Originally Posted by
FrenchFit
So I've been 'bringing along' a noob riding partner for once a week relaxed rides, 20-40 miles. He talks like he's been avoiding athletic activities his entire life, he's 60ish now. I've been encouraging him, suggesting to him he could develop a real talent for distance rides; and he needs to stay off the damn couch and get control of his fitness level. Several months of riding, no drama, great attitude, great conversations, and I've been watching his gut shrink and him having fun.
Sigh, the other day he rides up along side me, bounces off like he's doing a track shove, crashes and falls hard at 8mph. The verdict is broken hip, surgery, he's using a walker. He's says he's done riding bicycles, ...forever. And, he means it.
My thought afterwards is some people are naturally drawn to athletic activities, some just aren't..and there may be a good reason why that's so. You can push, you can encourage, you can try to protect them, but the day is going to come when you just are left thinking... really, what the eff was that all about? And, then you feel quilty for the carnage they do to themselves. Sigh.
This is the critical comment. There's no point in discussing getting the guy back, and there is no point in the guilt trip.
At his age, that broken hip is likely to take a long time to heal, and there is a chance he could die of the inactivity with lowered immunity and the onset of pneumonia.
I've been through the process of running learn-to-ride and more advanced courses for senior adults and have been where you are on two occasions. Yes, you are going to ask yourself why, and what the eff happened, and have a good dose of the guilts because you ask if there was something else you could have done to prevent it.
But the feeling will pass. You can't protect anyone 100% of the time from hurting themselves.