Over the bank holiday weekend I lost to my 12 year old for the first time. A 50m sprint (running) across the beach. He got a good start and I couldn’t close the gap.

The week before down at the Calshot velodrome I was surprised how close he was on a timed flying lap. Me 10.8seconds, him 11.5

Longer distances are still easily mine but for how much longer?
We’ll be going head to head in the 1 hour fun at the Summer Monkey in June which should be interesting.

EDIT: I’m now 49

I’m 58 and Gti Junior has just turned 15. He can out-sprint me (usually while shouting “Come on old man!” over his shoulder) but has nothing like the stamina or handling skills or road sense – last week he ran into the back of a car that stopped for a roundabout. He is slowly learning to pace himself but I reckon it will be a few years before his body starts working on muscle bulk rather then height. Even then he will lack the ability to pace himself and measure his effort, I reckon.

My lad is 9, and I have to work hard to stay with him on the downhills offroad.

He has skill and no fear. I’ve probably more skill, but don’t fancy a trip in the air ambulance.

Rich 48

Mine’s 11 and I shocked him by outsprinting him on foot the other day. Shows how much he’s already written me off.

My one year old can out crawl me on his knees 😥

I tried to follow him around the house the other day but gave up after a few minutes. It hurts too much. I’m 33

I think climbs are the place they first start to leave you….problem is as ‘richpips’ says they often ‘have skill and no fear’ on the downhills too!

I’m 65…..just give me a flat section on the road bike 😉

Youth and skill is no substitute for old age and treachery

as the saying goes

They didn’t, the only thing they can beat me to is the bloody TV zapper thing, in all other speed related items I remain supreme leader.

Oh other than emptying my wallet if I leave it laying around.

Haha! My kids only have to run for more than a minute and I’m done (shit knees), watching the elder twos form when running really **** me off, it’s perfect. I on the other hand look like a wounded donkey trying to skip. How long do you have to ride a bike for before you lose the ability to run… Really looking forward to getting out on the trails when they’re old enough, reckon the boy will slot into the no fear category, just hope he’ll go easy on the old man!

Gti Junior has already had three crashes through over-confidence… hit a tree on C2C when going too fast down a wet greasy hill, knocked unconscious, ambulance trip to Carlisle General. Nothing like coming round a corner and finding your child unconscious in the mud, bleeding from nose and mouth. Second was when he strayed off the slalom berms in the kids’ ski park at Courchevel and onto the jumps, for which he had no experience at all. Cue one bad landing, crushed vertebra and a stay in the clinic in Moutiers. Then last week he ran into the back of a car when it stopped for a roundabout, no damage done but rear tyre wrecked by the skid. We agreed not to tell Mum about that one.

My 14 year old lad can now out climb me, but thats not so difficult seeing as I can leave him standing finishing off a KFC bargain Bucket!

My 7 year old nephew thinks he’s the fastest thing on 2 legs, and was quite shocked to be schooled by his ex-olympic standard 68 year old Nana.. I chuckled at that.

I’m hoping to win on the bike til my girls are 20 ish when I’ll be almost 60 but we’ll see. That’ll be my training goal when I’m older.

My kids have been giving me the run around since the day there were born. I can’t remotely keep up and that was before they even started walking.

Stepson one started to outpace me when he turned fifteen. However, a year on and he’s given up rugby to drink beer and chase girls while I’ve upped my fitness. I can now easily catch him on the climbs and distance work, although he can still out-descend me.

It might not happen. Up to 10k its mine easy. 20k couldnt call it. Marathon… his.

He is 63

Had my 7 year old out for the first really proper ride we’ve done together.

Long climb up: me – pedalling away steadily in the climbing “zone” him – chatting away, pointing things out, turning round to ask questions…. I felt like saying “can’t you see I’m trying climb a hill here?!”

Twisty, tricky, rooty singletrack descent: Him – confident, fast and flowing, me – not so confident, fast and flowing 😳

12 year old here that I can whup uphill and endurance, but pulled out a wee lead at one point downhill at Comrie Croft last weekend… 🙁

I’m still much quicker than my 18 yr old ex squaddie on a bike.

Not a chance in hell I’d catch him on foot though 😆

running A) sprints 50 to 100m beaten just by child aged 23yrs…not raced me since
B) 100 to 1 mile not beaten
c) 1 mile plus not beaten yet

Cycling uphill not yet……close but not yet

Flat Sprints open race still winning more than losing

Downhill when they were 12 yrs old quicker than me

I am 48

I’m 40. My 3 yearold can run faster than me. But then I cant actually run due to lack of knee ligaments.

I remember racing my Dad in the garden (he would always let me get ahead and then come past at the last minute) and that day, suddenly realising I never wanted to beat him in a race; it would somehow diminish his ‘Dad’ status in my eyes.

Stranger still, I still think on those same lines – I don’t want to ever think I’m stronger/faster than my Dad.

If that makes any sense, or at least more than it looks now I’ve typed it.