Over 50 and slooooowwwww....

[jobob]

Geeze, and here I am thinking 14 mph is pretty good ..

- Jo "there's a reason they call me pokey" bob

[Veronica]

14 IS good!

V.

[snapdragen]

Right now I'd be happy with 14!

Seriously Slow, Slothful, Snapdragen :D

[Trek420]

14 is good! but we always want more, don't we ;-)

On my last club ride I felt slow compared to the fast gals I rode with but what was odd is I was in much bigger gears than usual, spinning, not grinding them, looked down "I'm never in my big chain ring!?". In the big ring where I'd normally be in the middle, the middle where I'd be in the granny, the granny but with gears left where ....etc. No tailwind I think and I don't draft.

I think it's cause I've been taking the stairs at work, jogging up 4 flights (it's a telecommunications central office so the ceilings are huge, not normal stairs) and whadya know, got some power...now if I can only make it into speed. But 14 is fine, anytime I'm in double digits I'm ok. :p

[wawaski]

From a displaced CA native (Sac). Thanks for the insight!

[wawaski]

Hey Pedal faster...
Thanks! Stiff (15-20) winds and solo all the time...no females to ride with, and the small "guy group" is at the 18-24 mph times...so it's just me and the pavement. I'm on a Giant OCR 3 w/ a 8 spd triple....what really made me crazy is one of the "guy groups'" riders came up alongside me and was coasting while I was having to pedal! He rides a carbon frame, but jeeze.
I'll give the weights a shot...I do al lot of slalom waterskiing, but that's about it other than the bike...so I'll "get after it"...
Thanks again!

[Dogmama]

You're in Texas - where you can see the curve of the earth? I'll bet you have some winds!

I learned to ride in wind. Now, wind doesn't bother me nearly as much as other people. I call it "my personal trainer." So, just think - if you ever escape "the middle of nowhere" (very cute) you'll be faster than a rocket!

Oh, and I turned 50 last month, so I'm right there with ya.

Do you get really out of breath (in which case, intervals are what you need) or do you run out of leg strength (in which case lifting weights) would be your Rx.

Also, are your recovering completely between rides? I've noticed that I don't recover nearly as quickly as I did 10-15 years ago (ahem....) and require off-the-bike days or at least slow recovery rides.

[wawaski]

Out of breath more than out of strength....I use a Vetta H/R monitor that interfaces (by sheer luck) with my Polar so can see on a 45 min ride how long I'm in, over or below my target H/R.
I did my usual 10 mi ride today in 40:12, was never below and was only "in" 9 min's of the ride, the rest was over....so it's not like "I ain't tryin'"... .humph. Your user name is a riot....

[cyclingnewbie]

14 mph sounds pretty good to me! I too ride alone on the bike paths. I joined my local cycling club, but 98% of their organized rides are way too fast for me. I have been working this year on using smaller gears and increasing my cadence instead of mashing the bigger ones, and that increased my average speed by about 1 mph. And, I am convinced that some of it is the bike. I have a Fuji hybrid and I am positive that it will only go so fast overall, not matter what I do. Don't get discouraged with 14 mph; that is a nice pace for recreational riding.

[wawaski]

Thanks for all the insight! Re: Hybrid, yeah, weight makes a huge difference, friend of mine rides a carbon frame and he coasts while I pedal!

[Dogmama]

I just read some research about strength vs. aerobic capacity in cycling. The upshot was in order to become faster, you have to ride more.

Hey! I want to apply for that funding!;)

[wawaski]

TITS, eh? (Time in the saddle).....sounds like a plan...just wish I could see faster improvement!
S.

[KTeach]

Riding with others definitely helps me go faster...
I too have relatively strong legs but aerobic capacity is lacking... I did intervals at the gym 2x a week for about 9 months! It helped the cycling but it was a challenge to keep at it... & everytime i ride with others there's still someone faster ... My new philosophy is to ride AND ENJOY ! As long as I'm relatively fit and having fun it's all good...

[KTeach]

BTW I am also 50 and been riding for about 3 years... So......maybe we're "slow" because we didn't start 30 years ago!

[wawaski]

I'll go with that...although a freind of mine was riding with me today on his Fuji and like the other guy that has a Kestral, was coasting while I was having to pedal..maybe I need to look at my hubs?
S.

[wawaski]

Sounds like a plan, but my overachieving phsyc always rears it's menacing head! Plus, I have a "race" Oct 24th of 45K...gotta get with it!

[KTeach]

I hear ya... I'm doing Tucson next month...my first time riding outside the southern NY area so I'm excited! Training is going slowly and I know I won't break any records but I'm SURE I can finish the ride.
At 50 the flesh is weak (ok...the flesh is wrinkling) but the spirit is still strong!

[KTeach]

I was rereading the thread... In regards to your original question - strength training and interval training should make us all better riders. But in addition... maybe you need a longer warm up & 10 miles isn't enough. I find it takes me a lot longer to warm up and hit my stride than the people I ride with. As a rule they are either 20 years younger than I or they have been riding 20 years!

[wawaski]

Ha! I'm done at 9.3!

[wawaski]

Just found a Felt 60, and what a ride! It has carbon forks and seat stays and it's smoooooooth! Also added 3 mph to my average! So am at 15 mph....it was a toss up between the Trek 1800 and this....since I didn't win the lottery full carbon was out..
S.

[CorsairMac]

wooohoo - do we feel the need for speed??....I know I do and ya'll on your road bikes are making me jealous. meenies! (rides a commuter bike coz it was all I could afford - but dreaming of the day................) congrats on the bike and the 15 mph! You go girl!

[trekin']

I'm not 50 yet (but getting very close)...I was out with my 2 50+ girlfriends in today's blustery north wind (which we've had all week- yuck!). I'm the slowest of the 3, even with my new Trek 1500, and probably always will be, but I don't care. I get a great workout, push harder when I'm with them, we pick a different scenic route every week, and we share a lot of laughs. (BTW, our hubbies were all safe and warm at home). What a great sport!

[KTeach]

Enjoy the new bike!!! The days when I can average 14 or 15 are happy ones for me and I do have a light bike! I'm just not as strong and/or don't ride often enough... but I was able to do 65 miles today at a 13.5 average... it will have to do! I love to ride but life is full & often complicated!!!!!!!!!!!!

[trekin']

65 miles...wow! That's something to aspire to! But for now, I've got to pay attention to our wonderful (finally) Red Sox...the game just started...

[Trek420]

3 run homer!

[KTeach]

Yay Red Sox! My husband and son, both born in the Bronx, have always been Red Sox fans! It makes for interesting (and fun) holidays with the family when the baseball talk begins! It has been a lot of fun being in the NYC area with these playoffs. So many NYers have come out of the closet & revealed they are sox fans!

[trekin']

Funny, my brother-in-law, who was born in the shadow of Fenway Park, is a Yankees fan, and so are my 2 nieces. My sister is the only person in the house not grieving right now!

[wawaski]

Good for you! I was whining at 20 the other day! Got a new Primal jersey that I promised not to wear until I ride a 50!