Cut yourself some slack. It's biking, it's supposed to be fun. When it's not fun do something else.

We all have off days. You had an off day. Take the time out to enjoy your rides.... enjoy more by riding more.

I fell tired... lost energy on a metric century last season. I stopped had an ice cream cone... drank water...and felt fine again. But for only a short while. Then I once again became... almost exhausted. I left the path to ride to a nearby gas station where I got a large [hot] coffee and after drinking it... my energy returned.

I'll never know if I had allowed my core to get too cool... which drained my energy... or if I merely ran out of caffeine. But the hot (24oz) cup of coffee is all I needed to refresh my body.

This is so true. It applies in all parts of life, from jobs to recreational pursuits. Maybe as we age, we become more risk aversive, but I like to think that our previous experience gives us the skills now to recognise when to keep going or stop.

Wow. I'm 52 and still struggling through chronic pain and fitness level problems to make my first 100 in a day. I can't see how getting 100 in on the SART is a problem...and coming Inland seems like a harder ride anyway. As for the rough parts of the trail- now that I live 2300 miles away from the SART, it sure is a lot better path than many other places have!

You are old enough to stop having to prove things to yourself or anybody else. Except maybe proving to yourself you can relax and enjoy yourself....have fun!

Well, there was a time I would push myself no matter what - but I have learned, the hard way (seems this is how I normally learn :rolleyes: )

Back when I was a young 40, I suffered a collapse that lasted nearly 5 years due to working 80+ hour days in software, for years, without allowing time for recovery. Since that time, I have never had the energy I once did. Now, perish the thought, we do get older, and recover more slowly. Perhaps I have chronic fatigue syndrome, or as my wife says, I am just normal now. :lol:

One quote I liked I read once was someone was trying to build back from an injury and pushing himself and his heart rate. He asked the doctor what is the "record", the doctor responded "zero heart rate". :eek:

The point being, you push too far, and the consequences might not be so easy to recover from.

I like that phrase, "proving to yourself you can relax and enjoy yourself..." Yep, still trying to figure that one out. :twitchy:

Thank you all for your encouragement and insights. Thinking back on last summer, I think some of you are correct in that I was "burned out". I had forgotten that I was part of my employer's Endomondo riding challenge. For a long time, I was the top or the second top at my work and we were in the corporate category and were trying to stay ahead of one of the other NASA centers in our state. I put in a lot of miles and rode pretty much every day because one got 20 points for every day they rode, (then one point for each mile). Yeah, I did get burned out from that.

And, I also think it just wasn't my day. That's never happened to me before. Guess I'll just have to get used to these in my "middle age" years.

However, I will not stop pushing myself. Oh, it's fun enough! Casual rides with Jane are very fun, and I have to constantly tell her that "No, you are not holding me back. It is more important to just be together. If I want to ride hard, I'll do it another day." I do have fun riding, even when I'm pushing myself. There is always the scenery, watching "stuff" happen, and as I've said in the past, the seat of a bicycle is the perfect place to think, to sort stuff out, plan things, remember experiences, etc.

I'll also talk to the dean and tell him that two classes is all I can handle each semester. He's going to retire pretty soon, so I just may as well stop teaching at that same time. I teach for the fun and reward it gives me in touching young lives. The pay is nice, but I don't really need it.

"Why am I pushing myself so much?" I don't have the slightest idea. Didn't really think I was.

Depending on how my fitness comes back, perhaps I'll just ride two back-to-back metric centuries this coming August, within a 24-hour period. That way, I'll get my birthday mileage in, but won't be pushing myself beyond the emotional breaking point. I have noticed the past few years that right at the 80 mile marker of a century or double-metric century, I start getting thoughts of wishing the ride were over. The butt is starting to get sore, (no matter how good a seat one has). The fatigue of five hours of riding starts setting in. One can only eat so much "energy" junk food before you go "Blah. This stuff isn't satisfying.", and I just want to be done with the ride. Still, never wanted to quit on those last 20 or 40 miles. Had to get back to the car, right?

Thanks again, everyone. I really do appreciate your time in reading and posting your thoughts.

- - - - -

p.s. Part of "pushing it" has to do with health issues. Being diabetic, I can't afford to goof off. Physical health and fitness is the key to enjoying a fruitful, enjoyable life, (for a diabetic). My parents died much too soon, partly, or mostly due to poor physical conditioning. Of their six children, the two youngest ones are gone, again due to health issues, or lack of a healthy lifestyle. I'm going to push myself as long as I can because I don't want to be like my parents, or even like my other living brothers, (only one of which is fairly healthy).

Not only did I read OP but this whole thread. Why? I too am not what I used to be. Biking is a recent adventure for me. Having a heart attack at 48 made me realize is was not in the shape I thought I was. While not extremely over weight I was just not taking care of myself in any form, eating right, living right, resting right and certainly worrying too much. I picked up the bike to get back in shape. After two years of riding 20 miles most every evening after work, I still am not sure I could do a century. Heck I am not sure I can do half a century. But that is my goal this year. At least do 50 in one day. I am not sure if it is the heart drugs I am on or what but I feel really drained after my 20 in the evenings. Especially in the heat of summer. Oh to be able to ride 100 miles at 62. Heck I hope I live till 62. I will say this, I have no friends who are riders. All my friends are impressed I can do 20 miles every evening after work. I am thankful I can also.

Just to throw in what has worked with me and a spouse who can't keep up - one word, Tandem! :D