Is 40 too old??



Whenever I hear about folks over 60 still competiting I always feel it all comes down to heart...in two ways one is the physical condition to keep up a good pace and the other how much they just love cycling...

I know during this time of the year for me in NYC, the joy really comes out of it with the rain and cold weather but it is the heart that keeps me going in the morning...my wife has officially given up on me...

I must say I think I won as she said next year we can pick a place for vacation that i can bring my bike and ride while her and my daughter can do their thing which usually involves nothing physical ...

any suggestions btw?

-js



frusso said:
jsirabella said:
Hi All,

Is 40 years too old to try and get into some road racing or even time trials? never did either on that level but do they break them up by age group and where is a good place to go to learn the basics of how to get started on the web?

Thanks all...

Hell No. I’ve been riding for only five years and will turn 63 in January 06. In 05 I participate in the 60 + age group in eight races, placing 1,2 or 3 in seven of them.
 
jsirabella said:
I must say I think I won as she said next year we can pick a place for vacation that i can bring my bike and ride while her and my daughter can do their thing which usually involves nothing physical ...

any suggestions btw?

-js

Lucca...............
 
I am guessing that it is not in the USA...needs to be on this side of the pond...but will google lucca...if my guess is right.



DiabloScott said:
Lucca...............
 
jsirabella said:
9,000 miles?? :eek: That commute to work must be a real biatch!!

I consider myself pretty good that I can put in about 3,500 miles on a bike last year...never really know how much really since I do alot of spinning in the gyms both machine and manual stationary bikes.

17 mph, (with hills), what would be considered average hills so I can know for when a race comes what to expect and how to plan? On an average race what kind and how many hills can you expect??

-js
In the winter I ride the trainor an hour a day tues through friday, and ride about 80-100 miles outside on the weekends. Starting in about March through October, it's almost all outside. I count each hour on the trainor as 15 miles. The 17mph was an average amount on a ride that has hills and flats. Are you racing??
 
I am really impressed with your schedule...I am similar but I mix in weight training quite a bit...

I go to the gym pretty much 5 days a week (5:30am and it can really suck) and doing stretching, 20 minutes on the stationary bike and than hit the weights...all together about 2 hours on those 5 days. After I drop my daughter off at school I put in about an hour a day, every week day, which is about 18-20 mphs including getting o my office. On bad weather days I go back to the gym later for an hour of spinning.

The big difference is that I can not get enough hours on the weekend to put in the 100 miles. I am going to try and put more of those hours on the weekend. But to be honest while have Central Park only a few blocks away great, it also is bad because I just get so bored of it. So what I do is change it up quite a bit with one legged hill climbs, loops out of the seat, in the seat, high gears, low gears but I still get a little bored.

As for racing I really want to experience it but my goal is simply to finish...I am not worried about placing...just finish and not fall.

-js


mikesobel said:
In the winter I ride the trainor an hour a day tues through friday, and ride about 80-100 miles outside on the weekends. Starting in about March through October, it's almost all outside. I count each hour on the trainor as 15 miles. The 17mph was an average amount on a ride that has hills and flats. Are you racing??
 
jsirabella said:
I am really impressed with your schedule...I am similar but I mix in weight training quite a bit...

I go to the gym pretty much 5 days a week (5:30am and it can really suck) and doing stretching, 20 minutes on the stationary bike and than hit the weights...all together about 2 hours on those 5 days. After I drop my daughter off at school I put in about an hour a day, every week day, which is about 18-20 mphs including getting o my office. On bad weather days I go back to the gym later for an hour of spinning.

The big difference is that I can not get enough hours on the weekend to put in the 100 miles. I am going to try and put more of those hours on the weekend. But to be honest while have Central Park only a few blocks away great, it also is bad because I just get so bored of it. So what I do is change it up quite a bit with one legged hill climbs, loops out of the seat, in the seat, high gears, low gears but I still get a little bored.

As for racing I really want to experience it but my goal is simply to finish...I am not worried about placing...just finish and not fall.

-js
Your's is also pretty impressive. I prefer to ride outside. The trainor gets very boring. You should try some of the organized rides here in Bucks County, PA (plenty of hills!) I'm a member of the Central Bucks Bike Club. Their feature ride is the Covered Bridges in the Fall. Check out our web site - http://www.cbbikeclub.org/ By the way, just curious, how old are you?
 
