I just turned 56.
1. Type of bikes?
Devinci (Made in Quebec, Canada) Aluminum frame Carbon Fibre fork, Dura-Ace
Specialized Stump Jumper
Marinoni track bike 1985 vintage
2. Supplements/vitamins/minerals?
Multi Vitamin, Vitamin B-12, glucosamine and Calcium. I have an allergy to milk protein and need to get my calcium with Tums.
3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?
I started racing when I was 16 and stopped when I was 53. My forte was always sprinting and when I was 45, I convincingly won a race (criterium with many sprints – this would never have happened in a hilly race
) against the guys in the 30 – 39 age group. Certainly around age 50, I started to feel a decline in strength, but around 48, I had stared to suffer from sciatica (for a few years, I thought it was just leg cramps from starting my heavier effort sprint training) and so cut back my training regimen.
4. How long have you been biking?
I rode my bike everywhere since the age of about 14, then raced for 37 years after the age of 16.
5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides, tour, race?
While I was racing, I only trained and raced with very little longer, slower touring. After retiring from racing, I’ve just commuted (about 16 km/10 miles each way) since my back can’t take hard efforts or long time in the saddle.
6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?
About 3 times a week and 3,200 km or 2,000 miles per year.
7. Other type of physical activities?
Long walks with our dogs (miniature poodles).
My biggest achievement was winning the Fitchburg (Mass) Longsjo race in 1968 which was the second biggest race in the east coast at the time, after Somerville. I always enjoyed the competition and comradery, but lacked the drive to get into the bigger leagues. There wasn’t much opportunity back in the 60s and 70s.
Certainly racing kept me fit and very active over a very long time and I’ve found that cutting way back has been a bit depressing. I need to find some other enjoyable activity that doesn’t stress my body so much. Age graded racing was a lot of fun since it gave people with similar abilities and goals a chance to race together.