Fifty Plus (50+) - Where am I

I am new to this forum, and getting back into bicycling since March 1, of this year. I have been working hard, since My Doctor said it is OK, and I'm getting better. I log my progress every day so I know what I already did. I prefer the bike trails, but ride a Schwinn Airdyne when weather keeps me inside. I try to do a minimum of 20 miles every day. I just would like to know where I stand .

I busted my butt this morning out on the bike trails. I rode as hard as I could, for the entire loop.

A younger guy (about 25 or so) was getting his bike off his car at an access point, at about my 17 mile mark, and passed me at my 20 mile mark. The only thing to do was shadow him for about a mile, and pass him hard. I never saw him again! Boy, did that make me feel good, and I'm sure the competition helped my average.

My 22 mile loop today resulted in the folowing.

Lots of new personal bests today: New Top Speed 31.8 MPH, New Fastest Elapsed Time 1:26:46, New Fastest Average 15.2 MPH. Wind was straight out of the south at 10 - 15 MPH, so I got to ride dead into it for half the distance. Man was that ever tough, and my legs are really sore. But I sure am hungry. All this on a steel framed 42# road bike (I gotta look into aluminum)

I have run into another problem though, I gained a pound (the scale is back up to 190,) even though my pants and shirts continue to stretch. LOL

Also, I think it will be awhile before I do that again!

Hey Wanderer, those days where you feel great and you do something to prove it are well worth the effort and they make cycling fun. I normally like to look at riding as an excuse to observe nature, listen to the birds, dodge the squirrels, and yes, even look at a young pretty butt if one presents itself. But, every once in a while I like to press my heart and my legs into some real action and I feel good when I can sometimes even surprise myself.

You're a monster!

All this on a steel framed 42# road bike (I gotta look into aluminum)
Don't get aluminum unless you give it a good test ride first. Aluminum can have a harsh ride. I've heard that the newer Aluminum bikes are better, so make sure you really like it before putting down the cash.
Try steel, carbon, or Ti for a quality ride.
I sold my old aluminum road bike and now have the rides listed below - Ti and steel :love:



I have run into another problem though, I gained a pound (the scale is back up to 190,) even though my pants and shirts continue to stretch.
Muscle weighs more than fat, and muscle bulges whereas fat sags. ;)

Welcome to the forum - it sounds like you are doing great! My area, St. Petersburg, FL has an incredible bunch of over age 60 riders, and we often drop the younger studs on our hammerfests. I have never seen an area with so many national class master athletes. If you ever have a foray into Florida, you will have to join us for a ride.

As an example, at a recent senior games, the fastest time for the time trials in ALL age groups came out of the 65-69 age group - not unusual around here!

YEEEE HAH! Ride that thing!!!!!!!!!

That is a terrific ride! Sounds like you were definitely on today. Keep tracking your progress so you will be able see for sure just how you're doing. I totally agree with RonH about aluminum. However you might take a look at aluminum frames that have carbon forks and carbon seat stays. That helps a good bit with the harshness of the ride. I traded my aluminum in for a carbon and its much more forgiving on longer rides.

You're training in too high a heart zone, as evidenced by your adjectives, below. You're above the aerobic zone, probably. You're using muscle, liver, and blood glycogen as your primary fuel, not body fat stores, and that's why you're hungry; your body is screaming to replenish the glyocogen. Then, when you get home, you probably overcompensate and eat more than you used... that's why you gain weight.

It's easy to do, and common. I do it.

Key is: train with a heart rate monitor, and keep it squarely in the aerobic zone for you. I try really hard not to go above 70% for the majority of the ride, but I bust out with a sprint occasionally. Eat and drink on the bike, and immediately thereafter, enough to stave off dire hunger, but then don't eat beyond a reasonable diet at your next regular meal.




I busted my butt this morning out on the bike trails. I rode as hard as I could, for the entire loop.... Man was that ever tough, and my legs are really sore. But I sure am hungry....I have run into another problem though, I gained a pound (the scale is back up to 190,) even though my pants and shirts continue to stretch.

You're training in too high a heart zone, as evidenced by your adjectives, below. You're above the aerobic zone, probably. You're using muscle, liver, and blood glycogen as your primary fuel, not body fat stores, and that's why you're hungry; your body is screaming to replenish the glyocogen. Then, when you get home, you probably overcompensate and eat more than you used... that's why you gain weight.

