Fifty Plus (50+) - Newbie, oldie tries a century

I have been reading the Forum for a bunch of months (especially the 50+ because I am a 50+++) while getting back into riding again. I started last spring in part to help rehab a total knee replacement from the previous year. I soon frogot about the knee and just rode for the fun of riding.

Got a Specialized Crossroads in June and have put about 3,000 miles on it, which has convinced me I need a bit more bicycle. However, last Thursday the Crossroads and I did our first century up the Washington & Old Dominion Trail (just outside Washington, DC in Virginia) in the teeth of a 20+ mile per hour headwind. I think that next time I'll use a different bike and find a day with a bit less weather. Ever notice that when the wind is in your face you really feel it but when it's at your back you don't notice? So getting that 100 in motivated me to post --- I had to brag to someone.

Anyway, I noticed no lasting side effects other than I was really, really tired when it was all over. No particular aches or pains on my 63 year old bod, but I sure did sleep well Thursday night. Did about 10 miles of errand running the next day. Oh, it took me a bit over 7 hours (4 out and 3 back) with a nice lunch break in Leesburg.

One side effect I did notice is that the last 4 miles of my ride was back through DC to my home and it struck me that my judgement and reflexes were not so hot--tiredness. I think that next time, I'll plan it so I don't have to do the final stretch in DC rush hour traffic. Not safe for me or those around me. Live and learn, I guess.

Anyway, it is the posts of other old guys (and gals) on this forum that encouraged me to give a century a try. I am glad I did and I hope you can too.

Congratulations TLC. :beer: 100 miles on a Crossroads into a headwind should qualify you for Senior Member status--forget newbie. I'm sending your post here to a friend who's facing knee replacement...she could use some inspiration that life will hardly be over. Keep posting your riding experiences and your hunt for a new bike.

Super Ride !!!!!!!!! Go for a good test ride on a drop bar road bike, and also try a hybrid. If you don't like the positions on the drop bars, the Sirrus is a nice bike for distances. If you put curved bar ends on the Sirrus, you have three different hand positions.
I'm recovering from knee surgery, so the therapist said jogging and running are "out" for the rest of my life. In my first three or so visits, I must have heard the word "bicycle" over a dozen times.

Congratulations TLC. :beer: 100 miles on a Crossroads into a headwind should qualify you for Senior Member status--forget newbie. I'm sending your post here to a friend who's facing knee replacement...she could use some inspiration that life will hardly be over. Keep posting your riding experiences and your hunt for a new bike.

Please tell your friend that a Knee replacement is the first day of the rest of your life. I have lots of suggestions and hints. Pre-op PT is the key. Post op hard work makes for a good reult. Bicycling is the reward!

Super Ride !!!!!!!!! Go for a good test ride on a drop bar road bike, and also try a hybrid. If you don't like the positions on the drop bars, the Sirrus is a nice bike for distances. If you put curved bar ends on the Sirrus, you have three different hand positions.
I'm recovering from knee surgery, so the therapist said jogging and running are "out" for the rest of my life. In my first three or so visits, I must have heard the word "bicycle" over a dozen times.

I have had my eye on a Jamis Coda, but I'll be sure to put a Sirrus in the mix. Yeah, all that running and jogging just wears you out. Cycling will build you up. Knees love the bicycle--at least that has ben my experience.

The Jamis Coda is a pretty nice bike.

Great Ride!! I still have not reached the point of trying a century. I have it listed in next year's schedule, (two of them). Also your total miles for this year is really impressive. I am just passing 1,400 having begun last March. My goal for next year includes 2 centuries and 2,500 miles. I don't know if I could ever find the time to ride 3,000 plus so my hat's off to you!

GREAT NEWS. GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT!

I love to hear from folks who have been encouraged by the 50+ fourm. That is a major reason why we set it up!



Great Ride!! I still have not reached the point of trying a century. I have it listed in next year's schedule, (two of them). Also your total miles for this year is really impressive. I am just passing 1,400 having begun last March. My goal for next year includes 2 centuries and 2,500 miles. I don't know if I could ever find the time to ride 3,000 plus so my hat's off to you!

It's easy, just pedal faster! :D :roflmao: :D

Thanks for the tip DnvrFox. I think I,ll put it on a sticky note and post it on my cycle computer, but if I pedal too fast it may blow off!

Great Ride!! I still have not reached the point of trying a century. I have it listed in next year's schedule, (two of them). Also your total miles for this year is really impressive. I am just passing 1,400 having begun last March. My goal for next year includes 2 centuries and 2,500 miles. I don't know if I could ever find the time to ride 3,000 plus so my hat's off to you!

