TIME FOR A RESOLUTION REVIVAL.

Woman riding uphill in countryside in sunset lighting

Make Life Better this Year by Walking and Bicycling

A little inspiration for new cyclists from a Terry Ambassador

100 days into 2021, and one year into this pandemic – a year of risks, restrictions and for many, real hardship. How have you coped with it so far?

A lot of people in the Terry orbit have been riding more, some a LOT more.

Others have not had that freedom, and many of us turned to creature comforts while stuck inside more than we ever thought possible.

Toy bicycle with cookies loaded on the luggage rack

With all that extra time available, cooking and baking often became a way to enjoy time with family, feel productive and learn new skills, and of course enjoy good food as a source of comfort. Naturally, a few extra pandemic pounds is a very common result.

As cyclists we know at least one great way to counter that! Terry Ambassador Tracy Flucke passed along some advice she and her husband, Peter, shared around New Year, to encourage their neighbors with healthful resolutions. Their work involves getting more people on bikes, on safer roads.

Tracy Flucke takes a break during a tandem ride during the pandemic — Tracy and Peter Flucke maintained their momentum through the pandemic with cycling and hiking. They’d like to help you do so too…

Since we know some of our new Terry friends are also new to cycling, and we’re now at the time of the year when most New Year Resolutions have been forgotten, we’re staging a Resolution Revival: time for a little inspiration to get out and work on healthy goals, New Year or not…

Here are the tips and insights Tracy and Peter shared…

Tracy Flucke rides along a lane lined with fall foliage

Tracy Flucke pauses during a fall 2020 bike ride

Many of us started 2021 with a list of New Year’s resolutions: get more exercise, lose weight, spend more time with friends and family, save money, travel more, reduce stress, live life to the fullest… Sadly, roughly 50 percent of people who start a New Year’s resolution will not complete it.

Well this year especially, we’re determined to create healthy goals and stick to them, and we want to help you do the same. Here’s what we’ve learned along the way.

A walking and bicycling habit can truly help you achieve your goals.
Getting more exercise by walking (running) and bicycling is easy. To quote the old Nike commercial, “Just do it!”
Set aside just 15 minutes a day to get your new habit going – make it so easy to accomplish that you can’t miss.
Start out slow and build to your goal. It’s more important to create a regular routine than to achieve a performance goal at first.
Diet and exercise are key to losing weight. Burn more calories by walking and bicycling. The more you move, the more you lose.
Walking and bicycling with friends and family is a win-win. With a companion by your side the miles fly by, and you will make memories that last a lifetime.
Save money by driving your car less – walking and bicycling are almost free. A good pair of shoes and an occasional tune up for your bicycle and you are good to go.
Traveling by foot or by bicycle are two of the best cures for wanderlust. Moving at a different pace with the wind in your face will give you a new perspective and stimulate your imagination.
Trips big and small count. “On a bicycle you don’t have to look for adventure, adventure finds you.”
Stress is a normal part of life, and we have all had plenty lately. Feeling stressed? Go for a short walk or a bicycle ride. You will always come back feeling better than when you left.
Keep your resolutions SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound). Tell a friend your resolutions and ask them to hold you accountable. And, if you fall off your resolution wagon, take a breath, and then get right back on. You are human, be kind to yourself.
It is not about adding more miles into your life, it is about adding more life to your miles.

Here is our list of cycling and exercise goals for 2021:

Stay healthy!
Continue to log our walking, running, and bicycling miles
Ride my bicycle as often as possible for local errands (Tracy)
Ride a century (100 miles in one day) on our tandem and my road bike (Tracy)
Bicycle to as many Wisconsin cities as possible (Peter)
Start bicycle touring again (post pandemic)
Ride the Fox-Wisconsin Heritage Parkway (Green Bay-Prairie du Chien) on our tandem
Ride a double century with daughter, Melissa (Peter)
Drive support vehicle for Peter and Melissa’s double century (Tracy)
Buy a new tandem bicycle
Assist local walking and bicycling organizations and efforts (e.g. Wello – Greater Green Bay Active Communities Alliance, City of Green Bay – Green Bay Safe Walk & Bike Plan, Ashwaubenon – Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee, Friends of the Fox River Trail – resurfacing project)

What would be on your list of post-pandemic goals?

Let’s make 2021 a great year!

Even though we’re well past the New Year, it’s always a good time to start working toward a better future. Here are some past posts about goals and resolutions, especially relating to cycling.

EXERCISING YOUR CHANGE MUSCLE.

ARE YOUR RESOLUTIONS ON CLEARANCE YET?

Make it Count.