Old guys of paceline, here's the question:

[pdmtong]

By definition everyone on this board has a passion for an active lifestyle, whether cycling or other. Members may or may not be at their ideal weight, yet still they "ride" and are active.

As time goes by same members become "old guys". I think the answer is simple: active people eventually get older and remain active.

I joined a few old guy rides through a chance meeting with one of the old guys.

Every year the head old guy led his birthday ride - distance and elevation to match his year. The last one was 72/7200. Sadly he passed this year - fell off a ladder - different discussion there. BTW these guys are rolling on carbon, electric, deep section carbon wheels and some on discs.

[b33]

As a retired old geezer I'm still putting my butt on a bike and turn over the cranks. Mile mileage is decent, not like 100k in 16 years, but I can keep up on a good club ride. Some pounds have been coming on, but life is to be enjoyed. I'm not "live fast die you", but I do live at the church of Hunter S. Thompson

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”

[bobswire]

Cycling along with a healthy diet saved my life, IMO. I'll be 74 in March and at my weight out of High School at 145 lbs. I'm very active, besides cycling I hike, jog and use a kick scooter to get around for short distances. In my early 40's I smoked, drank and was overweight , got up to 180 lbs and could barely run a block without trying to catch my breath and borderline alcoholic. Anyway to make a long story short I went cold turkey, gave up the bad habits, got back into being active along with cycling being dominate and haven't looked back. No it's not easy and requires constant vigil not to fall back into bad habits (especially around the Holidays). Oh and I like shagging baseballs with my nephews.

BTW today had me thinking about this subject and age after having read about Paul Sherwen at his age, who looked to be in good health

[paredown]

I've recently passed into the 'old gents' category, qualifying for Medicare last year. And while I did not do the mileage I would have liked this year, I can still get out for a hard 1-2 hr ride at a decent clip, so that's good.

Are you still in good shape because your ride? or are you still able to ride because you're in good shape?

I see a combination of things--it helps to have good genes/no family history of clearly gene-based health issues. Diet/alcohol consumption/smoking plays a big part--people who I know are eating/drinking/smoking themselves into an early grave. Stress/stress related illnesses started killing friends decades ago--so reduce stress. And definitely actively cycling keeps you fitter than if you surf the couch.

What being generally healthy also does for you is makes you better able to weather the "exogenous shocks" (to use an economist's term) that life may throw at you. In my case a fairly recent construction accident (broken back verts), a second serious fall while scrambling (lacerated kidney--holy hell that was painful!) was followed by actively working at recovery. For others it could be a serious fall at home or a car accident that puts you on the sidelines. You want your body to be in decent enough shape that the shock/pain/reaction doesn't kill or cripple you--because past certain age, it can happen, even with something like a serious bout of flu, if your body is already in bad shape.

My GP always teases me that he he wants my BP/heart rate/Cholesterol levels--no meds, no problems--and I'm pretty sure that those markers are a product of activity, diet and attitude. Keep active, keep moving, keep fighting--even if you don't actually manage to evade death, you get a lot more enjoyment out of the time you do get to enjoy!

[gasman]

In my mid 60's it's a combination of factors.
I have pretty good genetics with longevity of many family members. More importantly I didn't inherit any bad genetic disorders. There's a scary number of genetic problems that significantly impacts' people's lives and ability to stay active.

I have always been active. For me the key is to never stop even for a period of a month. I had to 20 years ago when I had a detached retina and went nuts sitting around for a month and lost a ton of fitness that took a while to regain. But it returned.
I don't just ride though, I climb, hike, snowshoe, XC ski, swim, lift weights, etc. Not stopping is key for me. Doing something even on my rest days.

I have a couple ex-colleagues in their late 80's who have significant arthritis. One walks 10,000 steps a day the other spends an hour on his Peleton bike because his joints are destroyed from arthritis. One commented to me on Saturday night that he's in better shape than 80% of the people born in 1931.Then he said that's because 80 % of them have died.
That's the other key. Not dying.

[sitzmark]

Physical fitness by whatever means begets riding ability. Riding regularly improves cycling/riding skill and performance.

I ski weekly with people in their 60s-80s. Most of the people I know in their 60s/70s are fit enough to casually ride a bike. Fitness level riding (however that might be defined) usually isn’t something older riders automatically excell at unless they participate in other cardio dependent activities. My parents have a number of friends actively playing tennis into their mid 80s and early 90s. Some ride/rode bikes casually but time away from the bike seems to lead to balance issues that are probably inevitable with advancing age. None are currently riding @90. On the other hand I ski with a guy who is 90+, has two knee replacements and a hip replacement - shuffles to walk but rips up the slopes (ex racer). What is typically considered “riding” is probably not in his wheelhouse, but...

Being heavily involved with an adaptive sports program as a volunteer instructor and donor, there are few levels of physical condition I see that prohibit someone from pursuing an activity given enough mental desire and possibly the use of adaptive equipment (at least to start).

