age and athleticism

[Climb01742]

this summer i'll turn 50. it's hard not to feel like that is a milestone. it's also hard not to think about how far 50 is from 25 or 30. at those ages you still feel as though your athletic future is in front of you. but i guess i'm not willing to accept that my future is behind me.

i wonder how much of our "slowing" down athletically is inescapable and how much is escapable. i'm intrugued by maybe trying to use my body as an experiment.

have any of you at or near my age given yourself a big athletic challenge? and tried to find out just how much gas is left in the tank? anyone done in medical reading on the subject? i know that at some age our bodies will start misfiring, but i bet it's much older than most folks, especially non-athletic folks, would think.

how do you feel about working out as you get older? how long can we improve? and is anybody else planning or thinking about planning -- or hell, done -- a grand athletic challenge recently or soon? and finally, any suggestions for the the grand endeavor?

if you told yourself, for the next year i'm going to train, suffer and sacrifice for an event or a test, what test would you choose?

[jpw]

Diet is a big factor. I f you change it (i don't know what you are eating right now- breakfast probably) i'm sure you can delay the process.

Swimming is a great energiser.

Taking enough water is also essential. Take more than you think you might need, a lot more.

Keep moving.

[Ken Lehner]

I will be turning 46 in May; I've been competing since before 7th grade. I've been doing sprint triathlons for about 15 years, but took a number of years off (1997 through 2002) before returning last year. I had so much success (winning my age group in a triathlon and a duathlon), that I'm seriously considering trying to qualify for the Hawaii Ironman by the time I'm 50. That means putting in a lot of miles on the bike and run (the swim doesn't worry me). I find myself with just about the best condition I've ever had (at least since my college track days). There is a maximum performance degradation that is inescapable over the years; having said that, very few people are near that max. I think I'm still getting faster on both the bike and the run.

I love working out (haven't had a day off since Feb. 9), but I have to be careful not to overdo it, and allow recovery from hard efforts. I can't do three days in a row of hard workouts (even across three sports), and it takes about three days to fully recover from an intense workout.

[jpw]

An aside.

I've also noticed how fat a lot of ex cyclists tend to become after a while.
The great exception is Fondriest, who looks older but is still like a living skeleton.
They must keep eating the same volume of food as if they were still riding pro distances.

[bubba]

this summer i'll turn 50. it's hard not to feel like that is a milestone. it's also hard not to think about how far 50 is from 25 or 30. at those ages you still feel as though your athletic future is in front of you. but i guess i'm not willing to accept that my future is behind me.

i wonder how much of our "slowing" down athletically is inescapable and how much is escapable. i'm intrugued by maybe trying to use my body as an experiment.

have any of you at or near my age given yourself a big athletic challenge? and tried to find out just how much gas is left in the tank? anyone done in medical reading on the subject? i know that at some age our bodies will start misfiring, but i bet it's much older than most folks, especially non-athletic folks, would think.

how do you feel about working out as you get older? how long can we improve? and is anybody else planning or thinking about planning -- or hell, done -- a grand athletic challenge recently or soon? and finally, any suggestions for the the grand endeavor?

if you told yourself, for the next year i'm going to train, suffer and sacrifice for an event or a test, what test would you choose?
I'm ALOT older than you. To me, there there is no one 'grand endeavour'. I work at getting better every day, there are no misfires,and strength and muscle mass are better than years ago. Indivudal genetics may have a role,but alot of the bad stuff happens only if you let it. The rest is commitment to healthy choices and hard training. The non-atheletic folks 'just don't get it'. The big limitaion is MHR. Makes it damm near impossible to stay with equally fit 30 somethings on a hard climb, but the ones that aren't so fit often look really bad. :D :banana: :banana:

[Andreu]

This is really interesting because I have had the best two years on the bike I have ever had. I think there is potential to improve in events with the correct training, diet and rest no matter what your age. I think I have actually learnt how to suffer a bit...something I couldn´t do in my 20s. Anyway I am 37 y.o. I am not sure that classes as near your age...and I am not a vet...but I do have lots of examples of guys 50+ who have given me a good kicking in TTs and road races. Interestingly all these guys have had long "careers" on their bikes and so have the depth of fitness and probably genetics to give whippersnappers a good kicking.
Depending on your history (have you done road races or time trials - short or long?) then I would go for it - and get some advice from a local club who usually have a couple of canny guys who can guage these sorts of things. If you´ve never done a race or event before (RR or TT) then start short and simple and work up to the longer distances. Remember cycling fitness should be gained slowly.....once or twice I have gained fitness and lost weight quickly only to be toast in July/August.
good luck to you.
A :beer:

