Fifty Plus (50+) - My first half century

Didn't know I'd be so tired! I just started cycling less than a month ago after 40 yrs away from bikes. My previous longest ride was last week, 32 miles. Strangest thing, I first went west against a SW wind, looking forward to enjoying a tailwind later. As I headed south, wind had started to shift to straight out of the south. Then as I went diagonal to the SE, I was going directly into the wind. As I turned back north, wind had dissapated so I still didn't get to enjoy full benefit. Bad plan I guess. Also, the 12 miles I went SE into the wind was some of the roughest broken up concrete I've ever been on. I'll never choose that road again! Anyway, it was a great experience but I found out I have a lot of conditioning to to do yet to get prepared for that first full century! - NOW - A big glass of chocolate milk and then a soak in the whirlpool tub! Somebody check on me if I'm not out in an hour. I may be sleeping!

Didn't know I'd be so tired! I just started cycling less than a month ago after 40 yrs away from bikes. My previous longest ride was last week, 32 miles. Strangest thing, I first went west against a SW wind, looking forward to enjoying a tailwind later. As I headed south, wind had started to shift to straight out of the south. Then as I went diagonal to the SE, I was going directly into the wind. As I turned back north, wind had dissapated so I still didn't get to enjoy full benefit. Bad plan I guess. Also, the 12 miles I went SE into the wind was some of the roughest broken up concrete I've ever been on. I'll never choose that road again! Anyway, it was a great experience but I found out I have a lot of conditioning to to do yet to get prepared for that first full century! - NOW - A big glass of chocolate milk and then a soak in the whirlpool tub! Somebody check on me if I'm not out in an hour. I may be sleeping!

Way to go Hawkjohn. Keep up the good work. I am with you about the wind. It seems that when you set out on a long ride, it is always against you and then shifts to be against you on the return. Excellent distance--don't think of it as 50 miles, think of it as 80 kilometers and you only need another 20 for a metric century.....a good next goal. Before long you'll be dong a century every weekend. Remember, it's not in your legs or your lungs, it's in your mind.......
Tim

Didn't know I'd be so tired! I just started cycling less than a month ago after 40 yrs away from bikes. My previous longest ride was last week, 32 miles. Strangest thing, I first went west against a SW wind, looking forward to enjoying a tailwind later. As I headed south, wind had started to shift to straight out of the south. Then as I went diagonal to the SE, I was going directly into the wind. As I turned back north, wind had dissapated so I still didn't get to enjoy full benefit. Bad plan I guess. Also, the 12 miles I went SE into the wind was some of the roughest broken up concrete I've ever been on. I'll never choose that road again! Anyway, it was a great experience but I found out I have a lot of conditioning to to do yet to get prepared for that first full century! - NOW - A big glass of chocolate milk and then a soak in the whirlpool tub! Somebody check on me if I'm not out in an hour. I may be sleeping!

A month since re starting riding and a 50 miler. You must be fitter than you think. That wind is something you'll get to know more about. As to the Glass of Milk- There must be better drinks to sober you up.

Well done, but take it steady for a couple of days to give time for the muscles to re-tune.

I'll take the advice to take a couple of light days for recovery.......good timing actually, highs in the 20's next couple days after 52 yesterday! A little light snow this morning.

Great report! When you throw in the detrimental "wind effect" you were up against you probably had an equivalent mileage that was at least 20 per cent higher. Plus riding into the wind is definitely harder on the legs.

I know it sounds crazy but I've found that after a tough ride, if I can get back on the bike the next day and do a really easy ride that is about 20-30% the distance of the longer ride, my legs recover a lot quicker. Something you can experiment with if the weather and time cooperates. Of course a whirlpool along with a whole body massage could probably be a more than adequate substitute!!!!!

I agree with the "short ride next day approach". The Homedics hand massagers work great on the quads, hamstrings, thighs and calves.

I never think of the wind as my enemy. If riding against it, think of it this way - you get more exercise.

I know the feeling only too well; a few years back when I was 55 and had hardly been on a bike in 30+ years I signed up to do a MS150 in GA. I trained very little prior to the ride, thinking I was still 19. That was a mistake! I did complete the first day - 80 miles, but the tendons down the outside of my legs were agony with each pedal stroke after about the 50 mile mark. The next day, I did 20 miles to complete a century, but I couldn't ride any further. Since that time I train for centuries and MS150s and also take a couple of Aleve before each big ride, just in case!!

Group Health Seattle to Portland Bike Ride. Put this in your Search Engine and get up a great Training Schedual for the 206 mile ride The schedual starts in February and ends in July for the 15th to 16 ride, some do it in one day, but most of the 8000 riders do it in two days.

A first half-century is impressive even when done in one's first half-century. A half-century any time during one's second half-century is all the more noteworthy. Congrats.

Couldn't help playing off the thread and forum titles in your post. I'm entitled though since I'm in the second half-century myself. :)

In the course of my conditioning, I've found something that seems to be really helping me. At 6 AM here in the cetral time zone, I tune into a show on the "LIME" channel ( I think it's also called the "Wisdom" channel) The show is Stots Pilates with Moira. Doing this regimen seems to be really improving my core strength and flexability. I can stay down on the drops now for long periods without back discomfort and that alone seems to help my overall performance a lot. I'm hoping I can at least maintain the level I've gotten to inspite of the return of winter. I've set my next goal as a metric century and then a bit later two consecutive half centuries in consecutive days. Then, the big goal will be a full century by early spring. For me, setting goals like that really adds to the fun. I'm just not into competing with others but love to push and challenge myself to get better.