CrazyIvan

I spend a good deal of my riding time on public roads rather than bicycle trails, but on the occasion, I'm on a wilderness trail not too far from my home I do smell deer poop and burnt Florida fauna.
I'm sure a steel frame does ride better, but I'm satisfied with my aluminum frame for many years. Frankly, most of my current aerobic activity is on a Me-Mover, although I did ride my bicycle to the Y today.
The reasons I spend more time on the Me-Mover are for the increased workout it offers. Rather than spinning for hours, my heart rate increases substantially in a short period of time, since the MM requires about 20% more energy to propel. Initially, I didn't think the Me-Mover would fit into my exercise routines since my first rides brought on bouts of lactic acid in my legs which surprised me as an avid bicycle rider.
Long story short, I have increased my endurance since the acclimation process about a year ago, my butt no longer gets numb and I have lowered my BP, lost weight since I've been using the MM which pleases my doctor.
Besides it feels good standing, I can see more, and be seen by more.

Wildwood

The 3 wilderness areas I rangered were Cascade mountainous. Luckily, no machines of any kind in National Wilderness regions; the adjoining local National Forest Service trails may and often do allow bikes on trails, but only for brave hearted and well equipped, given the vertical drop and trail conditions.

Stay well, sounds like you got it mastered. My admiration to you, i'm just a crazy kid at 65 3/4.

CrazyIvan

I got you by about 14 years. good to talk to teeny boppers. Just came back from a mini Me-Mover ride with a quasi HIIT routine.
Fun times. Take care.

CrazyIvan

I remember the first day I stepped on a Me-Mover, wobbly, felt unstable. But it was me, an avid bicycle rider that wasn't using my stabilizing muscles, my core muscles. I didn't realize it at the time, but I found out soon after.
I've been riding bicycles as soon as I learned how to graduate from a tricycle to a 2 wheeler, about 72 years ago, have done centuries, sprints, HIIT as part of my exercise routines to hopefully stimulate my Mitochondria, but standing on that Me-Mover, different.
As different as a new exercise, something that stimulates rarely used muscles such as my hip area, that had been giving me trouble for some time when I walk certain distances. "Hip pain on the outside of your hip, upper thigh or outer buttock is usually caused by problems with muscles, ligaments, tendons and other soft tissues that surround your hip joint." About 10 days later hip pain gone, core felt tighter because now the Me-Mover has awakened some muscles.
I've been weight training for a long time, know what happens with new weight training routines, break down muscles, then repair them, build them, make them stronger, that's what cross training will do, that's what the Me-Mover did.
Now, when riding my bicycle, I feel the increased energy, the strength I have for sprinting. I know my endurance has increased with the extra effort required to propel the Me-Mover compels aerobic improvement in a shorter period of time.
Besides at 79 years old, a cancer survivor, anything that helps is a gift.

TejanoTrackie 

Last Sunday I went to my local velodrome (Frisco Superdrome) to participate in my Texas State Masters Track Championships. Just like last year I won gold, because I was the only participant in my age group (70+). I improved on my time from last year, so that is really all I care about.

https://m.imgur.com/a/qX8TE

RonH

Kudos.

philbob57

Congratulations! Something tells me you had a good shot even if there had been competition.

Sculptor7

Getting a slow start to the season; just over 200 miles so far this year. We will have Spring some time soon I hope.

CrazyIvan

This age thing is just a number if you want to act your age as some do, and sit their time away as muscles slowly deteriorate, that's their prerogative. Fighting the war of muscle loss can be fun, just takes some motivation, a bicycle, some weights, maybe a Me-Mover to burn calories faster.
It was hot today in central Florida, I rode to the Y for a chest workout on my road bicycle, then later I did some sprints on the Me-Mover.
There should be more discussions on muscle loss from little or minimal use, many are not aware the closest we have to slow the aging process is exercise, the more the better.

JanMM

Correct that exercise is good. At any age. Especially as the numbers get bigger.

TejanoTrackie 

I my Medicare Advantage Plan. Six years ago I had double hernia surgery, and my total copays for everything including pre-op testing and office visits with the general surgeon plus any meds was about $220. I am now beginning testosterone supplement therapy and my cost is zero, because my PCP says I need it and my copay for office visits at my PCP is zero. The only place where I'm running into a problem is with expensive drugs such as my Statin which is only partially covered by my medical plan, so I'm considering using online coupons from GoodRx instead, which will cut my cost in half.

RonH

You're on a statin?? You're too healthy for a statin.

TejanoTrackie 

Yeah, in spite of a low fat diet, my LDL cholesterol is a bit high and there's heart disease in my family history (dad died at 51 from a heart attack). I'm taking the minimum statin dose of 5mg and also baby aspirin as a blood thinner. An MRI taken ten years ago for a kidney stone also showed abdominal arteriosclerosis, so we're watching that as well. Still, my vigorous exercise routine is helpful, and I don't have high blood pressure problems, so hopefully my modest drug dosages should keep me healthy for the forseeable future.

RonH

@TejanoTrackie

My dad had his first heart attack at 53 and had a total of four. I too inherited my dad's bad heart. Consequently my cardiologist put me on a low dose statin in 2008 when I was 64 even though my cholesterol had always been ~165 and my LDL was good. It got my cholesterol down to 95. Who has cholesterol that low? Then in 2014 my cardiologist wanted me to have a hearth cath and he put a stent in my mid-LAD. Those daily statin drugs did a lot of good.

