48 year old struggling to get fit again!

rqy99g

I used to cycle 5 or 6 days a week, I could eat anything (but tried to eat health), never got colds..... but this was between 30 and 40.

When I was 40 I had my ankle broke in a RTA and didn't cycle for 18 months. This has all now recovered.

Since then I have tried on several occassions to get back into cyclig and fail! I think basically I over train. After initially having an enthusiastic start, I pick up colds, lose interest and put the bike away for another 9-12 months.

Every time I get out and start again I see the roads/terrain and remember how I would ride them and feel I should be riding like I was when I was in my fit (30 - 40) period!

Any advice on how I should ease my way back in would be welcome.

I'm riding a hard tail. steel Merlin (Leyland) MTB, XT and initially intend to do 90% on road.

Cheers

Simon

ut_och_cykla

Ease your way back - your words. Pick a goal - attainable but mildy challenging and work towards it progressively increasing time and intesnsity on bike as the months tick past. Think in terms of months (perhaps years?) to get your potential fitness (appropriate for your age etc) back.
think through teh food aspect - healthy, sensible portions plenty of greens & fruit, quality carbs and protein not too high in fat. perhaps add a multivitamin. Check out the Zinc/b & C -vitamins supplements too if you start riding lots.
Good luck - don't give up you owe it to yourself....

GeorgeShaw

ut_och_cykla wrote:

Ease your way back - your words. Pick a goal - attainable but mildy challenging and work towards it progressively increasing time and intesnsity on bike as the months tick past. Think in terms of months (perhaps years?) to get your potential fitness (appropriate for your age etc) back.
think through teh food aspect - healthy, sensible portions plenty of greens & fruit, quality carbs and protein not too high in fat. perhaps add a multivitamin. Check out the Zinc/b & C -vitamins supplements too if you start riding lots.
Good luck - don't give up you owe it to yourself....

Agree 100%. I'm 54 and started cycling "properly" a couple of years back. I think (realistic) goals are important. Set a major goal for a season, like an end-of-season sportive. Keep a training log, so you can see the progress that you're making. Join a club, to keep the motivation going.

Regarding health, then listen to your body. It's no longer a 20-year-old body, so it's not so resilient. If you're feeling tired one day, then cut back on your ride. If you've got more energy, then extend it or find some hills.

Above all, enjoy. The sun's out, and the evenings are getting longer. Then you'll know that you've made the right decision.

Alex_Simmons/RST

Start easy and build volume and intensity s l o w l y.

Typically enthusiasm and fresh legs makes us think we can jump straight into long rides, and hard efforts but it simply doesn't work like that. Doing so can make you susceptible to illness and lose interest real fast.

If you simply can't work out how to manage the process, then get someone who knows what they're doing to help guide you.

ram038

rqy99g wrote:

I used to cycle 5 or 6 days a week, I could eat anything (but tried to eat health), never got colds..... but this was between 30 and 40.

When I was 40 I had my ankle broke in a RTA and didn't cycle for 18 months. This has all now recovered.

Since then I have tried on several occassions to get back into cyclig and fail! I think basically I over train. After initially having an enthusiastic start, I pick up colds, lose interest and put the bike away for another 9-12 months.

Every time I get out and start again I see the roads/terrain and remember how I would ride them and feel I should be riding like I was when I was in my fit (30 - 40) period!

Any advice on how I should ease my way back in would be welcome.

I'm riding a hard tail. steel Merlin (Leyland) MTB, XT and initially intend to do 90% on road.

Cheers

Simon

I am same age as you and have recently taking up cycling as a way to get fit. I find that I keep telling myself that I should be going faster and climbing harder, like you i forget that i am not a kid anymore and hence demotivate myself. I have found that a little cycling often is the best way forward, try to get out in the morning or evening 4\5 days a week. Cycling Weekly has their spring riding Guide out which has training plans for beginners to advanced riders and has articles on food and health. Also get a computer and Heart Rate monitor and keep a training log. i use www.mapmyride.com for this. Have an objective to aim for. i have just completed my first sportive, the Tour of Flanders, and chuffed that i completed the distance. though it i did find it hard going having never done the distance before. my biggest regret is that i did not get into cycling 20\30 years ago because I LOVE it Above all enjoy yourself have fun .I wish you success for the future.

rqy99g

Thanks for the replies and encouragement!

