Yes and THAT was the damn problem.
When you successfully competed (regionally and nationally)as a young man somehow your accomplishments preceed you.
I left cycling in the mid 80s
By the time I returned I had the emphysemic version of COPD, had mild CHF (which a double bypass in 2007 corrected) and weighed in at 252 pounds.
I wasn't going to be doing "A" rides with the 25 mph crowd
It took several years of swallowing pride and swallowing LESS food and becomming involved in daily cardio exercise to get back to 17/18 and then it's 30 mile max.