Fifty Plus (50+) - Introduction and a Question

Greetings,

I’ve been lurking and posting a comment or question here and there but haven’t actually done an intro, though I did one in the main Introductions sub-forum. The introduction is by way of setting a context for the question that I have which may be better suited for the training forum but people here seem less… intense, and since I’m fully qualified to be here your thoughts are possibly more pertinent.

I’m currently 54 years old. I’ve never been particularly athletic so it was easy to settle into a sedentary lifestyle. A couple of years ago I decided that I needed to start getting into better shape or I wouldn’t make it to 100. At that point I was weighing in at between 235 and 240.

I’ve ridden bikes… forever, and honestly don’t think there has been a time since I was a little kid that I didn’t have one in the garage/shed. However, it had been a long long time since I rode any distance. But to the garage I went and pumped up the tires on my trusty Trek Navigator 400 which I had stored there since some time in the mid ‘90s and off I went.

One lap of the neighborhood left me gasping and my butt screaming for sofa, but it was a start. Two years later I’m in much better shape, but still have a way to go in my estimation. I’m down to 190 and was getting to the point that I recognized that I enjoyed riding the bike for more than just the exercise component so I began shopping around.

I settled on a Trek Pilot 5.0 because I liked its more relaxed geometry (I’ve had neck problems forever and twisting it back too far hurts) and the price on a left over ’07 sealed the deal. When I bought the bike I assured the sales guy that it was my intent to ride in “civilian clothes” and sneakers so he set me up with the cushiest seat his conscience would allow on that bike and toe clip/strap peddles (I immediately took the clips off and trashed them.)

What a difference! I knew this bike would be faster than the Navigator and hoped it would be more fun, but I would have bought it long ago if I had realized how much I would enjoy it. In about two months time I’ve made the transition, Lycra padded pants, sprang for a Brooks B-17 saddle and now Sidi’s and Speedplay peddles… It’s a sickness! (Fredness? :))

Okay now the question that will be way shorter that the ramble above. I went off this morning planning to spend at least two hours riding. I’m in Florida and it was a warm day (surprise!) around 90° F and 80% humidity. I started the ride well hydrated, but didn’t eat much. At about the half hour mark I stopped to adjust my shoes and drank most of my water with the intent to refill at about the hour mark. However, by the time I was approaching the hour mark I was seriously flagging (Bonking? I’ve heard the term, but not sure what it really is.) So instead of filling my water bottle and heading out after a Gatoraid I gave it up for the day.

My analysis: because this was my first ride with the Speedplays/Sidis I started off way too “hot” rather than warming up properly first. Also, though I’m not a “breakfast person” I’m thinking I need to get past that and choke down some food, probably carbs (oatmeal?). How long before I start the ride?

I’ve been working hard on cadence and spinning pretty fast which I never really focused on with the Navigator. I recognize that this is tiring me since I’m working the heart harder. But I have done quite a few two hour rides in the past albeit considerably slower than I was going the first hour today. Thoughts? Suggestions?

Oh, and here’s a picture of the bike since no decent introduction is complete without a picture of the bike. ;) Hopefully it will work, my ISP is too cheap to provide web space so trying Photo Bucket.

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll104/saundersje/07TrekPilot.jpg

I think "bonking" refers to totally depleting your glycogen stores without the ability to maintain energy with lipolysis (as a trained athelte would) and so you become so energy deprived that you just can't go on.

I suspect that, in spite of your efforts, you were dehydrated and that's why you ran out of steam. I'm not sure having a hearty breakfast would have helped or made it worse.

Anyway, your bike is beautiful and reminds me a bit of my red and white Lemond Buenos Aires.

And the red peddles were not lost upon me. Fred? Are you sure you're not an OCP?

