Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Fifty Plus (50+)
Reload this Page >

Faster IS possible

Notices
Fifty Plus (50+) Share the victories, challenges, successes and special concerns of bicyclists 50 and older. Especially useful for those entering or reentering bicycling.

Faster IS possible

Old 02-15-19, 08:01 AM
  #26  
Senior Member
 
c.miller64's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Tampa Fl
Posts: 484

Bikes: Cannondale Six13 Pro, Cannondale Synapse, Felt IA10

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 33 Post(s)
Liked 15 Times in 3 Posts
Originally Posted by caloso
I bet most of us have a lot of untapped potential, even past 50. If going faster is important to you, and you are willing to do what it requires, it is possible.
Damn straight!

A few years back I found myself laying in a ditch gasping for air only 50 miles into a 24hr race. I thought my health issues, combined with turning 50, had meant I was past my peak and headed south FAST.. Pretty much had given up on myself and the thought of ever racing long distance again. Luckily for me, I have good friend that wouldn't hear any of that noise and helped me to train right and not only get back fitness, but also increase my speed.

Last weekend I went back to that same 24hr race and set a new track record of 497.5 miles in the 55-59 age group category.
c.miller64 is offline  
Old 02-16-19, 04:20 PM
  #27  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: SW Fl.
Posts: 5,604

Bikes: Day6 Semi Recumbent "FIREBALL", 1981 Custom Touring Paramount, 1983 Road Paramount, 2013 Giant Propel Advanced SL3, 2018 Specialized Red Roubaix Expert mech., 2002 Magna 7sp hybrid, 1976 Bassett Racing 45sp Cruiser

Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1063 Post(s)
Liked 771 Times in 499 Posts
Originally Posted by SHBR
Faster compared to whom?

If you want to know what fast is, try dropping strong cyclists half your age.

No way I'll be as fast as my younger self.

I don't bother trying anymore, the potential for injuries keeps me from exploring any "untapped potential".
Gleason 10 and a bilateral orchiectomy ended my "exploring any untapped potential." Did manage 122 miles of solo riding today.
OldTryGuy is offline  
Old 02-16-19, 04:33 PM
  #28  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: SW Fl.
Posts: 5,604

Bikes: Day6 Semi Recumbent "FIREBALL", 1981 Custom Touring Paramount, 1983 Road Paramount, 2013 Giant Propel Advanced SL3, 2018 Specialized Red Roubaix Expert mech., 2002 Magna 7sp hybrid, 1976 Bassett Racing 45sp Cruiser

Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1063 Post(s)
Liked 771 Times in 499 Posts
Originally Posted by c.miller64
Damn straight!

A few years back I found myself laying in a ditch gasping for air only 50 miles into a 24hr race. I thought my health issues, combined with turning 50, had meant I was past my peak and headed south FAST.. Pretty much had given up on myself and the thought of ever racing long distance again. Luckily for me, I have good friend that wouldn't hear any of that noise and helped me to train right and not only get back fitness, but also increase my speed.

Last weekend I went back to that same 24hr race and set a new track record of 497.5 miles in the 55-59 age group category.
GREAT Sebring ride!!!

I missed it but possibly back next year.
OldTryGuy is offline  
Old 02-16-19, 11:19 PM
  #29  
Senior Member
 
CliffordK's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Eugene, Oregon, USA
Posts: 27,600
Mentioned: 217 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18320 Post(s)
Liked 4,489 Times in 3,338 Posts
Originally Posted by c.miller64
Last weekend I went back to that same 24hr race and set a new track record of 497.5 miles in the 55-59 age group category.


WOW!!!

I've hit a couple of double centuries. But, just short of 500 miles??? That is just extreme!!!
CliffordK is offline  
Old 02-17-19, 10:34 AM
  #30  
Version 7.0
 
Hermes's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SoCal
Posts: 13,101

Bikes: Too Many

Mentioned: 297 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1328 Post(s)
Liked 2,442 Times in 1,427 Posts
Originally Posted by c.miller64
Damn straight!