I started doing a LOT of research on "new thinking" about heart health and heart healthy diets. I've learned a lot and stopped taking the statin in 2015. Low fat diets do not work for many heart patients. I always watched what I ate and have learned that many fats are very healthy (olive oil, real butter, avocados and avocado oil, coconut oil, dark chocolate (70% or higher) and many others). I've learned that diet drinks, diet sweeteners and wheat products are on the list of things to avoid.
I'm not saying this diet is right for you and your body. I just passing this on because my wife and I both spent 30+ years in healthcare and are more pro-active about researching things we read about or something our doctors recommend.

It's your life and your body but wanted to share my thoughts.

TejanoTrackie 

Thanks for your input and pov. My bad cholesterol levels are a lot higher than yours were, so it seems reasonable to bring them down a bit. As to diet, I'm aware of good fats like olive oil and fish, and definitely avoid diet drinks and other junk foods. I've already outlived my dad by 20 years, so everything beyond this point is a bonus.

Phil85207

I guess someone died and left Retro Grouch in charge to make what ever rules he wants. I say post if you want to, hang out here if you want to. I can't see what harm it it would do to anyone, so I say go for it.

Zurichman2

I guess I can introduce myself and yes I am 66

Zurichman is my handle because I luv Lemond bikes and have a 1998 Lemond Zurich with 20,000 miles on it
other bikes include
2006 Lemond Victoirre with 19,000 miles on it I call her Victoria Secret
recently purchased a 2016 Raleigh Tamland 1 and plan on doing some ultra gravel grinding riding/races now

I guess I might have to admit to getting older as I came down with a nasty bout of painful shingles last Thursday. I am a little pissed as I asked my Doc to give me a shingles shot last check up and he wouldn't give it to me.

I came to cycling in 1992 after a running injury 2 weeks before the Boston Marathon. I had surgery and they botched it. My first ride on a bike was the Hanover Cyclist Labor Day Century ride and I became lost 2 miles from the finish line and have been lost on the bike ever since.

some accomplishments
1990 some Cochise COUNTY Cycling Classis a 272 mile ride in the desert
8 time finisher of the Lancaster Nightmare Tour a 178 mile ride with 16,000 - 18,000 ft. of climbing
2004 Rocky Mountain 1200k finisher
2005 Furnace Creek 508 2 man team Mahi Mahi Furnace Creek 508
2006 RAAM(Race Across America) 4 man team finisher Team Cyclonauts 8 days 10hrs 43 minutes
Cascades 1200k finsher
best one day ride 3 years ago 24 hrs. of Booty 301 mile in 22 hrs running time. I quit with 2 hr to go as I meet my 300 mile goal

hardest one day rides
Highlander Century Tour in the Finger Lakes NY
Assault on Mt. Mitchell

I still want to go out and do all the hard climbing rides including climbing Mt. Washing and a couple of the CA. Triple Crown 200 mile double rides. They rate them in degree of difficulty.

Now wanting to do the Kanza 200. When I get in my high 70's I might do the Seagull Century. Nah it's way too expensive to do a flat century ride. Yes I do have a bucket list goal for my 100th birthday and going out to climb Pikes Peak with some friends this July.

Zman

How do you get the tag line at the bottom of all your post?

Mine is

If it was easy it wouldn't be a memory. You just hope you don't have all your memories in the same ride. Been there dun that. Zman

Zurichman2

I am 8 years out and didn't have surgery had a procedure called brachytherapy 1 tx on Monday 2 on Tuesday 1 on Weds and discharged back to work the following Monday. I can't remember how long I was off the bike but it was a long time and about 2 years until I felt like I had my full strength back.


Zman

TejanoTrackie 

@Zurichman2

You can add commentary and quotes to your signature. Go to Bike Forums > User CP > Edit Signature. They will appear at the bottom of all your posts.

Welcome to the 65+ thread.

Zurichman2

test

Zurichman2

Test

RonH

^^^ Glad to see you figured it out.

RonH

Did my last ride for a while today. I'm having hernia surgery to repair a hernia that was repaired last May. Depending on what the doc has to do to fix it (he said there are 2 options depending on what he finds once he gets in there) I'm guessing I'll be off the bike for 6-8 weeks. The only good thing about this is summer will be about half over when I get back out there.
The neighborhood exercise center is air conditioned so I'll miss the 90+ degree temps with 90+ humidity. But I'll still try to work up a sweat on the treadmill and elliptical trainer.

tmac100

In 3 weeks I will turn 69. My 50+ jersey seems passe. I thought of putting masking tape over the 5 in the shape of a 7, BUt it would be better to get a 70+ jersey for next year's (and later) rides. Still using my touring bike. Mind you a folder is nice around town.

Anyone have a source for jerseys?

Apologies for this question, but I have not had getting another jersey until I did a search on the 50+ forum. This question has probably been discussed lots, but I don't have the time to do a bunch of searches through "various discussions".

If anyone knows a source/sources please reply kindly. No need for flames - I am not interested in watching flames (my son is training to be a firefighter in Canada). Thank you from Doha, Qatar (currently 43C and too hot to bicycle during the day).

bowzette

TT congrats on your "first place" track finish. I'm surprised some of the old time Matrix masters aren't racing track. Yo was but did a face plant several years ago and may not be racing. I thought Skip Sperry raced some on the track. I also take statins. In Jan. we started a high fat, medium protein, low carb diet. I lost 10 lbs and ate like a pig. But it caught up with me and I started taking in some carbs and gained 5 lbs back. The idea is to train the body to process fat for fuel and not carbs. At low to medium intensity exercise I think it works. I don't know how well it works for 2 hr+ higher intensity exercise. I suspect not well.

Since September I've been doing lots of my rides on a trainer using TrainerRoad programs. My HR is 6-10 bpm lower for same workout at same cadence so it seems to be working.