MinnMan

It's speed that goes first. I know lots of older guys who do Randos.

And I don't think that it's endurance that is the factor. It's the ability to sit in the saddle for that long - so dealing with injuries, back issues, core strength, etc. Adding core fitness to your regimen will prolong your ability to do long ride.

downtube42

Age is sneaky. It comes at you so slowly you don't notice, and it comes at you in a lot of different ways. Thinking back to my uncles as they aged, they were all surprised to find themselves old and physically unable to do what they'd always done. You'd think we all see it as it hits us, but that doesn't appear to be the case.

I have data from all my brevets from aged 50 when I started, to now at 63. Brevets are not races, and time wasting varies a lot, but here's the fastest 200k from each year since 2010:

Indiana - flat to rolling hills
50 8:55
51 9:33
52 8:25
53 8:34
54 8:40
moved to west Texas - flat
55 7:55
56 8:03
move to Oregon - climby
57 8:38
58 10:55 (COVID year, only 1)
59 9:03
60 8:58
61 8:58
63 8:43

That's not a clear downward trend. But I've gotten a lot wiser about riding distance.

rsbob 

Your times appear to be regressing, but in a good way.

downtube42

So far, age related decline is secondary to other factors like changing terrain, experience and the related behavior changes. But age related decline is real and accelerating. There are more things I can do to compensate; retirement in about 2 years will hopefully enable me to spend time on fitness rather than corporate nonsense.

As far as randonneuring, I'm okay with a slow slide from a front-half finisher back toward lantern rouge. Some folks can't accept that change, and that's their choice. I look at the few randos in their late 70's still having a good time, and aspire to be in that crowd.

Carbonfiberboy 

You're still young. I've a few folks who used to be my riding buddies but got Afib after 65. My understanding is that comes from too much high end work as we age. Just sayin'. Ask those geezers, see what they say.

terrymorse 

Yeah, what really causes Afib in older endurance athletes? It sure would be nice to know, medical science folks.

The general term thrown around is "it's inflammation". Yeah, thanks, that's helpful. It's inflammation that induces fitness improvements, so it's a "god thing" in the right amount. But what's a "not right" amount then, and how can we tell if we're in the danger zone?

As far as I can figure, "Afib-causing" inflammation is severe enough and lasts long enough to produce scarring in the heart. The more troublesome activities reportedly are exercising when you're already sick, and failing to rest adequately between harder workouts.

I'm putting in more endurance pace rides, riding really hard only once per week, eating healthy, and getting lots of rest. Hope those are the right doses of everything to keep the heart happy.

pdlamb

Reminds me of some advice a machinist gave me, tongue in cheek. You want to torque something right? Screw that on until it breaks. Back the remnant of the bolt out, and stop screwing the replacement in a quarter turn sooner.

But given my experience with screw extractors, I'm not sure I want to deal with a heart extractor.

Carbonfiberboy 

I bought this book in 2017, turned a lot of heads. Recommended to me by one of my Afibbing buddies who wished he'd read it earlier. I couldn't find my copy, must have leant it out. There are many more similar books out now, but this is the one which started it: https://www.amazon.com/Haywire-Heart...dp/1937715884/

rsbob 

Read it as well. Most disconcerting regarding continuing hard efforts. Luckily I don’t have any underlying cardiac conditions - other than a very rare bout of afib which did not present itself while wearing a cardiac monitor.

My takeaway was moderation - which is a real bummer, since I enjoy thrashing myself - but would rather live to continue cycling rather than cutting it short by overdoing it.

terrymorse 

Yes, I read that book in 2019. It doesn't provide a clear answer, just some hints on why certain endurance exercise might cause Afib.

Wildwood 

72, just clearing my handlebars so as to see everything else.. And enjoying vintage, modern and e-roadie in all the zones and zip codes that please me.

e-roadie for 'where I otherwise cannot go'.

a custom speedy, with century comfort, Ergo 10

1959 for those vintage days. (one either gets it or not)

2X is more power or endurance (or drag). Stoker dependent.

Doug64

I don't think of myself as an endurance cyclist, but my wife and I do some long rides. When I was 64 we rode across the U.S. averaging over 50 miles a day for 74 consecutive days. We do a long ride, 2-3 months almost every year. I turned 81 today, and we are planning on finishing our ride across Canada, Toronto to Prince Edward Island, next summer. We would have finished the ride last summer but I broke my leg skiing last April. I'm a little slower, but my wife has not slowed down at all. She is a little younger than me.

Riding across the U.S.

HappyAussies

Onya Doug, and to your wife too! I hope to be doing the same in another 20 years and beyond. Age is really just a state of mind :-).

terrymorse 

Indeterminate, and it's certainly well beyond 70.

The 70+ 4-man team completed Race Across America at an average just over 19 mph. That's 19 mph over abut 3000 miles.

They rode in a relay of 2 riders each, so each rider completed about 1500 miles, or ~230 miles every day.

Random11

You're an inspiration to young riders like me. (I'm only 73.) Keep posting and let us know how your Canadian ride goes.

Acadianbob

Climbed Mt. Lemmon at age 73. Did 48.5 miles in 2:48 yesterday; age 75. Still can hit 172 heart rate Rouvy racing. I do find that recovery times are longer nowadays after a particularly strenuous ride. I say stay at it if you can. You can think yourself into being old. My only advice is to make sure you don't overdo it to the point of hurting yourself. Listen to your body. We are all different.