A few years back I found myself laying in a ditch gasping for air only 50 miles into a 24hr race. I thought my health issues, combined with turning 50, had meant I was past my peak and headed south FAST.. Pretty much had given up on myself and the thought of ever racing long distance again. Luckily for me, I have good friend that wouldn't hear any of that noise and helped me to train right and not only get back fitness, but also increase my speed.

Last weekend I went back to that same 24hr race and set a new track record of 497.5 miles in the 55-59 age group category.
Congrats on the course record and overcoming a setback.
Hermes is online now  
Old 02-17-19, 10:38 AM
  #31  
Version 7.0
 
Hermes's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SoCal
Posts: 13,101

Bikes: Too Many

Mentioned: 297 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1328 Post(s)
Liked 2,442 Times in 1,427 Posts
@ctpres Better is always better no matter how many seconds. Congrats. I cannot tell you how many times I do the same climb at or near the same time and same average power.
Hermes is online now  
Old 02-18-19, 11:31 AM
  #32  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
ctpres's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Creede CO in summer & Okeechobee, FL or TX Gulf Coast in winter
Posts: 742

Bikes: Zenetto Stealth road bike & Sundeal M7 MTN bike

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 90 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times in 4 Posts
OP Here: Stars aligned, moon phase, training, motivation, tail wind etc. got me thinking WHY/HOW could I could I get better years later on a ride I probably have done over 100 times since. I think I know. STATINS. Doc wanted to increase level and I talked him into six month delay to see what I could do by myself. When I explained that I was getting ready to ride 100 mi. - he did one better and took me off altogether about one month ago. Thinking back a few years to how I feel after a couple hours and how I feel now - it is not the same body! I have normal (for me) problems with butt, hands and feet. BUT legs do not begin to tire like before. Three hour ride two days ago - heart rate 90% zone three and four. And I felt very good at the end.
As usual your results may vary - but statins are not for me as long as I can ride.
ctpres is offline  
Old 02-18-19, 05:54 PM
  #33  
Senior Member
 
c.miller64's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Tampa Fl
Posts: 484

Bikes: Cannondale Six13 Pro, Cannondale Synapse, Felt IA10

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 33 Post(s)
Liked 15 Times in 3 Posts
Originally Posted by OldTryGuy
GREAT Sebring ride!!!

I missed it but possibly back next year.
Thank you, you missed a good one.. Temps not too hot during the day, nor too cold at night. Still had the typical Sebring winds but even they weren't as bad as they have been the last couple of years.
c.miller64 is offline  
Old 02-18-19, 06:21 PM
  #34  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: SW Fl.
Posts: 5,604

Bikes: Day6 Semi Recumbent "FIREBALL", 1981 Custom Touring Paramount, 1983 Road Paramount, 2013 Giant Propel Advanced SL3, 2018 Specialized Red Roubaix Expert mech., 2002 Magna 7sp hybrid, 1976 Bassett Racing 45sp Cruiser

Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1063 Post(s)
Liked 771 Times in 499 Posts
Originally Posted by c.miller64
Thank you, you missed a good one.. Temps not too hot during the day, nor too cold at night. Still had the typical Sebring winds but even they weren't as bad as they have been the last couple of years.
Did they have the track lights on like last year??? I'm heading out in a couple of hours for a nice and easy almost full moon over-nighter.

BTW, are you riding Cross Florida One Day in April?
OldTryGuy is offline  
Old 02-19-19, 09:39 AM
  #35  
Senior Member
 
c.miller64's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Tampa Fl
Posts: 484

Bikes: Cannondale Six13 Pro, Cannondale Synapse, Felt IA10

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 33 Post(s)
Liked 15 Times in 3 Posts
Originally Posted by OldTryGuy
Did they have the track lights on like last year??? I'm heading out in a couple of hours for a nice and easy almost full moon over-nighter.

BTW, are you riding Cross Florida One Day in April?
Much of the track was lit up fairly well, especially compared to 2012 which was the last time I was out there at night. They were doing some work on track fencing during the race so I'm not sure if the lighting was meant for them, or us. Still had the blinking lights down the center of the track in the darker areas as always.

