Life after 50....Is this the beginning of the end?

PB Forum :: Fitness, Training and Health
Life after 50....Is this the beginning of the end?
  • Previous Page
Author Message
flag metro50
Posted: Apr 10, 2018 at 18:57 Quote
What's up fellow cyclists!
Long story short, I started this sport at a late age of 50.

I was able to average 250 watts at age 51 (tremendously motivated),
but have steadily declined 15-20 watts a year.
Now at 55 I'm struggling to keep 200 watts ave.
Mileage declining.
Trying everything in the book.

* Creatine Monohydrate (German creapure)
* Beta Alanine
* I eat only organic
* Drink 1 gallon of water a day.
* No sugar, refined garbage yahta yahta
* Go to the gym twice a week (Legs & abs mostly)
* Sleep 5-7 hours a day 11pm nightly (could use more but aching back wakes me up lol)
* Can it be because I'm not riding as much? Rode about 8,000 miles a year age 51 but
only half as much because I rest 1-2 days in between now.

I can probably list more, but um well you get the picture.
Is this the beginning of the end?
My friend says it's all in my mind.
I don't feel completely motivated then I did at 51
Any thoughts, rants, advice?
flag MntnMan
Posted: Apr 10, 2018 at 20:14 Quote
I feel ya. I'm 50 this yr and definitely feel that training/longer rides are harder than say even 5 yrs ago and I ride just as much. From talking with trainers and other riders and articles I have read, it's just the way it is. Testosterone levels are dropping, energy levels aren't the same, and we simply aren't 30 yrs old anymore and our bodies don't have the same strength nor quick recovery times. Some guys can keep at it, but they are typically ultra high energy guys with ADHD, etc, or they log lots of weekly miles. We just have to ride more. There's no silver bullet.
flag bcoutdoor
Posted: Apr 10, 2018 at 21:25 Quote
I’m turning 55 in August and just bought a new MTB. I have not ridden in years. I go to CrossFit twice a week and now ride 3 times a week. But my diet and lifestyle is nothing like that ! Wow you should be bouncing off the walls.

Not sure what’s up, maybe a naturopath can help? I have a great one, going on 20 years with her now.
Something maybe needs a kick start.

Best of luck to you.
flag Bader10
Posted: Apr 10, 2018 at 22:50 Quote
Mate, you're not getting enough beer and ice cream. A couple of cold pints after a 3 hour ride...motivation
flag old-banshee-rider
Posted: Apr 11, 2018 at 0:34 Quote
I just turned 49 and I know that I don't ride as hard as I used to but then again life is alot busier than it used to be as I have a young family.
I wouldn't worry about the numbers to be honest. What's important is are you still having fun? I don't huck big anymore but then again I don't shuttle anymore either. Rides are just some fun times with my buddies who I've been riding with for more than 20 years on mountain bikes. It's all about getting out, getting some exercise, and riding. Numbers don't matter.
flag bcoutdoor
Posted: Apr 11, 2018 at 0:51 Quote
Bader10 wrote:
Mate, you're not getting enough beer and ice cream. A couple of cold pints after a 3 hour ride...motivation

What he said ^
flag fredcook
O+
Posted: Apr 11, 2018 at 9:20 Quote
I keep wondering when I'm getting too old for riding. But, I like it too much to stop! I just turned 57. I ride 5-6 times a week, Rides consist of flat fast XC (~30%) and intermediate to expert techy stuff (~70%). I have been riding a long time. My first "mountain bike" was a 10 speed that I replaced the ram horn handle bars on with a straight pipe I got at a hardware store. Ahhh... the 70's. And I'm riding more ( and more consistently) now than ever before. I did have a bump in the road 2 years ago... double bypass (didn't see that coming). Despite being very active all my life and in OK shape (165 lbs @ 5'10), my doc said 'you cannot outrun cheeseburgers and brauts'. Whatever! Smile That episode kept me off my bike for 4 weeks (4 days in the hospital, plus time to heal the 'stitching' enough to not get damaged if I wreck). I was supposed to wait 6 weeks, but, yeah, I didn't. I did however jog starting day 5.

I've always kinds ignored "being too old to do whatever". I'm riding harder and riskier now than ever. I'm actually ready to invest in a new bike even at my age (eyeing YT's Jeffsy 27). My point in all this ramble is, for me at least, that I've come to realize that attitude is close to everything. Cut back on cheeseburgers, and life is good. I know, over simplified, but simplicity helps too! My favorite saying... "You don't quit riding because you're old, you're old because you quit riding".
flag MntnMan
Posted: Apr 11, 2018 at 15:00 Quote
fredcook wrote:
I keep wondering when I'm getting too old for riding. But, I like it too much to stop! I just turned 57. I ride 5-6 times a week, Rides consist of flat fast XC (~30%) and intermediate to expert techy stuff (~70%). I have been riding a long time. My first "mountain bike" was a 10 speed that I replaced the ram horn handle bars on with a straight pipe I got at a hardware store. Ahhh... the 70's. And I'm riding more ( and more consistently) now than ever before. I did have a bump in the road 2 years ago... double bypass (didn't see that coming). Despite being very active all my life and in OK shape (165 lbs @ 5'10), my doc said 'you cannot outrun cheeseburgers and brauts'. Whatever! Smile That episode kept me off my bike for 4 weeks (4 days in the hospital, plus time to heal the 'stitching' enough to not get damaged if I wreck). I was supposed to wait 6 weeks, but, yeah, I didn't. I did however jog starting day 5.