Take a guess? I am 40 years old this past August...I had a small life changing experience. I broke my ankle about two years ago and never realized how bad shape I was in. I was 230lbs and had trouble walking in crutches for more than a couple blocks, my wife in her complaining actually got me angrier and more determined...it changed me!! After I got back on the legs I started slow with the gym and than I just started to feel better and better...now 170lbs, about 8% body fat.

I was in your area in my second tour last year, went from NY to PA using the ACC maps. It took you across Jesery and crossing at New Hope into PA. After Philly I could not believe the hills...now those are hills!! I made it to Boston in two days earlier that year but it took three days to get to Baltimore because of the route they gave me and the hills...I will look into the event and try this ride ... I tell you, it was tough(if I had not said it already)...

So at your age of 47 you definitely have one up on me...if you do 17 mph average in bucks county....your good!!

-js




mikesobel said:
Your's is also pretty impressive. I prefer to ride outside. The trainor gets very boring. You should try some of the organized rides here in Bucks County, PA (plenty of hills!) I'm a member of the Central Bucks Bike Club. Their feature ride is the Covered Bridges in the Fall. Check out our web site - http://www.cbbikeclub.org/ By the way, just curious, how old are you?
 
jsirabella said:
Got the latest Bicycling magazine and see what a cycle sportif event is...I can see how this will really start to take hold in the future. It is just for that middle of the road guy who wants to do more than a tour but not sure about an all out race.

I will also look into doing one of these next year. But in anycase, the folks here have given me alot to shoot for and I just need to as joule said get my fitness level higher and higher.

Snowing today here in nyc, what is your guys opinion on spinning classes vs using a trainer in your house?

-js

I only use the indoor trainer when there is absolutely no possibility of getting out for a ride.
I would say I use a trainor maybe 3 times per year : I will always, always try to ride outdoor.
 
Having done spinning, trainers and outdoors...obviously outdoor riding will always be best but depending on the terrain may not for fitness. With a bike besides resistance you have to deal with balance and core issues. But on spinners you can actually get quite a bit resisitance but the resistance is not the same as you would get on a bike climbing a hill...you may also sweat quite a bit more on a spinner. I find trainers actaully to be the most boring but I have recently read a few articles of how you can spice it up.

I find it impressive that you can ride outdoors so often and only use the trainer three times a year. I have not been to Ireland but imagine the weather can be quite harsh. I find here in NYC with the cold rain, snow and ice that the ride on the harsh days are really not worth it to me, too many outside issues to deal with like falls. I rather hit the spinner on those days but I am a big believer that cycling is not enough. At age 40 I find the gym in combo with the cycling is right for me. I like to hit the plates and do the squats, bench presses, calve raises,...to improve my fitness level and make me ready for the bike.

But hey I never been in a race or won one...

-js




limerickman said:
I only use the indoor trainer when there is absolutely no possibility of getting out for a ride.
I would say I use a trainor maybe 3 times per year : I will always, always try to ride outdoor.
 
jsirabella said:
Having done spinning, trainers and outdoors...obviously outdoor riding will always be best but depending on the terrain may not for fitness. With a bike besides resistance you have to deal with balance and core issues. But on spinners you can actually get quite a bit resisitance but the resistance is not the same as you would get on a bike climbing a hill...you may also sweat quite a bit more on a spinner. I find trainers actaully to be the most boring but I have recently read a few articles of how you can spice it up.

-js

I prefer to ride outside but with a busy work schedule etc it's not possible.
I'm 42 BTW.

My indoor training for if I can't get outside or the weather is bad. These are only 30 minutes or so which means there is no excuse for not being able to do them on any day. You can stretch them out for more once you finish.... at least 30 minutes.

30 minutes on a roller: (The intervals immitate some criteria courses on race on each year:

Monday morning or night. 30 minutes on a roller in an easy gear spinning about 90 cadence/ 25kph max.

Tuesday: 2 minutes big chain ring 1 minute small chain ring. Use the easiest gears to start and each week use one harder gear on the back.