Not sure yet about the Cross Florida ride. Have a few friends that want to do it but no firm plans set.
c.miller64 is offline  
Old 02-19-19, 09:53 AM
  #36  
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Blue Ridge Mtns, VA
Posts: 44

Bikes: Specialized Roubiax Sport

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 20 Post(s)
Liked 5 Times in 3 Posts
Originally Posted by c.miller64
Damn straight!

A few years back I found myself laying in a ditch gasping for air only 50 miles into a 24hr race. I thought my health issues, combined with turning 50, had meant I was past my peak and headed south FAST.. Pretty much had given up on myself and the thought of ever racing long distance again. Luckily for me, I have good friend that wouldn't hear any of that noise and helped me to train right and not only get back fitness, but also increase my speed.

Last weekend I went back to that same 24hr race and set a new track record of 497.5 miles in the 55-59 age group category.
Wow! I would have to believe you are an outlier. This is not possible for me.
aclass is offline  
Old 02-19-19, 10:46 AM
  #37  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Salt Lake City, UT (Formerly Los Angeles, CA)
Posts: 1,145

Bikes: 2008 Cannondale Synapse -- 2014 Cannondale Quick CX

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 212 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 83 Times in 54 Posts
Originally Posted by ctpres
The older I get it seems like last year's best rides are nearly impossible to match or beat. Going back three or four years - impossible - until yesterday. In winter I ride paved trail around Lake Okeechobee and have several Strava segments - one is five miles. Best effort was five years ago. Until yesterday. I beat five year old best time by ONE SECOND.
I think your signature says you're 79. So yeah, if you were riding and in reasonably good shape at 50 you're probably going to be slower at nearly 80. But it's fantastic you're still in the race, so to speak.

When I turned 50 I weighed 212 pounds (I'm 6'3"). Getting out of a deep chair required a little push from my arms. I would get winded easily. As a software engineer, I spend a lot of time at a desk, and my body was fat and out of shape.

In April 2018 I set out to lose ten to twelve pounds. 200 seemed like a reasonable goal. And I set out to overcome this fear I had of not being able to get home after descending the 300 foot hill near my home that I have to descend pretty much no matter where I ride. The first time down the hill (and more importantly back up the hill) I was coughing and wheezing. I thought I had exercise induced asthma or something, and even got myself checked. Anyway, I kept riding.

In October the weather turned cold, and I had achieved about 2500 miles of riding, with rides up to 70 miles. My weight had dropped about 30 pounds, so instead of 212 I was 182. As the weather turned, I started hitting the gym, at first to keep up my cardio workouts, but later to layer in weight training. I started doing squats, dead lifts, and other really un-fun things. My weight continued to drop a little, settling around 178.

I turned 51 a couple days ago. At 51 I am 178 pounds, and suffer none of the issues I mentioned at the start of the thread. I'm stronger and healthier than I've been in a decade.

So yes, age is a factor, and we are all going to "age out" someday. But while we're here, staying fit is a huge factor for quality of life, and it's not too late for most of us to get there.
daoswald is offline  
Old 02-19-19, 12:33 PM
  #38  
~>~
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: TX Hill Country
Posts: 5,932
Mentioned: 87 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1112 Post(s)
Liked 180 Times in 119 Posts
Originally Posted by caloso


The thing about racing against Juniors is that they’re strong as hell, chase everything, and can’t corner to save their lives.




Juniors aren't the only ones who think the Apex is a trendy coffee bar.
Learning operational control of the machine, the basics of bike handling, pace-line dynamics and the racing line are given short shrift in all age cadres around here these days as if all that matters is FTP and big watts. Even the most basic of skills are neglected, like Starting Off, something that is done at least once per ride.
I was at a traffic light behind a local "pace-line" group which couldn't manage a good clean wobble-free "start" of six riders w/o looking looking like a herd of confused wandering mechanized sheep.

"Where's that off-side pedal? Let's look for awhile, it must be here somewhere......"
"That's way to big of a gear to start in. Who put it there?"
"Wait for me, I had both feet flat on the ground when the light changed!"
"Baaahh..."

Some of these guys are very fit, quite strong and can't ride a straight line as if their life depends on it.
Oddly enough it does.

Juniors get a pass, young people are just building skills that take experience to develop.
Masters not so much.