You hit a key point here--finding the time. In the summer, it was pretty easy. I am a very early riser, so I was going out at 5:30 and geting in a couple of hours. I retired this fall and now have more time during the day. I think my next goal is to join a local club and do some group riding, which I have never done before. Two centuries and 2,500 miles is probably more than 99.99% of the U.S. population has ever done. Good Luck!

You hit a key point here--finding the time. In the summer, it was pretty easy. I am a very early riser, so I was going out at 5:30 and geting in a couple of hours. I retired this fall and now have more time during the day. I think my next goal is to join a local club and do some group riding, which I have never done before. Two centuries and 2,500 miles is probably more than 99.99% of the U.S. population has ever done. Good Luck!

And, you could try an indoor trainer and join our support group!

I had a tremendous workout this am - including standing and sprinting at full blast. Want to get your heart rate up and get you quads in shape? Try that!

(BTW it is 18F, streets are skating rinks and some wind here. Think I will not ride today. :D )

Thanks for the encouragement tlc20010. As I noted in another thread recently, I still have children's college etc. to go through so am not quite ready to retire. Like you though I head out at approx. 5:30 AM to ride.

Here in NC this morning it was 65F and had rained lightly. Because of the rain on all the wet leaves I couldn't push the ride too much, but had a great morning ride. The moisture in the air felt good. I posted some photos the other day on the share your ride thread, one shows a street scene which can give you an idea of the amount of leaves on the road. This morning it was heavier with leaves everywhere except the very center.

Congratulations on the century! You give a nice report of your ride!

And thanks for the encouragement! Even though my knees are OK, knee problems run in my family, so it is nice to know that cycling will help me if I ever get to that point... And hopefully keep me from getting there!

A good resource for info about how to recognize the effects of fatigue is the long distance motorcycling community. The web site to get you pointed in the right direction is www.ironbutt.com. Long distance motorcyclist have to deal with and manage fatigue to successfully compete in their sport. Interestingly, many of the most successful long distance motorcyclist are themselves over 50. The non scientific conclusion for this is that with age comes wisdom, and with wisdom comes excellent judgement. Excellent judgement is a good thing to have regardless of how your bike is powered.

Congrats on the century and your mileage.

AWESOME!!! I don't think I could have done a hundred miles without a headwind! My goal is to do a century sometime in 2006. Well done!

Super post. Congrats. I haven't done one yet but am planning to.

Way to go, tlc. My old stomping grounds, too (grew up in Arlington, Va). It's inspiring to all of us that you don't let your knee be an excuse to hold you back from great experiences like these.

I think you've earned that new bike...

I showed your post to my wife, who (I think) just sort of snorted and mumbled something about "toys."

Thanks for the encouragement.

I am fortunate that my wife is a cyclist as well. Of course, my lust is for bikes and hers is for jerseys... :D

Great job!!! Your accomplishment makes my wife feel better about my riding as well. thanks.

I hope to do my first century next spring when the weather gets nicer.

Congratulations on your accomplishment.

I'm very envious. Although we have similar cycle mileage and I'm a decade younger, I have only completed a 100 mile Century once and that was by accident (I got lost!). I have a dozen or so Metric Century (100kms or 60 miles) rides behind me this season. The 100 miler, 6 to 7 hour grind is just too much of a long tedious grind for me. I max-out at 4 to 5 hours motivationally, fatigue and c/w a sore-butt.

Good stuff, keep at it.

I know exactly what you mean. The only way I can ride distance is to make sure the first leg is away from home, that way when I begin to lose motivation, I am a long way from home and have to pedal back. For some reason, I always find the return easier and faster even though the legs and butt ought to be wearing out. Go figure. I envy your dozen metric centuries. Well done.

Great job!!! Your accomplishment makes my wife feel better about my riding as well. thanks.

I hope to do my first century next spring when the weather gets nicer.

Just keep pedaling. Like Digital Gee says "Cycling is 50% physical and 90% mental." The last part is really the hardest.

Terrific ride! I hate headwinds and to do what you did is truly noteworthy.

You're dead on the "senses being a little off towards the end of the ride". That can be pretty typical so as you said it is particularly important to take extra precautions. I've seen folks' concentration slip and lose grip of the handlebars and down they go.....

Keep up the riding and posting!

last Thursday the Crossroads and I did our first century up the Washington & Old Dominion Trail (just outside Washington, DC in Virginia) in the teeth of a 20+ mile per hour headwind.

Way to go! I'm jealous. Linda and I never got around to doing a century this year and now, with the weather turned suddenly wintery here, we may not until spring. That tiredness you're feeling is great, isn't it? It's such a fitful rest the evening after a big ride...

Take care!

Steve