Wednesday. after 5 minutes easy warm up. 13 minutes fast spinning in an easy gear doing about 40kph Repeat. Then big chain ring on the front small on the back and hold a sprint for 2 minutes. Repeat. The sprint represents a 2km hill on a 10km course I race on for a 2 lap 20km race.

Thursday: slow spinning watching the TV or with heart rate monitor holding it at 60% HRM.

Friday. Leg lifts, bench presses...15 minutes then 15 minutes 70% HRM on the roller.

It's not perfect but it gets my heart up each day which keeps the metabolism fired. If I have time and the weather is good I'll replace those workouts with 2 or 3 hours out on the riverside.

I use a non fixed wheel roller,,, one of those balance on the aluminium drums one. Where resistance comes from how hard you push your self and what gears you use. Balance is crucial and they make you ride more efficiently than a fixed wheel/fixed bike roller where you're just working out on your legs only.

Guys over here in Japan in their 60s are very fast. Especially the retired guys who ride everyday.

Is 40 to old?

I can't wait till I'm retired and still riding at 60 and 70....edit here.. actually I can wait. I'm in no hurry. :D
 
Just so I do not misunderstand..when you say roller, you mean trainer? The one you descrobe seems to be the magnetic one offered by cycle-ops?



JAPANic said:
I prefer to ride outside but with a busy work schedule etc it's not possible.
I'm 42 BTW.

My indoor training for if I can't get outside or the weather is bad. These are only 30 minutes or so which means there is no excuse for not being able to do them on any day. You can stretch them out for more once you finish.... at least 30 minutes.

30 minutes on a roller: (The intervals immitate some criteria courses on race on each year:

Monday morning or night. 30 minutes on a roller in an easy gear spinning about 90 cadence/ 25kph max.

Tuesday: 2 minutes big chain ring 1 minute small chain ring. Use the easiest gears to start and each week use one harder gear on the back.

Wednesday. after 5 minutes easy warm up. 13 minutes fast spinning in an easy gear doing about 40kph Repeat. Then big chain ring on the front small on the back and hold a sprint for 2 minutes. Repeat. The sprint represents a 2km hill on a 10km course I race on for a 2 lap 20km race.

Thursday: slow spinning watching the TV or with heart rate monitor holding it at 60% HRM.

Friday. Leg lifts, bench presses...15 minutes then 15 minutes 70% HRM on the roller.

It's not perfect but it gets my heart up each day which keeps the metabolism fired. If I have time and the weather is good I'll replace those workouts with 2 or 3 hours out on the riverside.

I use a non fixed wheel roller,,, one of those balance on the aluminium drums one. Where resistance comes from how hard you push your self and what gears you use. Balance is crucial and they make you ride more efficiently than a fixed wheel/fixed bike roller where you're just working out on your legs only.

Guys over here in Japan in their 60s are very fast. Especially the retired guys who ride everyday.

Is 40 to old?

I can't wait till I'm retired and still riding at 60 and 70....edit here.. actually I can wait. I'm in no hurry. :D
 
I have one of those as well but never use it. The one I use improves your balance. Better balance makes a faster more efficient rider. Training on the rollers does a lot of other things fro you besides pedalling and aerobics.
 
Hi JS,


I began "getting physical" at age 30, and from then on kept in shape through running primarily. I eventually got into racing, with some nice results (like a 5:15 mile at age 35 without any speedwork behind me). I began biking in my early 40s, and did some triathlons. Then I moved and because of geographical conditions and work commitments fell back into basic fitness mode.

On my 50th birthday, I was diagnosed with an incurable form of leukemia. A specialist estimated that I had 3-5 years left. Chemo knocked the disease back. Three years later I needed a transfusion to stay alive. Chemo knocked it back again. At age 56 I learned about the Senior Games, which are national olympics for those over 50. I started training on the bike for the 5K and 10K time trials. I'm now one of the best senior time trialists in the state, winning silvers and bronzes (age-group) in the state finals the last couple of years. The doctors see no signs of the disease at this time, and are quite amazed.

I'm convinced that training hard has had something to do with this. So it doesn't matter how old you are, get in the best shape you can and go out and celebrate it in your own way, which in your case may just be by racing. (I refuse to do road races, and never train with others. I had a bad crash in a pace line back in my tri days and vowed never to ride in one again. I can't tell you how many people have been seriously hurt locally riding in pace lines, and I know this happens all over. In my opinion, unless you're young and your goals include going pro, riding in pace lines is not worth the risk.)
 
