RiceAWay

First off - you are riding a reasonable distance for a smoker. You MUST stop smoking or heart and lung problems will get you if you don't watch out. As my father was dying from emphysema he asked me to quit. From 2 packs a day I stopped cold. One week later I couldn't stand it anymore and lit one up. It tasted just like the first cigarette I ever had. I gagged, stomped it out and never had another again.


Some people tell me I am unusual, but in fact I tried to stop smoking 100 times before that. It was just that simple request from my dying father that gave me the will-power to stop.


After you have stopped smoking you are stuck for a year at least allowing your system to clean out so you have to limit your riding to 25 miles or less. Most century rides have a half-metric which is usually less than that - around 25 miles.


You have to drink water constantly and be sure to have an energy bar now and again or else you feel so bad you might quit. Then there is this funny thing that happens. If you've been doing 15 miles and then do 25 miles you're likely to be totally exhausted. But the very next time you try 25 miles it seems a great deal easier. Then as you're increasing your mileage always be aware of your heart rate and blood pressure. If your ears are pounding and you can feel your heart rate in your eyes you are pushing too hard and it is time to rest. After many years my idea of resting is riding more slowly.


As you gain experience all of this becomes second nature. The important thing is that at your age you can still improve a great deal, very rapidly, as long as you're aware of what your body is telling you. A FAST ride is 20 K (12.5 miles). If you're riding longer distances you do not push yourself hard. Be careful riding with a group because they can push you beyond your limits before you're ready. But by all means DO ride with a group. They provide a very good means of judging your progress. Most areas have bike clubs and these clubs generally have a variety of rides for slow, moderate or fast riders. Bicyclists tend to be very sociable off of the bike and to damned aggressive on. Get used to that. At my age I finish last without a whim. I also notice that those guys that absolutely must go fast are all on blood thinners and pacemakers now.


Also start watching your diet. Be cautious not to overeat after a ride. Generally if you're really tired it is difficult to overeat but that depends on what you're eating and drinking. NO MORE soft drinks or more than a beer or two. A glass of wine with dinner and NO hard alcohol at all. I have noticed that they seem to have removed the advertising limitations on alcohol and hard liquor in particular is being advertised very hard. You are overweight and your smoking has weakened your heart. It is time to rebuild it all and so you have to take your own health in your own hands.


No sloppy hamburgers save every great once in awhile. OK to eat a SMALL portion of meat and a lot of vegetables. A lot of people I know are now of my age and are turning to vegetarians. I suspect this has to do with their teeth but nonetheless it wouldn't kill you. Learn to cook and kick the wife out of the kitchen. Most women tend to cook what their mothers did. (My God, save me from my mother's cooking!) Stay away from large amounts of anything but particularly fats and carbs.


Your proper weight is around 180-190 lbs and regardless what you think you can get there. Try steaming beets and after you can pierce them with a pairing knife easily, let them cool a little. You can use the back of the knife to rub the skins off. Slice and serve with chicken or chicken sausages. Some salt and something acid helps the rather bland taste. A little vinegar or lemon juice. For some reason beets makes your whole body sit up and take notice after a week or two of using them one way or another. Even Tour de France riders might be drinking a glass of beet juice every morning. Don't overdo that anymore than anything else but it might surprise you.


So the question shouldn't be "how long a ride" but "how to get into the riding lifestyle". At 75 I have the heart rate and blood pressure of a 25 year old. I have a garage full of bikes and one old car. I just got another touring bicycle to set up with a rack and panniers so that I can ride the 4 blocks to the grocery store or the sandwich shop and I have sport bikes up the kazoo. Now I'm in the position of trying to sell bikes to make room so that I can repair and improve those of the wife and kids. Back when, they rode across the USA as teenagers with my wife accompanying them and taking turns having to drive the old station wagon. The three daughters entered the Jr. Nationals and at least one of them got a 2nd in her age category. They rode there from the San Francisco bay area and it was being held in Denver.


Your entire social life and all your friends can revolve around your bike if you like. I was an electronics engineer and that was real high pressure stuff but with the bike on the weekends and Thursday evening in the summers I was in good shape. Every Thursday now that I'm retired I do a 50 miler. In the bay area here I have lots of climbing.


As I say - no one else is going to take care of you so that is something you have to do for yourself. Get a move on it.