At what age did you start racing?
03-26-14, 08:42 AM
#1
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At what age did you start racing?
As the title states.
Did you end up quitting and picking it back up later in life? Did it hook you from the start? How much have you improved?
Did you end up quitting and picking it back up later in life? Did it hook you from the start? How much have you improved?
03-26-14, 08:54 AM
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started 5 years ago at 25, but I wish I started sooner.
I've dipped in my performance/fitness in winters past, but I'm in the best race shape I've been in right now.
I've dipped in my performance/fitness in winters past, but I'm in the best race shape I've been in right now.
03-26-14, 09:02 AM
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Seems pertinent to racing and I don't go navigating the 400 subforums...
Riding at 28, racing at 31, improved: lots.
Riding at 28, racing at 31, improved: lots.
03-26-14, 09:05 AM
#5
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15. Spent 2 years before that cycling seriously (for a kid) but didn't know how to get into racing. Never took a season off although I had some worse ones here and there related to non-cycling stressors. 32nd season this year. Strongest years were in the mid-late 20s, not sure if it was the 10-15 years experience + youth or what but those were good years. Felt reasonably fluent by season 4. By about season 10 I felt comfortable in the first turn of the first race of the season. Until then it'd take me months or weeks or a few races or finally a number of laps.
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"...during the Lance years, being fit became the No. 1 thing. Totally the only thing. It’s a big part of what we do, but fitness is not the only thing. There’s skills, there’s tactics … there’s all kinds of stuff..." Tim Johnson
"...during the Lance years, being fit became the No. 1 thing. Totally the only thing. It’s a big part of what we do, but fitness is not the only thing. There’s skills, there’s tactics … there’s all kinds of stuff..." Tim Johnson
03-26-14, 09:08 AM
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03-26-14, 09:32 AM
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Current Age: 33
Started Riding Age: 32
Started Racing Age: 32
Years Racing: 0.75
Improvment: Significant
*Joined Bike Forums ~7 years ago when I bought a road bike that I used for about 100 miles and then stuck in the garage. Account went dark from 2006 to 2013. I then bought a new bike in January 2013 and rode solo from January to May 2013. Did a couple group rides in May 2013 to get some pack comfort and did my first race at end of May 2013.
Started Riding Age: 32
Started Racing Age: 32
Years Racing: 0.75
Improvment: Significant
*Joined Bike Forums ~7 years ago when I bought a road bike that I used for about 100 miles and then stuck in the garage. Account went dark from 2006 to 2013. I then bought a new bike in January 2013 and rode solo from January to May 2013. Did a couple group rides in May 2013 to get some pack comfort and did my first race at end of May 2013.
03-26-14, 09:53 AM
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Current age :47
Rode as a kid, like most of us.
Started biking again at 31 on a mountain bike.
Found the road bike at 37 and started racing at 42.
There's been steady improvement. Never come close to winning anything, but I still love doing it and don't see myself stopping anytime soon...
Rode as a kid, like most of us.
Started biking again at 31 on a mountain bike.
Found the road bike at 37 and started racing at 42.
There's been steady improvement. Never come close to winning anything, but I still love doing it and don't see myself stopping anytime soon...
03-26-14, 10:31 AM
#12
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At what age did you start racing?
Started racing at 15. Been riding another 40 years. I was at my best around age 20. Pretty much downhill from there.
03-26-14, 10:40 AM
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Started racing at 14, burned out (more like discovered beer and women) at 17. Started riding on the road again at 37, and racing at 38. Interestingly (to me anyway), I couldn't sprint worth a darn as a teenager, and it is my strength (I'm pretty good at it up to Cat 3 level, and weeknight P12 level) as a middle aged guy. I'm 46 now.
03-26-14, 10:45 AM
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Congrats to me I'm the oldest starter for road racing on this thread so far.
Got into cycling at 17 by going via an organized one month bike tour (camping) of New England. Rode a lot afterwards, worked in bike shops, etc. Raced a few mountain bike races in the early 90's when I was 23-24'ish.
Like many, dropped out of cycling for the most part for over a decade even though I moved from place to place with my road bike. Gained 35lbs, picked up the bike again almost 2 years ago.
Started to race just last month at 44 turning 45 in a week. I don't know that I'm more fit than when I was riding in my 20's but certainly more so than in any other recent year!
Got into cycling at 17 by going via an organized one month bike tour (camping) of New England. Rode a lot afterwards, worked in bike shops, etc. Raced a few mountain bike races in the early 90's when I was 23-24'ish.
Like many, dropped out of cycling for the most part for over a decade even though I moved from place to place with my road bike. Gained 35lbs, picked up the bike again almost 2 years ago.
