelings of accomplishment, etc. I think if a target makes you feel badly about anything, that target should be reconsidered.
I haven’t been on this site very long so don’t really “know” people here that well, but you (Eric) seem like a terrific person, and a terrifically motivated individual. There are always things that get all of us down somewhere/somehow. But sincerely hoping this one doesn’t weigh you down for much longer.
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Why do you want to ride every day?
Having a purpose helps one get through the rough times.
Is it time to revisit the Mental Training module?
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@Eric something that jumps out is, the way you and some folks on the thread are talking suggests we are seeing lack of motivation to restart as a defect to be corrected vs. a signal to be understand. I totally understand wanting to have joy for cycling, something healthy you’ve enjoyed in the past. But maybe if you don’t have it now, that’s okay?
2 years ago my wife and i had our first kid, a little later in life than average for me at age 40. Anyway he had colic and for the first 8 months of his life he did not sleep unless someone was holding him, period, so we traded off all night long, three hours at a time, sleep and then switch. I watched Sopranos on my airpods like 4 times through but i did not do any training! Then when i could, i didn’t want to: whatever free time i had, i wanted to spend with my wife, and on the training side, restarting with like a 75 watt FTP decrease was very daunting.
So i just decided i’m going to do something totally different. I started lifting weights, focused on advancing that (lack of sleep has less of an impact ) and it’s been super fun. After that, i may hop on the rowing machine and try to get my 2K time back down to where it was in college where i had a lot more time to train, but was much stupider.
i still ride my bike to work and sometimes for fun on the weekends. i may dive back into structured training for the XC MTB season next year, but right now . . . not so much!
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Hey Eric,
Tell me about setbacks and motivation or frustration?
I got a life before and after covid. I’m sparing the details but I cannot even remember the number of times I restarted my broken body, just to be back to square one 6 weeks later as something else in my body broke again or something new came up.
It’s now for 5 years that I’m fighting and I start seeing small improvements only by now. But I will have serious limitations for the rest if my life.
Anyway, I guess the point I try to make is, that life throws a lot of shit at us which circumvents our plans. Work, family, sickness, life…. Whatever.
I am a very impatient person having lived my life at 110% in all aspects. After covid, I learned patience….. I learned that I had to come up with low level achievable goals, sometimes had to lower even those again. Patience…. Frustration, accepting that it is how it is, new reality.
Trying out new things, getting into kettlebells until calves and veins could heal.variation….
I even got a f….g couchlandrian ebike last year…. Riding it mostly with the motor off (my weird personality) but having the confidence that there’s some help if i need it.
So, reduce your goals, riding every day is unrealistic and will put more stress on you, and more frustration if you can’t get it done.
Take it easy, breathe, listen to your body. I don’t do training plans anymore, after 30 years of long distance cycling and combat sports, I know what I need.
I try to be on the bike 2-4 times a week and also do Kettlebells for 20-30 mins twice a week. Kettlebells are fixing bad posture, enhance mobility and build strength, complimentary to cycling.
No stress, if I can’t make it, so be it. I’m going to be 60 this year, objective now is health and wellbeing , not reaching some crazy goals anymore.
not sure my story helps, but you’re not alone!
Romain from Luxembourg, living in southern france now
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My past decade of riding has been interrupted by multiple family health crises, parental decline into dementia then death, and travel as my kids disperse around the world. I found that setting goals as averages rather than “streaks” works better for me. The thought that “whatever I miss today, I can make up tomorrow” avoids unnecessary stress - and relaxation is my main reason for cycling, indoor or out.
It helps even in situations where the goal clearly isn’t going to happen, like the last week of a too-eventful year when my ride-tracking database told me I needed 300 miles each day for the rest of the year on Christmas….
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