-Bandera

Last edited by Bandera; 02-19-19 at 03:31 PM.
Bandera is offline  
Old 02-20-19, 09:05 PM
  #39  
C*pt*i* Obvious
 
SHBR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 1,337
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 596 Post(s)
Liked 53 Times in 44 Posts
A slow ride is better than no ride.

Riding dangerously fast without getting injured is quite the skill, some people have it, I don't.

I don't want to put my wife through a repeat experience of pushing me around the hospital in a wheelchair.

The sheer look of horror and panic on her face is something, I'll never forget.

Haven't been to the ER since, and that was years ago, hope to keep it that way.
SHBR is offline  
Old 02-20-19, 09:21 PM
  #40  
Senior Member
 
CliffordK's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Eugene, Oregon, USA
Posts: 27,600
Mentioned: 217 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18320 Post(s)
Liked 4,489 Times in 3,338 Posts
I'm not quite sure what "dangerously fast" is.

One can have a speedy ride while being safe around traffic, intersections, corners, and road debris on corners.

I haven't raced since I was a kid. Perhaps if I return to racing, it would be as a TT. Those race pileups don't look fun for a 50+ rider, and since I never raced as an adult, I probably don't have the skills to be safe in a group.
CliffordK is offline  
Old 02-20-19, 10:59 PM
  #41  
C*pt*i* Obvious
 
SHBR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 1,337
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 596 Post(s)
Liked 53 Times in 44 Posts
For me "dangerously fast" usually means behaviour that will most likely require an urgent visit to the E.R.
SHBR is offline  
Old 02-21-19, 07:20 AM
  #42  
Senior Member
 
BlazingPedals's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Middle of da Mitten
Posts: 12,474

Bikes: Trek 7500, RANS V-Rex, Optima Baron, Velokraft NoCom, M-5 Carbon Highracer, Catrike Speed

Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1511 Post(s)
Liked 733 Times in 454 Posts
Originally Posted by ctpres
STATINS.
Statins can be bad juju. In fact, I believe they are for nearly everybody, even if they don't know it. There was a thread on them here. When the doc warned me I'd be dead in 10 years without them, I told him I'd rather take my chances than choose the certainty that the drug would do the job in 2.
BlazingPedals is offline  
Old 02-21-19, 08:47 AM
  #43  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
ctpres's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Creede CO in summer & Okeechobee, FL or TX Gulf Coast in winter
Posts: 742

Bikes: Zenetto Stealth road bike & Sundeal M7 MTN bike

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 90 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times in 4 Posts
Originally Posted by SHBR
A slow ride is better than no ride.

Riding dangerously fast without getting injured is quite the skill.
Or it is LUCK! I have one ride with short sections of over 40 mph and long sections at over 30mph even one very short stretch over 50mph - all with cadence at zero on "Ride The Hurricane" Port Angeles, WA. Road closed for the event so no cars to worry about. I had no idea how fast I was going until after the ride. Would I knowingly go that fast again - No way.
ctpres is offline  
Old 02-21-19, 09:10 AM
  #44  
C*pt*i* Obvious
 
SHBR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 1,337
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 596 Post(s)
Liked 53 Times in 44 Posts
Luck isn't measurable, last I checked.

Speed is.
SHBR is offline  
Old 02-21-19, 10:02 AM
  #45  
Senior Member
 
CliffordK's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Eugene, Oregon, USA
Posts: 27,600
Mentioned: 217 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18320 Post(s)
Liked 4,489 Times in 3,338 Posts
Originally Posted by ctpres
I think I know. STATINS. Doc wanted to increase level and I talked him into six month delay to see what I could do by myself. When I explained that I was getting ready to ride 100 mi. - he did one better and took me off altogether about one month ago.
Oh, DRUGS!!!!

I'm a bit surprised you were on the Statins. Has your exercise level changed in recent years? How many miles a year?

I would think that the exercise would actually show up with increased HDL levels.
CliffordK is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
DrDyno
Fifty Plus (50+)
21
02-22-19 10:19 AM
ctpres
General Cycling Discussion
4
02-19-19 08:32 PM
Imabmwnut
Fifty Plus (50+)
17
11-06-18 05:58 PM
bobonker
Northern California
4
06-02-12 05:51 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.