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . that the "grand endeavor" is the long-term pursuit of fitness itself. I do tend to set some goals for the season, such as climbing that big local hill a bit faster. But the real larger goal is being able to do what Bubba describes--go out and feel good about the day, the way I feel physically, and the way I perform against those younger people who theoretically SHOULD have an advantage.

I try to work hard without overdoing it, and by this age (45) I've been at it long enough to recognize first, that almost every time I ever injured myself it was because I was trying to do too much, and second, to learn to see when I am getting myself in too deep and headed for one of those injuries.

I will certainly not continue to improve my speed or strength--there are some things about age that beyond a certain point can't be forced. But if I feel good, have a good time, and do well against others my age, then I will be happy. And those are not really too grand a set of goals, I guess. Go to the mall and watch the cavalcade of obesity for a few minutes and you can see that you really don't have to do a lot to be ahead of almost everybody else your age when you get to 45!

BBDave

[Jay Torborg]

I just returned from a week long PAC tour training camp which is aimed at serious riders. I'd say that at least half of them where 50+ and I must say there were some extremely fit riders. I have to agree with bubba that much of the aging process can be slowed down or even stopped if you stay fit.

I'm not quite 50 myself, but will be there in a few years. I recently picked up a book called "Cycling Past 50" which I found very informative, whether you're past 50 already or getting close.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0880117370/qid=1081262753/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1_xs_stripbooks_i1_xgl14/102-1455397-9560132?v=glance&s=books

[jpw]

"...cavalcade of obesity..."

I like it.

If we all work hard at it we might just give the gene therapists enough time to come up with age reversal treatments! I was reading about cellular ageing mechanisms and the role of telomeres. Very interesting. They have a vague notion to be able to lengthen the numbers of these structures within cells and thus reverse the ageing process. Some years away, but of some small comfort.

Better start saving some more.

[zap]

I'm not 50. I'm not 40. But I'm getting my butt whipped by a 53 year old on a regular basis. Hope to change that soon :) And there are plenty of other 50 something that are amazing athletes in the Washington, D.C. area. The key appears to be diet and staying fit year round.

I read an article some time ago that performance doesn't degrade significantly until age 60.

On another health related matter.

I'm not a doctor, but I would recommend that everyone (any age) have their hearts and aorta's checked if you are doing any maximal workouts. WSJ had several articles in the past year on bursting aorta's and how this condition is largely misdiagnosed by the medical community. Talk to your doctor.

[Todd Owen]

I will turn 50 in may and think having events to train for or even look forward to is the key. I have run a marathon, done 6 triathalons (short course) and raced by bike for along time but having a regular ride or event to look toward to me is the key. I ran the Boulder 10k last year after not competing for a while and the preparation was worth the extra effort. I also realize I cannot run a 4:35 mile anymore but still try to challenge myself and always look to "the Wall" on the Morgul-bismark course near Boulder as my own little test. running a 7:30 mile now feels as good as when I ran in college and averaged 5:10 for 6 miles. P.S. the diet makes a huge difference!

[CIII_bill]

After not riding very much for 3-4 years, I bought a C III last year and through lots of riding and specific training, I'm in the best bike condition I've ever been in.

I have a buddy who is in his 40's and we go to Moab and ride Slickrock and he says I'm an inspiration due to my conditioning and age. :banana:

Keep riding!

[chrisroph]

I'm 50 and rode about 7000 miles last year and 6000 the year before. I regularly train with cat 2 and 3 racers on challenging terrain and I rode a fairly competitive schedule the last 2 years and was able to win 3 state masters championships last year. While I'm able to stay with many of the younger guys on my preferred terrain, I'm not as quick as I once was. I think the main differences are twofold: 1. I just do not have the same maximum pulse as I once did. I feel that this limits somewhat my max o2 and my LT; 2. It takes me a bit longer to recover from really hard efforts. While I still am able to do almost everything I once could do, and while I am able to compensate somewhat with experience, there is no stopping the turning of the clock. It can be slowed substantially but I still feel that I have lost probably .3-.5 % per year after 35.

