Originally Posted by
GFish
It takes me apx. 8 miles before the body and lungs feel ready for a serious ride. If I start pushing early, my body quickly fatigues, then I feel like cutting the ride short. I used to think warming up was all in the head and a waste of energy, not anymore.
The first year I did my 10 Week Training Century Schedule in my mid-50s, I assiduously recorded data including the mile at which I spontaneously felt warmed up, i.e. I did not try to recognize it consciously, but rather when it occurred on the spur-of-the-moment. Over a three month period, it happened on the average between about mile 6 and mile 8.
I also recorded a “first fatigue” mile, that occurred on the average at about mile 25. It was not a debilitating fatigue, but rather my first spontaneous notice of a twinge of fatigue
(My training miles ranged from 14 to 31 on week days, and 40 to 75 on weekends.)