I've always kinds ignored "being too old to do whatever". I'm riding harder and riskier now than ever. I'm actually ready to invest in a new bike even at my age (eyeing YT's Jeffsy 27). My point in all this ramble is, for me at least, that I've come to realize that attitude is close to everything. Cut back on cheeseburgers, and life is good. I know, over simplified, but simplicity helps too! My favorite saying... "You don't quit riding because you're old, you're old because you quit riding".

The OP isn't worried about being too old to ride. He's asking if age or lifestyle or both are affecting his conditioning and stamina/endurance.
flag fredcook
O+
Posted: Apr 12, 2018 at 5:48 Quote
MntnMan wrote:
The OP is worried about being too old to ride. He's asking if age or lifestyle or both are affecting his conditioning and stamina/endurance.

You're right. My long winded ramble (I'm bad about that, and going off on tangents) is a result of me asking myself those same questions in the past.

Metro50 asks... my personal answers are:
Is this the beginning of the end? No!
My friend says it's all in my mind. I believe that to have the biggest impact. Attitude!
Any thoughts, rants, advice? Thoughts and rants, that was my previously long winded response. Smile

For me, mindset has been my biggest obstacle, AND my biggest benefit.
flag lblizzard
Posted: Apr 16, 2018 at 7:53 Quote
I have many friends that are in their late 60's and 70's that MTB extremely hard, and at times out performing me.
I just turned 54 and recovering from a broken hip and clavicle from a MTB crash last summer, and yes I was doing something with my wheels off the ground that I should not have not been doing. Had to have plates and screws on both hip and clavicle, it's been a long winter but i'm looking forward to getting in the woods again. I've already had my road bike out but then it started snowing again her in NH : ( My injuries do not deter me from riding, i'll just be smarter, got to keep moving someway some how, just keep moving.
.
flag Falcon991
Posted: Apr 16, 2018 at 15:43 Quote
Ride more if you can, enjoy it as much as you can, and who cares how many watts you can average? Unless you are trying to be the oldest XC winner in the history of the sport, does it really matter?

It doesn't ever have to end, as long as you don't have a preconceived notion about how fast you have to be.
flag Hammer48
Posted: Apr 16, 2018 at 16:22 Quote
I will be 70 this August, I know I can't ride at the pace, or for as long as I did in my earlier years, I use to ride 250 miles per week in my 30's..Now, I ride to have fun and to get some exercise. I mainly ride alone, but if other riders come by, I never try to keep up. Ride Your ride, but think positive. When I was in my 50's I was roadracing motorcycles and 90% of the completion were way younger than I was, even so, I managed some decent finishes. I will admit, I was usually pretty tired after the race, where as the younguns weren't, still. I had a blast, and that was my goal, to have fun.
flag NoGears
Posted: Jun 5, 2018 at 13:41 Quote
Friend of mine turns 60 this year and he's still a beast and actually still improves on times on strava segments and races he does. 50 most definitely isn't the end...maybe time to start paying more attention to recovery and injury prevention but there's LOTS of people in their 50's that still rip hard.
flag lblizzard
Posted: Jun 9, 2018 at 4:13 Quote
metro50 wrote:
What's up fellow cyclists!
Long story short, I started this sport at a late age of 50.

I was able to average 250 watts at age 51 (tremendously motivated),
but have steadily declined 15-20 watts a year.
Now at 55 I'm struggling to keep 200 watts ave.
Mileage declining.
Trying everything in the book.

* Creatine Monohydrate (German creapure)
* Beta Alanine
* I eat only organic
* Drink 1 gallon of water a day.
* No sugar, refined garbage yahta yahta
* Go to the gym twice a week (Legs & abs mostly)
* Sleep 5-7 hours a day 11pm nightly (could use more but aching back wakes me up lol)
* Can it be because I'm not riding as much? Rode about 8,000 miles a year age 51 but
only half as much because I rest 1-2 days in between now.

I can probably list more, but um well you get the picture.
Is this the beginning of the end?
My friend says it's all in my mind.
I don't feel completely motivated then I did at 51
Any thoughts, rants, advice?

But to the point, do i ride as hard now at 54 as i did 5 years ago, no.
Are there 50+ people out there that keep the same pace as they did when younger, few.
Am i discouraged that i don't ride as fast and hard, no, cause i'm still smiling when i end my rides
flag 605endurbro
Posted: Jun 13, 2018 at 22:07 Quote
Man, just have fun with riding! I badgered my dad forever to start riding and he started at 45. Now he is doing races (10-70 miles) and loving it. It has even crossed over to my mom. Ride the bike as much as you want to, don't worry about the watts stuff, go to the gym in the winter and in the summer a bit if you enjoy it. My dad does suffer from some cramps but has found help with hammer heed and pickle juice. Stuff gets difficult with age, but if you enjoy it don't stop! If you can't hammer as hard as before, does it really matter? Maybe, but what really matters is if it is still fun to you.
  • Previous Page

 


Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv65 0.011686
Mobile Version of Website