Oh, the ironies. Carbonfiberboy makes lots of good points, all of which I should find discouraging, but I don’t. I just have to remember where I was when I started and then look at where I am now. Then I think about where I MIGHT be after seven years of training...
I’m actually in my sixth year of a fitness struggle that started after two bariatric surgeries (the first one was botched) early in 2009, but the first year probably doesn’t count because it was spent walking – from an extremely painful third of a mile assisted by a cane for three months to a brisk six miles a year later.
In 2010, I moved onto my 1980 six-speed Huffy and rode it at top speed around the neighborhood for ten miles a day. It didn’t have a speedometer, so I don’t know how fast I was going, and it didn’t matter.
In 2011, I took the Huffy to a nearby bike trail where I quickly discovered EVERYONE was riding much faster than I. You think you’re frustrated, Brian? Imagine how I felt knowing I was the slowest rider in the world. So I took the Huffy to a local bike shop and had it converted to a 12-speed. After that, only HALF the other riders passed me, and by November, I was riding up to 20 miles a day.
In 2012, I bit the bullet and bought a new Giant Cypress 21-speed (with a Cateye computer), and I spent a lot of time riding with a veteran biker who taught me about cadence and the advantages of middle-ring gearing. After 1,500 miles that year, I felt good about being able to average 12-13 mph on a typical day, and I extended my range to 35 miles. I still got passed a lot, though.
I planned to train hard in 2013. My daily average speed improved only slightly, but wonder of wonders, I was enjoying myself a lot more. Suddenly, riding was fun and not the tough daily grind it had been. My weight dropped to the same level it was when I was 19, and virtually all the troublesome health problems I’d had for many years disappeared. One hot summer morning, I rode 51 miles, and it about killed me. My child bride made me park my bike for a week.
A couple weeks ago, I surprised myself by averaging 15 mph on a 20-mile ride. My best time ever, but so what? I have no desire to do 17 mph, and I’m really comfortable at speeds that two years ago I found unacceptable.
It’s all in how you look at it.
Oh, BTW. I forgot to mention. I began my fitness struggle when I was 70. I’m now 75, and I’ll be 76 or 77 before I reach the “peak” Carbonfiberboy wrote about.
So Brian, just try to be patient. I’m sure you’ll do your 17 mph eventually. But you might not do it before you reach the ripe old age of 25.