Mid-Age Rider

[Lollybell]

Haven't ever posted - any body out there over 50 and riding? Have the double nickel birthday coming in December and have just signed up for a women's only sprint tri - crazy. Trying to lose some middle age weight gain and started riding regularly again about 3 months ago. Any advice?

[mimitabby]

welcome to TE. I've never been in a tri, but i'm 56 years old. I don't know your capabilities, nor your sticktoitiveness; but there are lots of gals here who do tri's.

how much time do you have to train? when's the tri? You are probably the best judge of your own abilities here.

Sit down, read the forum and get to know us. post a few times, let us get to know you.
mimi

[fastdogs]

hi- I'm 50. I just started riding last year. I've never done a triathilon, but I have a 4 year old son!
I think there's a lot of us middle aged types out there.
vickie

[KerryCrow]

I'm "only" 48, but 50 will be here before I know it. I am running impaired (back issues) but have given it the old college try via previous marathons in my 40's. I stick to the swimming, bike and strength exercises now. But I don't think you are even CLOSE to alone.

[Zen]

I've never done a triathilon, but I have a 4 year old son!

Holy smokes woman! That's a triathlon right there!

[Boise Birder]

I can't run because of knee issues - but go for the Tri!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Hey welcome!
Lots of us middle-agers here. :)
I'm 54, been riding bikes only about 2 years....I can 50 and 70 mile rides now, started with 6 mile rides two years ago. :p Bikes can do that to you- they're just too much fun!

Advice?.....hmmmm....my best advice is to remember that your body adapts slowly to new things...new body positions, new muscles being used, new limits being pushed. I am always amazed at how much I keep progressing- but my body takes it all at it's own pace. Then before you know it you get surprised by how much better you can do than you did months before. :)

[jaydee]

I am a 52 year old Aussie who has just taken up cycling this year. The cycling has been the relatively easy part - mind you, there's still a long way to go. I love the actual riding. But coming to grips with basic bike jobs like changing a flat tyre - jobs which I would normally have left to a husband or father, the first of whom I don't have anymore and the second who lives way too far away - has been my challenge.

I want to buy a new bike now but am still a little intimidated by the array of bikes in the shops and by the young male shop attendants who look amusingly at this slightly overweight middle aged lady who wants a new bike.

I have been reading the forum for a little while now and just love how supportive you all are of each other. Keep up the good work.:)

[Mr. Bloom]

Lollybell: Congrats on your decision to do this!

My wife Silver is the cycling coach for the local Y's tri-training program. I'll tell you that the most enjoyable folks in that group are the ones in their 50's and 60's who are doing this for the first time!

Age isn't the limitation and you'll find that you get all the benefits you seek in weight loss, energy gain, and self confidence!

PM Silver if you want some direct feedback from her. We're mid 40's and she just did her first tri a couple years ago...

[tctrek]

I turned 56 this week (not so happy about that!). I work an office job sitting at a desk and computer all day every day, which is not conducive to being fit and had gained a lot of weight in the past 10 years, which I am now slowly but surely taking off!!

I started riding my bike about a year ago, but only once or twice a month and only in perfect weather and easy rides. In May of this year I purchased a Trek road bike and started riding 50-75 miles a week. I started on the Silver Comet Trail in Georgia which is flat, no cars and pretty easy and graduated to road rides and now taking on longer rides with more hills (I hate hills). I also take spinning classes at least twice a week and in bad weather.

My only issue is that I get really tight in my muscles no matter how much I stretch before/after the ride, so I have started yoga classes to help with stretching and flexibility. It's also lots of fun :)

I also do weight training (light weights!) twice a week mostly for my upper body.

I think over 50 you don't just jump on a bike and compete with the youngsters, you need to work your way up and really focus on your overall fitness, flexibility and strength. This will help to prevent injury, because we don't bounce back so fast from that.

[nancielle]

I turned 56 this week (not so happy about that!). Yebbut, tctrek, when you consider the alternative, 56 is not so bad. :D


Lollybell, When is your tri? If you haven't already done so you might want to check out the triathlon section on this site and get some feedback from the women there. There might even be somebody close by who can train with you.

[Jenerator]

If you need some inspiration for starting out at 49, it worked out well for multiple record holder Madonna Buder (http://www.rolemodelsofhealth.com/index.php?position=sisterbuder).

[Bad JuJu]

Seems like someone once posted a question or a poll about how many of us here are over 50--response, as I recall, was overwhelming! I'm 55 myself, and thrilled about it, considering, as nancielle noted, the alternative.:eek:

Good luck with your tri ambitions!

[wavedancer]

Haven't ever posted - any body out there over 50 and riding? Have the double nickel birthday coming in December and have just signed up for a women's only sprint tri - crazy. Trying to lose some middle age weight gain and started riding regularly again about 3 months ago. Any advice?