It's easy to do, and common. I do it.

Key is: train with a heart rate monitor, and keep it squarely in the aerobic zone for you. I try really hard not to go above 70% for the majority of the ride, but I bust out with a sprint occasionally. Eat and drink on the bike, and immediately thereafter, enough to stave off dire hunger, but then don't eat beyond a reasonable diet at your next regular meal.

That seems a little harsh to me.

Training neccessarily involves intervals (although not every day); aerobic training only isn't going to push your LT at all.

Also, the weight difference can be caused by a difference in hydration; my weight varies by 3+ pounds from day to day. I think you are assuming more about Wanderer's eating habits than we really know, although what you say is one possibility.

I am using a HRM, and the zone for my age should be 128 - 144, which I try to stay in. Only left it a few times, so I am watching it.

I can "feel your pain"! I'm training for a 110 mile ride that will be the last of May that has 12,000 feet of climbing. I know that the climbing is much easier if I can get my weight down. I have developed a spreadsheet with weight projections and to measure my progress. The thing that works for me is simply calories in versus calories out. Fortunately with the daylight savings time I can increase my weekly mileage which increases calories out. The HARDEST thing for me is managing the calories in but I'm making fantastic progress. I'm doing so well I've actually dropped my projection down a pound or two. I have to literally suffer through periods where my body is screaming for more calories in but I can manage through it with small portions but more frequent eating.

Like Jazzy pointed out it is amazing the difference fluids can make from day to day and also the time of the day.......My "weigh-in" is every morning (moment of truth!!) and I'm usually 2 pounds lighter when I wake up than when I go to bed at night.

Make sure you're doing some "intervals" on your training. It's the best way to help increase your aerobic capacity and allow you to continue to sprint past those suckers.

Don't forget to rest as hard as you ride. Recovery is a big, big part of training.

leave the heart rate monitor at home , do what your body tells you ,if you feel good after the 1st 10ks go for it ,if you feel crap gear down & have a nice quite ride. Blackberry's right a cupla days off the bike worx wonders at 50+ :p

leave the heart rate monitor at home , do what your body tells you ,if you feel good after the 1st 10ks go for it ,if you feel crap gear down & have a nice quite ride. Blackberry's right a cupla days off the bike worx wonders at 50+ :p

Disagree about the heart monitor as it gives me an indication of how high I can go before I find I am doing too much, and blow out too soon. I can ride comfortable at 145, but ride most of the time at 150. I go to 160 on the hills, but If I go to 165, I will run out of "Energy" for the next few miles. For Me it also proves to me that I am up to fitness or if a problem is starting to occur. (a low heart rate with feeling tired, or even shattered, generally means that I am about to come down with a cold, or that more time will have to be spent at the gym to get fitter)

Weight gain while riding? When you start exercising after a break- even if you think you are in good trim when you start- you will be carrying a bit of excess FAT. exercise will bring this off and a weight loss will happen at the same time. You then spend a period when weight will be gained as muscle is put on, and you can initially put on the same weight of muscle, as the fat loss has been, or even more. Then after a period of time, weight loss will recommence as the body does get toned and lose the fat that you did not think you had.
For me as an example-- started gym work in January at a weight of 155 lbs. in 5 weeks this dropped to 147. At twelve weeks I was back up to 154 lbs and now at 16 weeks I am up to 152. hopefully this will have a further drop as I start to lose the beer belly that taken a year to build, but before the season of my long randonnees start I will force a weight gain by eating more Carbo hydrates, and bring my weight up to 160ish before each ride.

Maybe I'm weird but I know what my heart rate is without checking and I'm not usually off by very much. I bought a heart rate monitor but I just used to confirm things, so I stopped wearing it. A hundred years ago I used to train as a competitive athelete and we were always taking our pulse so may be thats where I get it from.

Heart rate monitors are fine if you can afford the cost and the inconvenience. Me, I just like to ride without all the worries. In a cardiac rehab class, I learned about ratings of perceived exertion. This subjective rating scale puts greywolf's good suggestion on a slightly more scientific basis, and is supposed to be quite accurate, even compared to HRMs.