Is there any hope for me?

28-09.-2007, 05:47 PM	#1
jan_nienaber Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: British Columbia, Canada Posts: 17	Is there any hope for me? Good day ladies and gents Looking for advice and honest opinions! Until about 15 years ago I belonged to a road cycling club, doing weekly training sessions and some weekend racing. Then my life changed - started a family, was forced by circumstances to go back to university to re-qualify myself for a different profession, and, and, and.... The normal song-and-dance life stuff that happens to most people. Fast forward 15 years, I am successful in my job but fairly overworked, eat too much, hardly get any exercise, overweight etc etc. One day I get fed-up with it, decide to make a change and start dieting / exercise. That was about 2 years ago, and since then I have dropped 32 kilograms - that's more than 70 pounds (!!!) and I am feeling a LOT better. About 2 months ago I bought myself a road racer bike, and started riding again. Now the QUESTION: What do you all out there think is my chances of EVER taking part in any type of road racing (for seniors / veterans) again? I am now hitting the 50 years old age ( the years just flew by ) but I feel good, can maintain at least 30 km/h (about 20 mph) on level road, train for an hour at least 4 days a week (would have trained more if time permitted). I realise I have one HELLUVA long & hard training regimen ahead of me, or do you guys think I should rather forget it, nobody my age would keep up with riders who have been in there for 20 plus years now? (And of course realising that many factors could affect your opinion, but assume healthy heart and lungs, slim body type, no ailments beyond a crappy shoulder from old sports injury, never blinding fast but once upon a time could at least keep up with the pack, mental outlook on life such that I COULD seriously consider taking up skydiving for a side-hobby too etc etc) All opinions welcome! -- Jan in BC, Canada Last edited by jan_nienaber : 28-09.-2007 at 05:54 PM.

28-09.-2007, 08:00 PM	#2
MPCRUSHER Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 142	Re: Is there any hope for me? Get out there and go for it. There are heaps of guys in the exact same situation as you describe. They need people to race as well. The worst that can happen is you have a hard ride and improve. Racing also gets you more motivated to train. Soon you will be training to win races and completely forget about losing weight. Losing wieght will be a side effect to your sport not a reason for your sport. Good luck and enjoy your first race.

28-09.-2007, 08:18 PM	#3
janiejones Registered User Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 565	Re: Is there any hope for me? Absolutely, I am in a club, we race and train everyweek, there are young-ones from juniors to older people well into their 70s. Everybody helps and encourages each other (most of the time, but people will be people). Some of the best riders in the club are those in their 40-50s, yes there is the bunch of 20 somethings who are always up the front - but the experience and a lot of strength comes with the older ones. Many of the older members in my club, like you, rode when they were young - then got a busy life - and have come back to road cycling. I am one of them. It took me a fair while to get back into it, and I've still got a long way to go - but I'm having fun, getting fitter all the time, making friends... Go for cycling rather than skydiving, if something goes wrong you haven't got as far to fall!

28-09.-2007, 08:58 PM	#4
Alex Simmons Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 1,633	Re: Is there any hope for me? I too started riding again after a long time away and that was 10 or so years ago. While not quite as old as you when I got back on the bike, I'm now a regular contender in my age division at championships (state and national). It might be pretty tough on 4hrs/week unless you are very talented - but making the best use of those limited hours is what will count. There are also many advances in training since those days, especially the application of sports science and the use of on bike power measurement and analysis in coaching to wring the best out of the athlete (whatever their level or aspiration) and to make the improvement as efficient and effective as possible. Well done on the fitness improvement, your body will love you for it. __________________ http://alex-cycle.blogspot.com/ http://www.cyclecoach.com/

29-09.-2007, 12:08 AM	#5
BullGod Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 467	Re: Is there any hope for me? I rode recreationally as a student (my main priorities were drinking and sleeping) and then after Uni I started working, and had problems with my health, caused by stress, substance abuse, women etc. When I was 23 I could barely run 3km without gasping for breath, and I would be out drinking 3 nights a week and eating crap. After a relationship breakdown I resolved to clean myself up and bought a second hand road bike. At first I could only ride for an hour, but it gave me so much peace and valuable perspective on my life that I kept going, pushing myself longer and harder every time. 4 years later and i just rode my first season in Cat 1 Euro, and next year will be riding on an elite amateur team in Holland. If you want it you can get it. There are plenty of guys I know who are older, and new to cycling, with limited working hours who are damn fine cyclists. Just be realistic about your goals, and remember - it's about pleasure. 3 x 1.5 hr rides a week will keep you fit, in fact compared to the general population you will be extremely fit - and you should be able to hold your own in lower category racing which is just as fun and challenging as the top level. Remember what LeMond says - it doesn't hurt any less, you just go faster. Good luck!

29-09.-2007, 01:18 AM	#6
Pendejo Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 491	Re: Is there any hope for me? [QUOTE=BullGod]I rode recreationally as a student (my main priorities were drinking and sleeping) and then after Uni I started working, and had problems with my health, caused by stress, substance abuse, women etc. QUOTE] Like an old man once told me, "All through my life I spent most of my money on booze and women. The rest I just wasted."

29-09.-2007, 02:24 AM

jsirabella

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