I suppose I have got to accept I can't do what I did when I was younger. I'll get a copy of cycling weekly - is the article in this weeks copy?

I also take on-board what is said about the food and multivitamins.

I too love cycling. I just need to get a few weeks under my belt so I make excuses to do it rather than excuses not to.

howiejmidlands

Before i was picked as one of the C+ readers team, i was returning from a 26 year lay off. I started out with a 10 mile ride, and slowly increased the distance. I was, and still am, not so worried about what other people do, this is about me and my fitness. At least we are out doing something about it, and for the guys that go racing past me, i will keep up, one day.
Now i have Joe Beer as a coach, what i have learnt very qucikly is the use of Heart Rate zones as a training tool. And basically i now try and stay in Zone 1, which for me is 140BPM. I now do a 30 mile training ride, and feel refreshed, not tired. Which is how it should be.
I have a lot of sportives lined up, and this is for enjoyment of riding in new aras rather than being competitive. I did the Lakealnd Loop on SUnday, wand i can gurantee i was last. It was hard, but i really enjoyed it now, at times not during the day.
So take things easy, build up slowly and you will get there.
I think there will be an update in the next issue.

Enjoy

ram038

rqy99g wrote:

Thanks for the replies and encouragement!

I suppose I have got to accept I can't do what I did when I was younger. I'll get a copy of cycling weekly - is the article in this weeks copy?

I also take on-board what is said about the food and multivitamins.

I too love cycling. I just need to get a few weeks under my belt so I make excuses to do it rather than excuses not to.

It is a special magazine sold in WH Smiths I think it is about 6 quid.

Mike Willcox

I'm 59 and will race a few TT's this year. Unsurprisingly I've found that with age the training becomes harder to do. Not putting in the effort mind, but in terms of recovery it takes longer to recover from higher intensity training. When I raced 25 years ago I could do 40 miles in the morning and finish off the day with some interval training in the evening.

Now if I do some interval training I can still feel it two days later, and that is something I need to bear in mind for when I start racing again.

Toks

rqy99g wrote:

I suppose I have got to accept I can't do what I did when I was younger..

You may not be able to ride all the time fast in a haphazard fashion with out any build up. Howeverjust hand in there and slowly increase duration or intensity and you'll be able to ride quickly again. Just perhaps not everyday

Mettan

rqy99g wrote:

I'm riding a hard tail. steel Merlin (Leyland) MTB, XT and initially intend to do 90% on road.

Cheers

Simon

Given the above, one option for the future might to get a Road bike - Road bikes are often/typically substantially lighter than MTB's (you'll probably know this) - this will likely enable you to cover the ground with greater ease on your training rides - that in turn helps with motivation as you'll typically experience more miles and easier rides on your Roadie.

Regards easing your way back in, personally, I'd get a cheap bike computer and set up a series of short training rides of up to 10 miles - it can be enjoyable watching your avg's increase over a set distance/route over time - this inturn can substantially help your motivation.

rqy99g

I do keep thinking about a road bike. I wouldn't get rid of the Merlin as I do like the flexibility (especially in the area I live, Bolton where I have easy access to the West Penine Moors) of road and off road.

But thanks again for all your advice.

suze

I returned to riding about 4 years ago....And I had little struture to me training, and tried to do what worked for me in the past. Needless to say I just got tired, not fitter.

Over the past two years I built up a training routine which includes plenty of rest and active recovery especially after a hard track session. I now ride most days, and am slowly getting back to being able to ride in a way I did a few years ago. ie consequtive days, hard rides with younger riders.

But always with the proviso that I'll use active recovery after, usually 30 mins light pedalling on the turbo.

