Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - 100 year old rides 100km in 4:17

http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/09/news/robert-marchand-sets-new-100-kilometer-speed-record_240211

Robert Marchand of France rode his bike 100km in 4:17:27 yesterday. That's 14.5mph average. He'll be 101 years old in November. Amazing! He looks incredibly fit too.

I was stressed a bit before yesterday, thinking about my plans to ride 54, until I read about his intentions. Wow. As it is I only averaged 12 mph so he's faster than me at going farther. My only excuse may be that he has more time off to train... yeah right. He's over twice my age.

That's pretty impressive! I turned 50 this year, and have ridden a couple centuries on 50+ year old bikes... does that count for anything?

No, I don't suppose it does. 50 is nothing for a bike, or for a person. Only a very small proportion of the population reaches the age of 100, and most who do are not in the best of health. To be able to ride a century at that age is pretty impressive. I'm sure he could have done it faster; but at that age, what's the rush?

I think we are starting to see the beginning of a new "norm" here. Back in 1971, when I first started riding a bike seriously and seeing my first bike races, Masters (then called "Veterans") started at age 40, there were very few of them, they looked old, and they engaged in what I would call "pretend racing." Well, there were some exceptions, but they were pretty notable. Guys like Franz Hammer in Seattle, who always raced with the A riders, later Cat I and II.

This all started to change when I was finally old enough to race Masters at age 35, in the mid 80's. I started off winning most of the races regionally, but more and more Cat I and II riders continued to race. They'd ride the Cat I/II criterium, but they'd warm up by riding the Masters 30+ and/or 40+ races. If you were a Cat III rider, the Masters races were often harder than the category races.

At the same time, older guys who were not bike racers started to discover bike racing. I remember going to Masters Track Nationals in the 90's and 00's (I'm a dual US/Cdn citizen, so I'm eligible to ride both nationals) and having guys 10 years older than me setting faster pursuit times.

So it makes perfect sense to me that we will be seeing more and greater achievements by older people. The human body is a remarkable thing; it adapts to the stresses you place on it. As long as you keep stressing it physically/mentally and within reason, it will continue to respond. This seems to be lost on most "normal" people, who let their bodies fall into decay.

It's quite paradoxical. Most people think they are being kind when they offer to give granny a lift home. If they had any sense, they'd walk home with her, benefiting themselves and granny with some physical activity. Or just let her walk or rider her bike. Same with our epidemic of obese kids. People have to stop being "kind" to each other, and start getting fit!

Luis

Clearly doping eh?

j/k couldn't resist.