[DonG]

Degrade at 60? Watch it Zap – it’s coming faster than you think.

This will be my seventh year of biking and third year focusing on Road. At 60 I’m in better shape than I have ever been and have no intention of slowing down or backing off. Watch the diet, plenty of liquids, stretch before and after, stay in shape year round, and ride with the young’ins.

I started on a mountain bike seven years ago and have competed in the mountain bike races at our state games every year taking 1st or 2nd in my age group (and they keep lowering the age to get people in – bring them on).

I got started on a road bike with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training program and have completed 5 centuries in the last two years. Hills are still my Achilles Heel. On a group ride with the big boys there are some hills that they will spit me out the back like a watermelon seed yet on others I’m right there with them.

Cycling has become so much a part of me and what I do that I’m sure my wife thinks I’ve become obsessive-compulsive (OK I did by a Serotta but what proof is that?).

The hardest thing for me to learn is taking those recovery rides. I think I finally did it this weekend though; On Saturday did a 42 mile loop maintaining an average heart rate at 92% of max and the next day did the same loop at only 74% of max. Funny thing was there was only about 4 mph difference in average speed – got to work on that top end.

I don’t remember who said it, I think it was Satchel Page, “Age is just mind over matter – if you don’t mind, age don’t matter”.

Just Do It - Don
:beer:

[dgauthier]

You guys are great. :)

As a 44 year old who's only been riding 19 months now, I'm thrilled with the continuing improvements in my fitness, but wonder what the next 20 years will bring.

If you older, wiser riders could benefit us with your experience by answering a couple of questions, I'd be very grateful:

1. Do you have any trouble with your joints as you get older? Have you had to give up any activities you previously enjoyed, like running? Or do you find constant, hard activity actually *enhances* your joints?

2. Some of you mention diet is very important. What are you eating? Do you just follow a mainstream sports nurtition kind of diet (low fat, high carbs) or something else?

[zap]

I know.

My parents are in their early 60's and I'm trying to get them to exercise more. Their generation viewed sports/exercise differently but appear to be "coming" around. Only wish they understood this when I was living with them.

But anyway, the years do seem to go by faster as you get older. Or more correctly, as reponsibility adds up.

PS

DonG, you need to slow down more on your easy day. Shoot for 60%

[vaxn8r]

I'm not a doctor, but I would recommend that everyone (any age) have their hearts and aorta's checked if you are doing any maximal workouts. WSJ had several articles in the past year on bursting aorta's and how this condition is largely misdiagnosed by the medical community. Talk to your doctor.

Zap, that sounds a little bit like an indictment about the "medical community" I'm not a cardiologist but I think you'd find it very difficult and even more expensive to rule out every possible combination of heart problems which might kill you while exercising. Sometimes one is blessed(?) with a family history so at least the health professional knows where to start looking. By your post it would seem your suggesting everyone should have a EKG, cardiac echo, angiogram before exercising. That's just not practical. There will be some who die on the bike, basketball court, running trail and that will be the first cardiac symptom they've ever had.

Now, it would be prudent, before engaging in a high-output exercise program to have your health professional do a thourough history, family history and physical exam and then order any tests which are both cost effective and appropriate based on those findings. Unfortunately, some things will be missed. But that doesn't mean misdiagnosed.

[Don]

You guys are all youngsters! Improvement comes with riding and yes, age is a factor, but for many of us, we continue to enjoy the sport and the thrill of cycling past riders who are at least twenty years younger! Seriously, even at the tender age of 70, I manage to ride more than 5,000 miles a year, am still capable of riding a paceline in excess of 20 mph and doing a sprint at speeds nearing high 20's here in flat Florida. The important thing is that it's still enjoyable and challenging, no matter the speed or distance. Don

[BigMac]

Never, ever too late to take up an agressive fitness regimen. Healing from injury becomes a much slower, arduous process after age 40 and yes there is a loss in quickness and explosiveness even as early as age 30. For fitness goals, age should play little role if goals are reasonable. Listen to your body, eat well, enjoy whatever you do and just do it!

Ride on!

