Age vs. Cycling Ability

[OakLeaf]

I haven't toured since I was young, but several members of my bike club are guys in their 70s who just RIDE. Two of them did the Lewis & Clark Trail last summer. They were going to do the Great Divide this summer, but one of them tore his ACL. He was back on his MTB about 3 weeks before his PT thought he'd be able to, but the trip had to be rescheduled for next year.

[tulip]

I toured across France when I was 15 with a bunch of other 15 year-olds. I really dislike camping, so my touring now is alot more comfortable. But I still consider it touring, as I'm out all day on the bike seeing places I never would have seen otherwise, getting to my next destination on a bike. Because of work, I can't just up and go for months at a time, but I am able to fit in a few weeks here and there.

[cyclingmama]

I don't think that age limits your ability to accomplish your goals, whatever they may be, but it does make a difference in how you get there. I was 25 when DH bought me my first (post-childhood) bike, and I did 14 miles my first ride, and we did an MS 150 the next year with not nearly enough training. I rode for a few years, then stopped when I had my first child. Starting up again this spring at 34 was definitely more challenging. I've been building my mileage up much more slowly. I've also noticed that what I eat for pre-ride fuel and post-ride recovery has become much more significant to my performance levels than it ever was before. Sleep is more of a factor than it was. Simply put, I could do a lot more on a lot less when I was mid-20s than I can at mid-30s. And I'm still young! I can only imagine that the importance of these factors only increases with age.

So my goal now is to keep at it consistently (however challenging it is to find the time to ride with 3 and 5 year olds), because I would hate to have to start from ground zero again in my mid-40s.

[tulip]

So my goal now is to keep at it consistently (however challenging it is to find the time to ride with 3 and 5 year olds), because I would hate to have to start from ground zero again in my mid-40s.

I found that fitting in two spinning classes per week, even one when time was really tight, helped maintain my fitness. If you end up having trouble getting out during the day, perhaps a spinning class will help (the father can watch the kids, or get a babysitter).

[cyclingmama]

I found that fitting in two spinning classes per week, even one when time was really tight, helped maintain my fitness. If you end up having trouble getting out during the day, perhaps a spinning class will help (the father can watch the kids, or get a babysitter).

Thanks Tulip! I actually started a spin class in January to get myself ready to get back on the bike in the spring. There is a gym 1/2 mile from my office that has a 45min spin class at noon on Tuesdays, so I do that on my lunch hour, even now. In the winter I also took an hour-long Saturday morning class, either leaving the kids home with DH or at the childcare at the gym. Now I ride Saturday mornings, and my daughter complains that she misses the "Kids Club" at the gym (and our visit to the gym pool that usually follows). The funny part is she recently asked me why I don't exercise anymore, b/c she views going to gym as exercise but going for a bike ride as playing.

sorry for the thread hijack . . .

[Southside Sally]

I just started cycling this year, and I am 47. I am up to 50 and 60 mile bike rides and will do the MS 150 in a few weeks. I ride twice a week, and my average is 14.3-15.5, depending on the length of the ride.

Having said this, I started out cycling in great shape from 20 years of weights and cardio. For me, it was simply a matter of learning to ride a road bike, getting my butt used to the saddle for long periods of time and tweaking my nutrition a bit.

[cyclinnewbie]

This has nothing to do with aging and sports, but is a bit relevant to the topic at hand. My inlaws are both in their 60's, and act as if they're older than dirt. They complain about their multitude of aches and pains, and the only activities they engage in are sitting in their house watching TV, and going out to eat. They have visited every restaurant in this county since they moved here 4 years ago. They are fat, and out of shape and OLD.

Contrast that to my 96 year old grandfather who is blind, who walks 5 miles a day, has a vast social network, has a multitude of interests (he is a GREAT fiddler, despite having lost a few of his fingers to various woodcutting accidents - yes, he was operating saws while BLIND), he continues to get up on his roof when it needs repairs, much to my dad's consternation, he just sold his sailboat because his sighted buddy who used to sail with him passed away last year. He is more active physically and mentally than a lot of 40 year olds I know.

Age ain't nothing but a number; a great deal of it is all about what's in your head. Sure, biology has A LOT to do with it, but I think attitude has more influence. Just my two cents....