when I started riding it killed me ride a mile a day 2x a week. I was totally out of shape and way way overweight, not quite morbidly obese but close enough as made no difference.

When I finished the cross country ride a year ago, I spent five extra days in St. Augustine recovering, which consisted of me sleeping in very late, getting up, staggering out to find some breakfast, sitting and staring blankly with a cup of coffee, giving up, going back to the motel, sleeping until mid /late afternoon, then staggering out for a lunch/dinner- spending another hour or so with a cup of coffee staring blankly and then going back to the motel and going back to bed.

Mostly on the days I ride my schedule is to eat breakfast, ride, come home, prep my bike for the next ride, have lunch and then nap for 2-3 hours. Of sourse I do this on gym days as well so...

I guess the point I am making is that at a certain age, (I'm 63)you learn to pace yourself a bit and finally learn how to be gentle with yourself.

marni