Denny418 said:
...In my opinion, unless you're young and your goals include going pro, riding in pace lines is not worth the risk.)
...or, unless you enjoy it :D . I'm 43, have had quite a few years of roadracing, have no intention of turning pro, love riding in a bunch (not many opportunities where I am currently) and have had plenty of crashes (with and without the assistance of others). Riding in a peleton is no more dangerous than riding in traffic over here (Malaysia). You just have to choose who you ride with and how you ride with them. Most bunches will bring transgressors into line if their antics are disturbing the flow.
In your crash, Denny, how did it come about? Even when racing, bunches tend to be pretty safe as long as everyone is doing what they're meant to - a little bit like traffic on public roads.
Regards,
Eoin
 
Hi Eoin,

In answer to your question, I was taking pace at the head of the line, and then dropped off to rotate to the back. I got back in line a bit far back and had to work hard to get back on the rear wheel of the line. When I got back on, I relaxed just a bit, and for some inexplicable reason the guy in front of me slowed a bit. I didn't have a chance. I left a lot of skin on the road that day, and was lucky no car was following close behind.

That was it for me. The risks are too high in pace lines. As I mentioned, I see all the injuries just locally from riding pace, and then I extrapolate over the country, and it seems insane to me. The pros bring each other down often enough, let alone amateurs whose skills are orders of magnitude below that.

In the end, of course, everyone needs to do his/her own risk/benefit analysis. But I suspect most amateurs underestimate the risk over the long-run.

Denny
 
Denny418 said:
Hi Eoin,

In answer to your question...
Acknowledged, Denny. In the years that I raced regularly, most of the bike / bike crashes occured with the novice riders who were not yet comfortable (or too comfortable) with the vagaries and dynamics of riding in a bunch. For me, a fast-moving peleton is a thing of rare beauty.
I'm 43 (so, old enough to know better) and, currently based in Borneo, I have little opportunity at the moment to ride with any other riders, let alone a group.
A while ago I went in a short race which was made up mainly of riders from Brunei and the Mainland. It was belting down with rain and visibility was very poor. There were quite a few riders in there who did not seem to have much experience at riding in a bunch. There were a few shouts and bumps along the way, but nobody went down. I just made sure that I stayed near the front and, given the pace and conditions, meant being amongst experienced riders.
I have been the 'crasher' and the 'crashee' in bunches. The only one where I got decently hurt was where I was inexperienced (my first race) and I was the cause - I got caught between a rear wheel and the curb - Curb 1 / Bike 0 / Rider 0. Nobody was behind me (I was only just hanging on to the end of the line), so I was the only one to go down. I learnt a lesson and got a bit smarter at holding lines.
I have been hit by (and have hit) a few cars whilst riding alone. It doesn't stop me riding on the road - it just makes me pay more attention to what is going on around me. I wouldn't let my children ride on the same roads as they haven't yet developed the skills that put the odds back in their favour.
Nobody can guarantee that I won't crash when I go for a ride on the road tonight, but it won't stop me doing it - I like it and prefer it to the alternative of not going for a ride.
Later in 2006 I'll get back to Australia and, hopefully, start back doing some roadracing. nobody can guarantee that I won't crash doing that, too, but I'm looking forward to it.
Anyway, good to hear that your TT'ing is going so well, Denny. To each their own (I was always an exceedingly crappy TT rider...and continue this fine tradition to this day).
Regards,
Eoin
 
Funny that 40 used to be 'over the hill'. Now you see guys like Ned Overend and realize that the trick is to stay fit and avoid injuries.

I'm 38 and the last two years have been some of my best, even though I have been a competitive recreational cyclist (BMX, then MTB, then road, and now all three) since I was about 12. I have noticed that I can't get away with things (like partying and staying out late) but I have lost my taste for that so I don't really mind.

The thing I love about cycling is the lack of impact. I have ridden with guys who are 50 who blew my doors off. It really fills me with hope that I will be riding well into my 80s (with any luck).

Keep riding, and stay safe.