"You've heard of 'junk miles?" Well, I've invented 'junk intensity""

The Doc's half-arsed training's not even fooling himself

- Michael Hutchinson

I've decided to review my own 2025 season earlier than usual this year, mainly to put it out of its misery. It's a B minus at best. A “Needs work”, or a “Michael is easily distracted and this year completely failed to make the most of his admittedly limited abilities.”

My target-setting was non-existent. The last few years have seen the careful selection of things like championship races, which I obviously wasn't going to win, but which at least had the virtue of providing a bit of structure for the mediocrity and, when the day arrived, served as a reminder not to be too ambitious. This year, I set out to “enjoy a few local races”, and that's not a target, it's just an excuse for a few beers afterwards.

As if to prove the importance of target-setting to a successful season, my training matched the targeting perfectly. Other than one or two social rides, I haven't ridden for longer than 90 minutes since December. I managed better than that the year I broke my hip, and indeed better than that while I still had a broken hip and lived in fear of getting a puncture, because while I could ride a bike I couldn't stand up unsupported.