Brother’s in-laws were cycling, hiking, and playing tennis until their late 80s when physical abnormalities limited range of motion. Unfortunately they chose to stop riding rather than use adaptive equipment. The psychological damage of believing they can no longer be active seems to be more detrimental than the aging process at this point.

[Seramount]

was super-sickly as a kid (serious asthma, allergies). spent a lot of time indoors and hating it...

since my teens, have made a serious attempt to be active as possible. have been a dedicated swimmer and cyclist for a half-century. was a high-mileage runner for a decade...

never smoked, drink daily (but in moderation) never had any issues with weight, have a healthy diet.

at 66, so far this year I've logged 9,000 miles on the bike and 250,000 yards in the pool.

I ride and swim because I enjoy the activities, fitness is just a bennie...don't think I'd be nearly as motivated to grind out miles/yards to just stay in shape.

[Kirk007]

Only 60 but feel some of those years. Definitely ride to stay fit and am fit (sorta) because I ride. If I don't ride (although guess other strenuous movement would work) I get very stiff (sports PT told me 20 years ago that I have very thick muscle fascia and either need to keep moving or end up like the tin man). Riding is also the best controller of my weight and blood glucose levels and with a family history of Diabetes that's something that I must control. My VO2 max is higher than the average 40 year old - gotta think that years of riding helps with that (although it didn't seem to be an obvious help on Mt. Ventoux this summer!).

Need to stretch more - trying to do 15-20 minutes of yoga positions each morning, and need to get back in the gym and lift, particularly for upper body strength.

I do find it harder to stay fit, and harder to stay motivated to put in the work, particularly this time of year. I don't like the cold and I don't particularly like the gym so I have an easy time finding excuses (work, home life) to skip workouts. This week it's supposed to be dry and low 40s so the plan is get out on the bike everyday. Helps to have a good goal - might need to schedule another bike trip for next summer.

I pay the price for inactivity much sooner than I used to. Use it or lose it, move or calcify - never been more true for me than today.

Keep riding Matt! I look at Velotel's ride reports as inspiration for keeping at it.

[Matthew]

Both for me. Always been into fitness whether cycling, lifting weights, running, or hockey. Cycling is by far my biggest passion now but still lift weights almost every day. Can't imagine not doing something to stay fit. I am 51 now. Have a few riding buddies nearing 70 or at 70.+ Most can hang with the "fast" local groups. My main riding partner completed his first three triathlons this year. At 70 years old. Qualified for nationals. My inspiration!

[Gummee]

My Dad died of congestive heart failure at 69. He was 6'0" and wore a 56" belt. He was about as big around as 2 of me.

I swore I'd never get over 200# and despite coming close, I think I've managed that. Takes effort to get out of the house sometimes.

I'm within 15-20# of my college graduation weight. Can't quite fit back into my BDUs, but I'm close. Don't plan on stopping running, riding, climbing, UW Hockey, etc till I physically can't do any of em any more.

M

[jlwdm]

In addition to what has already been posted I believe attitude is really important. I am 71 but I do not consider myself old and do not see limits in what I can do. At my 50 year high school reunion I saw a lot of former classmates who looked and acted old. It is like they had made a decision that they were old, and give up on a lot of life.

I eat reasonably well, need to exercise more than I have been lately, but I dress well and hang out with younger people and people with positive attitudes.

State of mind is important.

Jeff

[jpritchet74]

Both for me, but I am just 44. I have seen many examples of "use it or lose it" though so I intend to keep riding - but I do need to start with the weights....

[cmg]

just turned 60. I fall into i'm fit because I ride. it keeps me motivated to be able to ride. the tranquility and the feeling of speed makes it fun. getting to the point that the group keeps talking about past rides/adventures during after ride lunches. hope to be doing it for as long as I can.

[93KgBike]

Without exercise, I would be fat and dying, or dead.

When I finally got back into the pool after years of getting fat at a desk, it was because I had to.

Team sports and weight lifting were things of the past. I realized, "I hate the gym, I hate the smell of the weight room, I don't want to compete at exercise."

So I started commuting by bike and swimming in the evenings. My first day back in the pool was at a local college in their learn to swim class. It was the only way to get access to the nicest 50m pool in the area without joining a competitive group. I also hate flip-turning.

I LOVE swimming. LOVE IT. And I would swim a hundred miles a week if I could. I swam 75 laps every morning for a almost decade, until my second child arrived.

And since my second child arrived, I have had to choose. So I ride.

I ride because I LOVE riding bikes. Riding my bike reminds me that I want to be strong on my bike, so now I train myself to do hard rides, with style.

I have always been strong. But being fit requires hard work and maintenance. A resting heart rate in the low 50's doesn't come naturally to me.

[makoti]

No question. Fit because I ride. If I didn't I'd be an old slug. NTTAWWT, mind you. (Don't want to offend slugs of any age)