Welcome to the forum and thats a nice bike. What is that in the other bottle holder? As for your questions, I can only tell you what works for me. It does sound like maybe you got excited and hit it a little too hard with the new set up. When I ride in the mornings, I always eat something before I leave the house. I have tried different foods but what works best for me is two pieces of whole wheat toast with peanut butter or a bowl of oatmeal. Now that it is getting warm (i'm in Fl too) I like to ride in the evening and I will eat something light like a salad or a peanut butter sandwich before I go. (peanut butter just seems to work for me) I always take a kashi or similar granola bar and about an hour into the ride I will eat that. I also drink about 20 ounces of water for every 20 miles I ride.

OCP? I could very well be an OCP... but would need a definition. I wondered if I was getting enough hydration too, I did take a bit of water about 15 minutes into the ride but not that much. I'm not real comfortable drinking as I ride, that may be a function of the bottle (Polor? insulated bottle that doesn't really do much anyway) Do fairly casual riders like myself actually use Camelback systems and the like?

What is that in the other bottle holder?

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=600072&subcategory=60001024&brand=&sku=13264&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=Shop%20by%20Subcat%3A%20Bottles

As a peanut butter fan I'll try peanut butter on an english muffin! Sound better than chocking down oatmeal (not that there's anything wrong with that!)

Your bike is really top end, everything including the pedals is color coordinated. I'm afraid TWL may be correct about the OCP thing.:roflmao2: The only thing that might save you is how you dress when riding the bike. Are your clothes top of the line and all color coordinated or do you wear Performance on sale bike shorts with a Target dri fit shirt? :lol:

Are you sure you're not an OCP?
Dork disk, reflectors, & a picture from the non-drive side? Probably not OCP, but he should fit in nicely here.

Nice ride.

Welcome...nice bike!

Just to reinforce what the others have said, I think you need to drink more and eat before you ride.

I never leave home on a long ride w/out two full water bottles (you can get a little seat bag to hold the stuff you currently have in your cage rocket). And, like some of the posters above, I always have breakfast, usually something bland like peanut butter on whole wheat toast, or peanut butter on a banana or bagel.

Today I did 60 miles; stopped at about 35 miles for a cookie, some espresso and some cold iced tea at a country store...perfect!

Welcome to the forum. Beautiful bike. And congrats on the progress you've made in the past two years.

Sounds to me like water was your biggest problem. But that said, I've bonked after riding two hours and eating only a banana. If you were riding fast then you're burning more energy, and the faster you go, the higher the percentage of that energy coming from glycogen rather than fat. Add in that you hadn't eaten since the night before, and sure it's possible. If you bonk hard, you will know it -- it is just not possible to get up any speed. I literally had to get off and walk on a grade that couldn't have been more than 2%.

Drink and look at an energy additive to put in the bottle. And if starting from home- couple of cups of coffee before going will help aswell. up to about 2 hours- you should not have to eat but anything that will give energy on a ride is a bonus. Oatmeal or a good fried breakfast helps- or 1 hour into a ride- a stop for pie and coffee helps.

Sounds like you just have to fuel up a bit better to give the bike a decent ride- but that will come with practice.


Edit
And Camelbacks--- Mainly used by Mountain bikers and Road riders that come from that origin. I use a camelback on the longer rides and find it easier to keep sipping from. Dead easy to just put the spout in the mouth and take a few sips than reaching down for a bottle. And you can then fill the camelback with the energy drink and keep the water in the bottle to wash away the taste of the gel you will also be taking on the long rides.

The only thing that might save you is how you dress when riding the bike. Are your clothes top of the line and all color coordinated or do you wear Performance on sale bike shorts with a Target dri fit shirt?

Phew! Saved. Hopefully sale rack at LBS equates to "Performance on sale" and ironically the shirts do come from Target. Wife buys them for me :thumb:

I will take the advice about the second water bottle. I think I may shop brands a bit too, the one I've got fits quite tight and I find myself struggling to get it out, then later back into the cage. I'm sure that probably doesn't encourage me to drink as often as I could otherwise.

Thank you for all the suggestions!

As others have stated, a little something to eat before heading out for a ride will help. My favorite is oatmeal but peanut butter is good, too.