Start slowly, get structured, and build in rest days to the routine.

Docsavage

I'm 47 and I found one of the things that helped me was leaving my computer at home for longer rides.
I was becoming obsessed with trying to go harder and faster and got back from rides feeling knackered
I realised I wasn't kidding anyone and have since then enjoyed just going out for a ride at what ever pace or level my body seems happy with. Some days the ride is just harder, and I take it easy, on the good days I enjoy hammering it a bit (usually on the downhills!) my comp is back on, but I don't let it drive me.

I have to add though, recovery is a bit of a bar steward these days.
last year I did my ankle on my mountain bike and it took about 4-6 months to properly heal,(still aches!) then I got knocked off and cracked my ribs (about 6 months back - still aches too!!) it's that that makes you feel a bit old!

CrookedCucumber

Docsavage wrote:

I have to add though, recovery is a bit of a bar steward these days.
last year I did my ankle on my mountain bike and it took about 4-6 months to properly heal,(still aches!) then I got knocked off and cracked my ribs (about 6 months back - still aches too!!) it's that that makes you feel a bit old!

Oh yes! I fractured a metatarsal just before Christmas and it's still difficult to walk Happily, it doesn't seem to affect my cycling.

I don't think it's ever appropriate to take risks with your health on a bicycle, but I've noticed as I get older that even minor injuries like rib fractures and strained muscles take ages to heal.

sean65

rqy99g wrote:

I too love cycling. I just need to get a few weeks under my belt so I make excuses to do it rather than excuses not to.

It might be an idea to just buzz around on your bike and enjoy it. We set ourselves some hard agenda's as cyclists and if you're not in the right mindset it can take the fun out of it.

I push myself out the door quite often and then when I'm out riding I enjoy it so much I wonder what all the fuss in my head is about.

Light evenings, nice weather at the moment, just get out there and mess around.

Docsavage

sean65 wrote:

rqy99g wrote:

I push myself out the door quite often and then when I'm out riding I enjoy it so much I wonder what all the fuss in my head is about.

.

totally agree! It's funny, most of the time I'm my own worst enemy. Mentally building up hills in my head, fretting about weather until I'm convincing myself not to bother.
I do remember Obree saying that whatever happened he would always get changed and get his leg over his bike before he made a decision, then if he really REALLY didn't want to go, then fine, he'd go back in.

when you get out, 99 times out of 100 you just enjoy yourself.

mm1

Interesting thread. I too am 48, now about to start my 4th summer back. I would say join a club, ride a wide range of events in as many different locations as you can and above all have fun! if it isn't fun you won't stick at it. Over the last 3 years i have taken and continue to take some real pastings from guys who are much fitter and younger than me. Despite beating my 30 year old 10 mile TT PB last year, I am still struggling with my weight, but I am even more entusiastic than i was as a 26 year old, which is what counts.

mm1

, but I am even more entusiastic than i was as a 26 year old, which is what counts.[/quote]

That was meant to say 16 year old!

ColinJ

rqy99g wrote:

I suppose I have got to accept I can't do what I did when I was younger.

Of course it is true that things get harder as you get older, but you don't have to give up easily! I was 51 last year, yet I did the hardest ride of my life (227 km over the Pennines on a bike carrying panniers).

I rode The Other Fleet Moss Randonee in 2006. That is a hilly 200 km event through the Yorkshire Dales. You might be interested in this quote from a letter circulated by the event organiser a few weeks later:

... And a hearty

well done to DM who took delivery of his Van Nicholas audax bike earlier in the week and, at the age of 77, was the senior rider, leaving many of the juniors in his wake. Some of the juniors may have noticed that he had a badly bruised left hand sustained in a cycling fall a few days earlier. Those of you left behind by DM may not be comforted to discover that he visited A&E the next day, where it was discovered that he had ridden the event with a broken hand.
An old body definitely can't the punishment that a young one can, but you ain't past it until you accept you're past it !