[zap]

vaxn8r

I'm not quite sure where you're going with this?? You really need to read those WSJ articles or other articles regarding enlarged aorta's.

While it's not possible to uncover all ailments as you state, at the very least one can have some simple tests & images taken. It's not difficult or expensive. If you can afford a Serotta, you sure can afford to have some basic tests done as well as an MRI to see if your aorta is enlarged. Gees, you could have your spouse tested as well for the cost of an Ottrott frame.

I'm only suggesting that those that plan to work at maximal effort for the first time have these parts checked out. Problems such as aortic disection/enlargement is only discovered when an MRI is taken or when your dead and they do an autopsy. Family history means nothing because failures of the aorta have not been tracked. I'm only repeating what I have read so that others can take whatever course of action they wish.

As I stated in my earlier post, talk to your doctor. And ask questions.......

[Mountain Man]

I'm 56 and plan to ride the Triple Bypass (120 miles from Evergreen Colorado to Avon over three passes) in July. I have never done anything quite like that and it will be interesting to see how I feel. In many ways I'm in the best shape of my life right now, but I do find that I have to be careful. It is a whole lot easier to yank something these days, it takes a whole lot longer to recover from a hard workout, and I just seem to have a whole lot more general aches and pains. As I think Betty Davis said, growing old is not for sissies.

[gasman]

Zap-
What journal is WSJ ? I read JAMA,NEJM and a host of others but am not familiar with WSJ.
Actually, it is not cheap to have these test done and most insurance companies will not cover them unless there is a good reason eg. a history of Marfans' syndrome or other connective tissue disease. I do echocardiography and order it(which is great for looking at the aorta) on a regular basis but have to really hassle with insurance companies for reimbursment, even when it is indicated. If you are willing to pay for these tests yourself you can easily spend a big chunk of change to find out you have nothing wrong.I bet almost everyone on this forum will be normal (physically) unless you are a male over 60 years old with a history of smoking. If it makes you feel better getting the tests,great. But the insurance companies will not pay for it, that is the reality.
If you are over 40 and just getting into exercise then your doc may reccomend a stress test on a treadmill to look at your cardiac function.
There are a lot of tests out there, know what you are getting if you do spend the money.

[JohnS]

Wall Street Journal.

[zap]

Correct.

[gasman]

Wall Street Journal- Now there is a respected, peer-reviewed journal !!
Be careful where you get your medical information. I have seen errors in upstanding, peer-reviewed medical journals.I have seen incredible liberal use of "facts" in newspapers and magazines when some writers only tell half the story or sensationalize a story for their own emotional reasons.That being said the Wall Street Journal is pretty good most of the time at getting the story "right".

[keno]

I'm 62, in my second full year of riding, and do not have the heavy baggage of having been a good athlete in my past, unless you call being a 9 handicap some years ago in golf good. So I'm looking forward to seeing if I can do a 10 mile TT at 22 mph avg on May 15 knowing that whatever I do in the TT, it is better than what I never did.

About getting old and all of that, here's my experience. I always knew that someday in the future I would die, but honestly, I didn't believe it. Now I do believe it, and not because there is anything wrong with me. In fact, I think it's because things are very right with me. Now that I know I have a very real, but undetermined, shelf life, there's no point in not giving things a try.

Another thing I've learned about myself is that the body may lose a bit here and there as time goes on, and genetics play a great role I'm sure, but I still have competitive juices that flow when I get on the bike. Passing and loving it and getting passed and starting to make a plan really move me.

And another, I'm willing to be a dirty old man but not a creaky one.

keno, older than dirt but not as old as coal

[CIII_bill]

Mountain Man,

I rode the Triple Bypass last summer for the first time at age 50. It's a great ride and great accomplishment. Just put in the miles between now and then, do a fair amount of climbing and start early that day. I started at 5:30am. It's a long day.

Bill

[Big Jim]

As a 54 year old, I have noticed that I have to work harder...better diet...better workouts off the bike...watch my weight...drink more fluids, all to just more or less maintain the same level of performance on group rides (non competitive) that I had years ago. We can do all of the above things and much more but the bottom line is a point will come when we will start going the other way irregardless of what we are doing.
Where will any of us be in 20 years...who knows...I would hope maybe I would still be riding but there is no guarantee, it has made me appreciate the fact that I can still ride at a level that I feel good about.