Nice bike! But then, I'm real fond of Treks, too:thumb:




:welcome

1. I doubt you've experienced true "bonk" yet. I associate bonk with rides that are longer than 3 hours.

2. I suspect that consciously trying to pick up your cadence may be a factor. I think of that as the difference between walking for 2 hours and jogging or running for 2 hours.

Well today I’m happier. I took everyone’s good advice:
1 – Drank a good bit of water and some coffee before the ride. (Actually no more than I had on Saturday.)
2 – Ate an English muffin with a good helping of peanut butter.
3 – Drank half a bottle of Gatorade while pumping up the tires, then filled the bottle with ice and water and into my second cage it went. Is it less OCP if I have plastic drink containers in my cages instead of a color matched professional bottle? What the heck is OCP anyhow!? :rolleyes:
4 – Started out intentionally holding back and just a nice steady ~80 RPM
5 – Paid attention to drinking regularly while under way and paused every half hour to drink up the Gatorade bottle. Yes, I had to refill it at the halfway point of the ride, but that wasn’t a problem since I was just orbiting the neighborhood. Sadly, there aren’t a lot of real scenic rides around this area that are better than the ‘hood.

30 miles in about two hours and at the end I pulled up to the garage feeling like I could have gone quite a bit farther. I know 30 miles is a good warm-up for some here, but that is a pretty good ride for me, and averaging 15 MPH isn’t much to write home about either. One lap of the neighborhood, however, involves eight cul-de-sacs 8 yield/stop signs (which I admittedly treat as guidelines more than rules in the absence of traffic, but I approach them prepared to stop if I can’t clearly see that there is nobody else around.)

Anyway, thank you , the sage advice worked. :speedy:

I have found I have to pay more attention to what I eat and drink than I used to. Well, not so much what, but how much and when. I have started nibbling on food more while I ride to keep energy up. Maybe it's age.

Phew! Saved. Hopefully sale rack at LBS equates to "Performance on sale" and ironically the shirts do come from Target. Wife buys them for me :thumb:

I will take the advice about the second water bottle. I think I may shop brands a bit too, the one I've got fits quite tight and I find myself struggling to get it out, then later back into the cage. I'm sure that probably doesn't encourage me to drink as often as I could otherwise.

Thank you for all the suggestions!

It's not the bottle that is too tight- It's the cage. Bend the wire out so that the bottle becomes looser- but not so loose it falls out. Most riders only use the bottle on the downtube- and when it's empty- change it for the full one. Unless you have two different drinks on the ride- and then you have to remember which is the energy drink and which is the water. Just don't pour the energy drink over the head- It attracts flies and wasps.

I teach novice riders to "drink before you are thirsty and eat before you are hungry". With hat said, on any ride you should drink approximately every 10 15 minutes. A good way to remember this is to have a watch with a count down timer set for 10 minutes, when it beeps drink. Drinking before you ride is good, just water should do. I drink Gatorade mixed 50/50 during the ride. Carry Power Bar or Cliff Bar to eat at about the half way point or iif you feel the hunger pangs starting. Keep riding and the rest will come.

Hey all, just a comment about Gatorade - I've read that it is pretty close to two times as concentrated as it should be and cutting it half water will make a BIG difference in how well hydrated you stay.

What the heck is OCP anyhow!?

See my website below in the signature line for definitions of terms used here.

Sounds like you may have pushed a little hard and dehydrated.
I rarely find food helpful for rides less than 2 hours. I never get hungry even on a long ride, on centurys I need to eat just as a matter of course - typically 300 cal/hr - but I am burning around 800 cal/hr. I don't think I have ever "bonked" but I have indeed lost a lot of energy and struggled at the end of a long ride. I can't tolerate sweet drinks on hot days but I can tolerate Guu and protein bars. This year I found Nuun which I tolerate quite well and provides the electrolites needed to hydrate properly - pure water will only work for a few hours before you deplete your electrolites. In the AM I start with a good breakfast, oatmeal and dried fruit or eggs & bacon with a bagel. But I know this will run out after two hours.