What Do You Have 100 Miles in You to Accomplish?

By Mandy Cloninger, CFRE

I’m a chronic goal-setter. Every year I pick a word, set goals, and recruit a few accountability buddies who will both cheer me on and grumble with me when I miss the mark. (Still waiting on you, Arkansas and Hawaii — two states shy of my 50-state goal!)

This year, my word is ENERGIZE. And my BHAG - biggest, hairiest, audacious goal? Riding a metric century (65 miles) and maybe even a full century — 100 miles on a bike.

Joanna's Brightside Crew at the 100-mile finish! Joanna is in the middle wearing the biggest smile - such a moving and inspirational experience!

The idea came after watching my friend Joanna Cheshire run a 100-mile ultramarathon. (Yes, run. On foot. 😳) I was part of her crew, cheering, rubbing sore feet, even biking alongside her, because I only run if someone’s chasing me. Joanna’s grit, determination and her fierceness inspired me to ask: What do I have 100 miles in me to accomplish?

For me, it’s cycling. After years on a trusty old hybrid, I bought my first road bike this year — a red Trek Domane. With help from the awesome Trek crew in South Tampa, I learned to clip in and out, and they keep me rolling when my repairs outpace my skills.

So here I am, training for my first century. This past weekend, I hit my longest ride yet: 40 miles and my first 100-mile week. With the Intracoastal Waterway Century ride on October 26, I’m excited… and nervous.

Here’s what training is teaching me about goals:

• Goals take grace. Life happens. Some weeks I nail my training; other weeks I miss rides. Adjusting the plan isn’t failure — it’s life and wisdom.

• Community matters. The local cycling community has welcomed me with kindness and quick chain-fix skills (yes, I’ve dropped mine). And on more than one ride, a cyclist even stayed with me after I got dropped instead of leaving me behind. I've loved my rides with Grupetto and Tampa Bay Rides!

• Laugh at the learning curve. I’ve mis-shifted, broken a cable, and once rode 20 miles with my brake half-on. Every mile still counts.

Me - far right in pink - with Grupetto group. Grupetto is the "little group" that forms in the Tour to ensure the riders make the time cutoff, and embodies the spirit of "live to ride another day."

Will I make the full 100? Maybe, maybe not. I may call it success this year at the metric century, and that’s still a win. Because goals aren’t just about the finish line. They’re about the energy, growth, and resilience we discover along the way.

So, I’ll leave you with the same question I’ve been asking myself:👉 What do you have 100 miles in you to accomplish?

💬 I’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment below and share: What’s your “100 miles” — the big, BHAG goal you’re chasing this year?