BCRider

The problem with starting out again after all that time is that you're not sure how you'll do. For the first ride or two why not put together a nice little route that is about half a mile and in a loop. Ride the half mile at a pace which feels about like you'd feel if you were just walking along. So probably around 8 to 10 mph? Like "beach cruising" speed? If you feel fine at the end of the first half mile loop do it again. And if you're still fine maybe a third loop then call it a day and see how you feel that evening and the next day. This mile and a half option also assumes that you'd be riding on a pretty flat route.

If you're already a "walker" then you'll likely have a far better idea of what your legs can tolerate in which case you likely would have simply gone out and got riding.

I know how this works for us older types that don't do things like this regularly. We feel fine while doing the activity but later that night we try to get out of our chair to go to bed and the muscles start all yelling at us at the same time....

rutan74

I can relate with almost everything except the heart attack.

Here's how it went for me restarting.

I had the itch and a friend at work was a good rider who was going to help. Anyway, to get going I had to return a Redbox DVD and the kiosk was "only" 7 miles away. I start out and at 2 miles I am stopped getting a rest. Then I couldn't make it up a hill and had to stop again. 1 mile down the road, stop again. Finally made it to the kiosk and another rest. On my way back I totally bombed out at mile 5. Called the wife and said I am done, come get me. A real eye opener.

So the journey began. I started out by just trying to do 5-10 miles no matter what. Nothing fancy. I increased the mileage just a tad every week. On the weekends with my friend we set out to do the "long" rides of 12-15-20 miles. I can remember every weekend setting a new PR for distance. 20, 25 and then 30 and so forth.

One thing I can say that helped me and what I use on every new rider is KEEP A LOG!

Despite what some others have said, I am a firm believer in data. I kept an Excel sheet with my rides set up with date, route, mileage, HR, and time. This was before Garmin and Strava which now does this stuff for you. The data gives you clear markers and I am a real believer that it is a big motivator. How else can you gauge your progress? Without getting depressed at your perceived lack of progress, the data does not lie. After a month or so it is amazing to look back to see where you started and where you are at the present. To me, that keeps me going. I should be improving. I'm not a racer or anything like that, but it was and is a real motivator.

I can remember when I hit 1,000 miles for the year and then hit 2,000 and then topped out at over 3,500. The miles do add up over time and to me it is amazing to look back on the last few years to see where I was compared to where I am at today. I barely made 30 miles a few years ago and now that is an average Sunday ride for me where I'm not blown up the rest of the day. I've also done a couple of centuries and the hardest century in the Southeast. I manage about 6 event rides in the summer. We really look forward to these big events.

My last comment is to set a goal for the year. Do some homework on local event rides in your area. Pick one or two out in August or September and go for it! Do the 35 mile route or better yet the metric century at 65, but set a goal. Find a riding partner that is a better rider than you and ask them to ride with you. Nothing better than chasing after a better rider. Not in a bad way but just riding with someone in better shape than you is another great motivator to keep up.

In those early days I was lucky to maintain 12mph. I now average in the mid 18's and I'm 62 and overweight.

If you stay on a plan, have a goal and stick to it, it will come. At our age, it just takes longer. Don't get discouraged. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. You are going to suffer some painful sore legs the days after but that will eventually go away if you keep riding. Once you get over 15 miles a ride you should invest in a bike fit. Over 15 miles and things start to go wrong if you are not properly fit on the bike. Bad enough with all our aches and pains to not introduce other issues related to a proper fit on the bike.

Good luck and if you need any more advice or help, just ask. It has been a long journey for me but with all the miles I have put in, I have seen places I would never have found if not on a bike. I drove to the summit of the highest peak in the east in a car but then riding up to the summit on a bike was a whole different perspective and I've now done that 5 times.

john

Digital Gee

This is really good advice for me. I know just the spot. It's actually a 3 mile loop around a reservoir, but I also know a variety of convenient turn-around points as well. I'll try this. Good tip!

Digital Gee

John,

Thank you for taking the time to post this. It's perfect for me to read. There's been advice to ignore the stats for a while until I'm really back into it, and I can see the point, because on the one hand, it should be about getting out and having fun.

But - in the past, like you, I found the data actually motivating. When I picked up my first bike since childhood in my middle fifties, it was the stats that got me to do just a little more. If I had reached home and had 9.2 miles completed, I would go on a small loop just to reach 10 miles. If I had 94 miles for the month and it was the last day of the month, I would find a way to squeeze in a 6 mile ride just to be able to say I rode 100 miles that month.

That said, I never became addicted to the stats, either. I liked being able to see gradual - and noticeable - improvements. I remember also that because I was measuring how long a particular ride was, I got to the point where I knew from memory that a particular route I'd taken several times was x.x miles long - and which side loop would add a particular number of miles to the ride. Where others may see the numbers as boring, I found them fascinating!

I do think I'll wait to set my 2018 goals until I'm really back into the habit of riding and that I'm still finding joy and fun and the rush of doing it working for me.

One last point - I love your signature line.

Digital Gee

Cardiologist has cleared me to return to cycling. His advise? Use common sense. With regard to a heart monitor, he actually leaned away from it - saying too many people get more anxious wearing one than those who didn't, which I found interesting. So - Tour de France, here I come!

Dudelsack 

I’m not giving any advise. Heck, I’m at the very same stage right now. For now I’m almost completely overhauling my bike, and as it is a recumbent it takes me an hour just to work on the chain. I got tired just from the overhaul. I’m trying to change the tires, and that has taken me over an hour and I’m still not done. When I hit the road I may not be worth anything but at least I’ll have faith in my bike.

JanMM

I feel as if I've been away from cycling for a long time, but really, it's just been Winter in the heartland. We've had a couple of stretches of wickedly brutal conditions this year. I can't ride when it's like that. Have only biked to work once - a couple of weeks ago - since the end of November and my overall miles are way down. Starting to get out more last few weeks.
One lifestyle change (?) I've made this winter has been to park on the fifth floor of the garage at work so that, at a minimum, I've had the opportunity to run (not very fast) up four flights of stairs at least once a day five days a week. That's been helpful.

bobwysiwyg

Digital, I too ended up with a stent. My journey to one started with a fall way up in Michigan's U.P. It was not cycling related. I broke my left femur and before the surgery to repair, they did a nuclear stress test. I was 73 at the time. It showed a partial, significant blockage in one artery. Told me to follow-up when I got home and proceeded with the surgery. I never had any symptoms. Returned home and followed up. Got a stent, resumed cycling. Then read this.. food for thought.

Stents Show No Extra Benefits for Coronary Artery Disease - The New York Times

gobicycling

DG - you love to write. I remember from many, many years back! So, make your rides interesting, writing a story or anecdote about each ride. Take some pictures. I am 78 now and also love to write and am much involved with another forum on FB which I started for folks 65 - 100+ - a VERY positive (and popular) place - I make sure of that. We limit participants to about 260 and are at that point now, but are increasing gradually as we get about 5 requests to join daily. I love the stories we get on that forum.

Anyway, my suggestion - make relaxed interesting rides, observe people and things, write about them. Post your stories somewhere. You will enjoy doing that.

Digital Gee

Interesting article. I've had no problems since getting my stent, and my BP and all that stuff is within normal ranges, which is good, given that I have a small variety of pills to take each day! Good luck on your journey, and be careful when you're up in the UP!