I started riding in earnest about 3 years ago and like others here am totally hooked. I never ran until this year and hadn't swum(?) since I was a kid. I turned 59 this year and did my first sprint tri last week. WOO-Hoo! I love the challenge and the fitness I have gained. I'm even looking forward to the big 6-0 because I'll be able to step into another age group, and maybe get a medal :D

Have fun training, take it easy as you go, and share your progress with us here.

[SandyLS]

61 here. Did my first century ride last year. Welcome. and enjoy the ride.

[jaydee]

Just curious - how many of our mothers were taking up new and active sports in their 50s/60s. I know my mum would never have considered cycling or running or even swimming. A sedate walk with the dog was her idea of vigourous exercise when she was my age.

[Duck on Wheels]

My mom gave up strenuous sports activities by around her 50's, yeah. Or maybe not ...? She gardens. Still does at 86. And by gardens, I mean she hand turns heavy adobe soil with a shovel, daily, for up to several hours. She buries her kitchen veggie scraps while she's at it, for soil improvement. It works. You should see the stuff she grows!

[mimitabby]

my mother started going to the gym when she was close to 70. Imho, it was too late. She has osteoporosis and has fallen at least 3 times (I'm thinking 4!) and broken bones each time. When we went to Vancouver, she stumbled once and lost her balance another time. It is extremely critical to maintain our balance and stay physically active as long as we can, since most of us ARE going to get osteoporosis. It's not the thin bones that do it to us, it's the poor sense of balance which causes us to fall and then break those bones. And this is something you can do everywhere, (although cycling is great for maintaining your sense of balance!!!) stand on one foot while you're waiting in line!

[TahoeDirtGirl]

All I can say is woowwwwwww....I feel like a baby at 38. You gals are paving the way for 60 to be the new 30 :) Keep riding!!!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Just curious - how many of our mothers were taking up new and active sports in their 50s/60s. I know my mum would never have considered cycling or running or even swimming. A sedate walk with the dog was her idea of vigourous exercise when she was my age.

My mother's idea of vigorous exercise was walking across the room to the couch. :D


All I can say is woowwwwwww....I feel like a baby at 38. You gals are paving the way for 60 to be the new 30 :) Keep riding!!!

60 is the new 20. :D

[Crankin]

My mom probably would have still been exercising if she had lived past 67... She died of an autoimmune liver disease that wasn't diagnosed until she was about 60. She was very physically active as a girl and teen; was the leader of the girls athletic association in high school. Of course women were not supposed to be active in the 1940's and 50's, but I remember my mom riding bikes with me, doing sit ups and push ups with a record (an old fashioned thing for you youngsters), and swimming. She took up fitness walking in her 50's and was still going strong until she got sick. I used to walk with her when we would go visit and she could keep up with me very well.
I definitely got my athletic ability from her, although I got my poor balance and spatial relations from my dad, who did nothing athletic except play squash. I wish my mom had lived to see me start cycling and to see my son race when he was in high school.

[Grog]

My mom has always worked hard physically, my parents had greenhouses and did everything themselves.

She was always a bit active on the side, too, riding her bike a little, things like that, but not very confident. Since they started wintering over in Florida (which she doesn't enjoy all that much, but my dad can't endure the cold Quebec winters) she's taught herself swimming and she cycles around 18-20 miles every day around town. She's quite bored where she lives (most women are in their late 70s and 80s, and not active) so she goes out and rides around, stopping at every single yardsale along the way. :D I'm quite proud of her.

She turned 58 today, and the second thing she told me on the phone when I called her was that she went for a bike ride.

[Zen]

she goes out and rides around, stopping at every single yardsale along the way.

Maybe she needs an Xtracycle ;)

[blondiebiker]

I turned 59 this year and did my first sprint tri last week. WOO-Hoo! I love the challenge and the fitness I have gained. I'm even looking forward to the big 6-0 because I'll be able to step into another age group, and maybe get a medal :D

You guys are all my idols! I'm about halfway to age 50, been cycling and doing tri's for about 4 years. I'm not fast, but I tell my husband it's not a matter of getting fast, it's a matter of sticking with it longer than anyone else! My plan is to medal someday, when I'm 70 or so... :-P

[jaydee]

Wow, I am so impressed by the 'active mum brigade'.

I'm happy for 60 to be the new 30 - too much trying to work out who I was in my 20s, but my 30s were good. Oh dear, that doesn't mean I have to have a toddler again does it?:eek:

[Lollybell]

Thanks for all the encouragement! I am swimming and biking the sprint and my friend (2 time b.c. survivor) is doing the running. So we are a relay of sorts! Can't run anymore - makes the hips hurt. August 10 is d-day. We just don't want to come in last - but somebody has to, right? I have been riding 15 -20 miles 4 times a week for a month and swimming in shrunken Lake Lanier so I'll do the best I can! Love riding and feeling good about myself! And I LOVE this forum:)