The return of: Over 50 show of hands

[OakLeaf]

Yeah ... I have to say, why?

I'm posting because you already know I belong here and I don't want to seem like I'm trying to pretend to newer TE'rs that I'm younger than I am. I am where I am. I did set a couple of goals before the birthday, and more than anything else, that made it quite clear that the birthday was going to happen whether I trained for it or not - other things, not so much.

50, learned to ride on the late side (7 maybe?) because my uncle taught me, not my parents. Rode all the way through the rule that says you're never 29 (not racing the whole time, just the few years surrounding that date) and a couple of years after. Burned out, didn't ride at all for 10 years.

Got a little hybrid in 2003 for <3 mile errands. Thought I'd forgotten how to ride a bike. Not-quite-intentionally wound up on a demo road bike for three days in 2006. Been back ever since.

[Bike Chick]

51 here.....started riding at 46.

[Catrin]

I am at the half century mark I actually never thought that it would feel so good!

I just learned how to ride a bike for the first time in my life in December, 2009. Two months after my 50th birthday and I certainly never thought that I would be able to do 50 mile rides by the end of July!

Cycling has become my fountain of youth - both in health and in outlook. I have lost a great deal of weight, my live now consists more than just working too much, and I have found that it reconnects me to the world around me after spending all day in my data modeling work-a-day world.

Now I just need to figure out how to unleash my inner hill-climbing animal

[Crankin]

56 here, heading toward 57 in November .
How did I get this old?
Started riding seriously at 47 or 48 (I can't really remember which year it was). I rode a lot as a young teen/middle schooler and just a little when I was in grad school and as a young mom. I remember riding the wrong way down Rural Rd. in Tempe, heading toward Chandler Blvd. on my 10 speed Univega and thinking I had gone really far. I think the round trip was 7-10 miles!
Oak, I didn't learn to ride until I was 9, almost 10 years old. My parents tried to teach me at 7, and even then my poor spatial skills/balance were evident. Finally, my mom took it into her own hands, rented a purple Schwinn for me while we were at the Cape, where we stayed in a cottage community with quiet, straight roads, and somehow taught me. I remember she let me ride the mile back to the bike rental place when it had to be returned, on a fairly busy road, as she drove the car behind me, probably at 5 mph. My mom was cool. We used to ride our Raleighs together after that.
Although I was fit and active before, I hardly did any outdoor activity. I also had started to gain weight and was very unhappy with my body when I started cycling. My friends told me it was "normal." Since I knew better, I let myself be humiliated on my first ride, where my DH had to push me up a small climb with the back of his hand. It was a total of 6 miles.

[roadie gal]

51 here. I started riding regularly in 1995. I did my first triathlon, a sprint, at 46, and my HIM last year. I did it because a half iron at half a century just sounded so cool.

[huffandpuff]

56, casual biker for many years but got more serious a couple of years ago. Hoping to do work up to Seacoast Century this year with my daughter. Not a fast rider but I love every minute of it. Was so happy to find TE forum. I've learned so much from you guys!

[tctrek]

58 here... started riding at 55 with a big ole Townie bike... same year got a Giant hybrid. At 56 I got my first road bike a Trek 2.1. At 57 I upgraded to my current bike a Trek Madone 4.7. I am slow, but I don't care.. I love riding my bike.

[Zen]

[divingbiker]

I'm a member of the club. I'm soon to be 54, started riding again in my late 40s.

I mostly commute, but also do sprint triathlons, easy mountain biking, leisurely road rides, and multi-day tours. I like it all, as long as I don't have to work too hard, and the bike is red.

Right now I'm on a quest to find the bike that started it all, a candy apple red girl's Schwinn Stingray. Let me know if you see one.

[Zen]

Get it painted

or

http://popular.ebay.com/motorcycles/...-sting-ray.htm

[mudmucker]

50 years and 27 days here. Been riding road for 27 or so years and mt for 23 years.

[tzvia]

Coming up on 51 in November. Rediscovered cycling in '08 as a way to lose weight and get fit after a bad car accident in '02. Lost 40 lbs, and every once in a while, I dig out one of my old shirts to wear around the house as a kind of inspirational high-five. I call them my moo-moo shirts . Gave away all my once-tight 14 pants, and wear my 6s with belts now.

Can't believe I am 50 though, and friends and co-workers think I am crazy. But heck, it's my time machine- in it, I ride back to my youth and health. And drop some stress along the way.

You rock girls! High-five to all!

[OakLeaf]

I did it because a half iron at half a century just sounded so cool.

I did the same thing with the half marathon and figured that that would give me until I was 100 to train for my first full.

Whoops.

[KnottedYet]

I did the same thing with the half marathon and figured that that would give me until I was 100 to train for my first full.

Whoops.

Sr. Madonna Buder does fulls, and she's 80. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madonna_Buder

Keep training!

(I want legs like this when I'm 80: http://www.tonic.com/article/80-year...hlete-ironman/ )

[Ann G]

I'll be 60 next month. I've had a bike around almost my whole life, but I started seriously cycling more at age 52.