[vaxn8r]

Zap,

a little knowledge is sometimes not a good thing. The aortic defect you're referring to is not common. To screen every exercising American for the remote possibility makes no sense. Maybe in the ideal world, but we don't live there. Heck, we can't even get people to wear $20 helmets. Head injuries from bike accidents cause far more death and permanent morbidity than aortic aneurysm.

Even if you decided to screen everyone, which tests would you order? The workup you are advocating would cost thousands of dollars. Gasman is right, it will not be a covered benefit under any insurance plan without a medical indication. Exercise would not be a considered an indication.

True, you could pay for the battery of tests yourself. But I can gaurantee you that no one is going to step forward and pay out of pocket. Have you done that?

The family history point was pertinent since hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is far more common than aortic stenosis and is perhaps the leading cause of sudden death and it runs in families. You kind of need to know what you're searching for....

Finally, I'm just saying it's a way more complex issue than it appears. Our country is struggling with healh care issues like these all the time. What's it cost? Who pays? How do you get the most bang for your medical buck? Like it or not we can't have/afford it all.

[gdw]

Check out the Leadville 100 homepage (www.leadvilletrail100.com) if you want to see what older atheletes are accomplishing. 198 racers over the age of 40 completed last years 100 mile mountain bike race in under 12 hours. 38 of them were in their 50's and 7 were in their 60's. 134 racers over the age of 40 completed the even more demanding 100 mile run in under 30 hours. 85 were in their 40's, 44 in their fifties, and 5 in their 60's. Two men in their 50's completed both events as well as the Leadville Marathon, Silver Rush 50+ mile mountain bike race, and a 10k the morning after the 100 mile bike race. Pretty impressive especially when you take into consideration that all the races take place at elevations over 9000 feet.

[Ken Robb]

well at 61 I have to admit that some things are just harder to do. The good news is that my family ages slowly naturally so the little work I do goes a relatively long way. A lot of folks improve from 60-70 years and beyond because they have more time to execise due to reduced work/family time demands. Don't kid yourself though--the older you get the more work is required for a given result. As Mac said something about an aggressive exercise program will work wonders. I've just been able to get by without really WORKING at it that hard but I think that will have to change or I'll have to lower my expectations. A couple of weeks ago the San Diego Classic group was led by Brian Bayliss and I knew he was going to ride a fixie. Now we had ridden together a couple of months ago and based on that I expected a prety easy ride. Well that little weasel had found just a little more time to ride. He claimed only 50 miles a week at most. I have to tell you the change was dramatic. Except on a couple of the steeper climbs I couldn't keep up and I had a 42-26 to help. Well I think he's mid-40's and also says he doesn't need much work to make a big difference. Since he rides about a 50cm bike and gets REALLY low I can get a better draft off a pigeon so there's no help sucking his wheel either. Sure is fun to ride with this gang.I think the age range was 20ish to me.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . because it gives me great hope and great satisfaction--hope to be riding my Serotta for many years to come, and satisfaction that so many other people have gotten the same thrill and health benefits I am getting out of the simple act of riding a bike.

It is also so satisfying to see how many strides older athletes and women have made in athletics over the past 10 years. The performance differences between the sexes and over a larger age range continue to narrow. But at the same time it’s a bit disheartening to go to the mall and see how many people are just not getting the message.

I think I’ll just skip the mall next time and go for another ride--too depressing! :eek:

BBDave

[jpw]

Stay away from malls and bee happy. They are unremittingly depressing places to bee. The very worst aspects of both human nature and western society can be found in such places, and in such high concentrations. :crap:

[Climb01742]

reading this thread is both fun and heartening. something else too. not an ounce of vitriole (sp?) or bile. the folks on this phorum, and i think athletes in general, know something our society as a whole tries to escape--results take work. there is a price to be paid to accomplish something. there is a hard reality to that thought, but also a beauty. if you put in the effort, you will be rewarded. the results will come. what i find frustrating is, that same formula (work = results) doesn't always hold elsewhere in life. how many of us have, in our jobs, worked our butts off, but for reasons beyond our control, the results didn't come? that's one reason riding, running, working out is my refuge, my salvation. i know the formula holds. work = results = pleasure. as bigmac says, RIDE ON! :p