Started to race just last month at 44 turning 45 in a week. I don't know that I'm more fit than when I was riding in my 20's but certainly more so than in any other recent year!
03-26-14, 10:54 AM
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No wonder you older gents are so damn fast, when you got that many years on them wheels. I wish I would have started a few years ago but I guess 28 isn't so bad. Keep the posts coming, its interesting to know everyones background including the most active guys on these forums.
03-26-14, 11:09 AM
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riding road bike: 28
centuries and stuff: 28-34
racing: 34
now coming to grips with being cat 3/35+123 pack fill for the rest of my life
centuries and stuff: 28-34
racing: 34
now coming to grips with being cat 3/35+123 pack fill for the rest of my life
03-26-14, 11:25 AM
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Really, I started racing at 30.
Got a road bike shortly before turning 27 and did one race when I was 28 and one when I was 29. I did my first full season after I turned 30.
Got a road bike shortly before turning 27 and did one race when I was 28 and one when I was 29. I did my first full season after I turned 30.
03-26-14, 02:52 PM
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For racing....I guess I'm a late bloomer ...started racing last year at age 54 and have now join a team this year racing various events. The way I look at it my body is still physically able to perform and I better take advantage of it while I can still ride/race and enjoy the things I can do. Have always ridden bikes...tour bike in Europe in early 20's, mountain bikes in my 30's & 40s and triathlons in my 50's.
03-26-14, 03:00 PM
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Congrats to me I'm the oldest starter for road racing on this thread so far.
Got into cycling at 17 by going via an organized one month bike tour (camping) of New England. Rode a lot afterwards, worked in bike shops, etc. Raced a few mountain bike races in the early 90's when I was 23-24'ish.
Like many, dropped out of cycling for the most part for over a decade even though I moved from place to place with my road bike. Gained 35lbs, picked up the bike again almost 2 years ago.
Started to race just last month at 44 turning 45 in a week. I don't know that I'm more fit than when I was riding in my 20's but certainly more so than in any other recent year!
Got into cycling at 17 by going via an organized one month bike tour (camping) of New England. Rode a lot afterwards, worked in bike shops, etc. Raced a few mountain bike races in the early 90's when I was 23-24'ish.
Like many, dropped out of cycling for the most part for over a decade even though I moved from place to place with my road bike. Gained 35lbs, picked up the bike again almost 2 years ago.
Started to race just last month at 44 turning 45 in a week. I don't know that I'm more fit than when I was riding in my 20's but certainly more so than in any other recent year!
2007 - After doing squat for 25 years I got a bike in at age 44. Was in horrible shape. Started riding more and losing a bunch of weight (lost a total of 95 lbs from highest to lowest and 65 of that was after starting cycling).
2009 - Decided to try a race in at age 46. Sucked really bad.
2010 - Found this place, trained some more and decided to join a team . Did 4 races. Finished near the back every time. Got lapped and/or pulled every race (except the road race where I was dropped very quickly).
2011 - Trained some more (with power now) and raced more. Got my FTP up to a stellar 235 watts at 155-160 lbs
. Met my goals of not getting dropped/lapped and then a top 10 finish in Cat 5. Upgraded to Cat 4.2012 - Got plagued with a bunch of different health issues. Came back to race the last crit of the season here in Nashville despite continuing issues and reduced training time. Had a blast hanging on for a good while but got dropped and pulled (but I wasn't DFL at least
). Hacked up a lung in a 30 minute coughing fit while I enjoyed watching the other categories race the last local crit of the season.2013 - 2014 - Not racing. Out of shape. Getting fat but starting to yearn to put a little more time in again and slowly start building up some fitness (though I may have to throw a knee surgery into the mix somewhere). I am hoping to do some racing in my 50's now.
I would say I improved immensely from when I started in 2007 through 2012. Though I started at such a pitiful level that peak of my vast improvement was still pretty unimpressive when compared to other racers. But still, even now, in the out of shape condition I am in I am still WAY ahead of where I was in 2007-2010. I still take some satisfaction in that.
03-26-14, 04:51 PM
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Triathlon at age 34. Then a few years after, I saw the error of my ways and stopped running and swimming!
Just started proper bike racing this year at 39 (racing age 40
)
Not sure how much I have improved. I've learned a lot. Wish I'd started it in my 20s!
Just started proper bike racing this year at 39 (racing age 40
)Not sure how much I have improved. I've learned a lot. Wish I'd started it in my 20s!
Last edited by rideaz; 03-26-14 at 06:34 PM. Reason: for rkwaki
03-26-14, 06:08 PM
#23
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03-26-14, 06:43 PM
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First bike race (that didn't include a swim before and a run afterward) was at 37. My racing age is 47 now and I'm a much stronger rider than I was then.
