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Felt like a lump of wood on today's ride, and no matter how hard I push I can't even try to make myself uncomfortable if that makes sense?
So now I feel utterly confused. On one hand I can train hard with guys from my club, and they just picked up a 2nd place Saturday in a 3/4 road race. On the other hand I just feel like a slug.
I know age will have an effect. So sometimes now I go out and think what's the point, other time I'll be trying to rip the tread off the tyres.
I was quite happy in the vets, but I know I was stronger at 40 as opposed to 52.
I don't know what's expected of fellas my age? and as much as I hate pot hunting I feel I need to find a form of racing with a separate over 50s class. Yes my LVRC racing sort of covers that, but until I'm 55 I'll be mostly racing 40 year olds.
How are you doing.
Or how are folk you know managing?
you're only 52? 😯
Might just be that you've over trained a bit and just feel knackered. Give yourself a bit of a rest and see how you get on.
Are you being cheeky. Yeah okay I didn't coin the knickname 'oldgit' I was always the oldest in the group.
Why do you worry oldgit? I know, your'e a very competitive person thats why. I'm not, never really have been but did OK in the old Polaris events.
I raced my mate yesterday who's 8 years younger, I won, & he's one of the most competitive people I know.
Stop worrying as much & enjoy (smile) more!
PS, I'm 55 & LOT heavier than my mate. I beat him on the descents only. 😳
sambob it's not that.
I don't race but find intense efforts harder and harder at 43.
You are doing intervals etc?
Gotta work on The weaknesses.
I have days like that, in fact I was like it today but did twice the distance on Wed and felt great. I'm 48 and know that I have to eat and drink the right things if I want to get anywhere near my riding mates who are in some cases considerably younger. If I don't my performance suffers.
At my age I'm concentrating on the challenges rather than being competitive, I'm doing my first 24 hour solo this year.
Why do you worry oldgit?
Vanity? don't know. Been at a long time. Started proper racing when I was 15 a hilly 36 mile 2-up TT and won it, we were called 'schoolboys' back then. That day might have something to do with it.
Extremely hard to let go, and I've tried. I think racing has always been the focus of my riding.
Welcome to old age, oldgit!
I'm 48, and it shocks me to think how much better I was 10 years ago. The people who were racing at your age when I was racing were those who were essentially full time bikies, having taken early retirement, or who had wives that were happy to let/get them out of the way for most of the time.
I think everyone who has raced knows that older guy who can destroy them on any ride, I got to ride with a number of older ex-pros, and one or two who went on to be pros.
I suspect that the guys I knew and respected had wound down from actual professional levels of training to a more realistic level, but they still made me suffer everytime I went out.
In terms of what to do, you either train harder and longer or smarter, which probably involves many more intervals, and fewer miles.
You are doing intervals etc?
Last year I did 9 weeks on the 'Time Crunched Cyclist' the end of which coincided with the start of my cross season. Raced until December, eased off a bit then got back into training.
What I really want to know is how the successful older riders manage.
oldgit
I'm not far behind you, and tbh I've probably shoes older than some of the guys I ride...
What about Grand Vets at the Gorricks?
We are running a 50+ category this year with quite generous prize sponsorship
www.brownbacksracing.co.uk
come and race with us!
crikey, was a bit like that for me. I was lucky to ride with some names of the day, but was probably more of a groupie and fond of making excuses rather than make the most of what was around me.
What about Grand Vets at the Gorricks?
Going for the GV's in the FNSS, bet they're all fast as **** the gits.
There are also over 50s cross races, but I'll be in with newcomers and kids. So I'd rather do badly in the seniors.
Why do you bother at all? As I said in the Sportives thread, you're only racing against a self-selected bunch of amateurs. Even if you "win", you've only done well against that particular group. Even if you move up a category, you're still only riding against more amateurs. Are you happy "winning" even though you're not actually at the peak of your sport?
Urm if your doing half of what you say your doing in some other threads like racing 8 times a month then id say your overtraining big time and no wonder your fried !
[i]Why do you bother at all?[/i]
If you have to ask, you probably won't understand. ( I mean that in a you really won't understand kind of way, rather than any kind of elitist silly sort of way).
It's about testing yourself, it's about putting your ego on the line, it's about what motivates you, it's about what makes you, you.
trail rat, going back to what worked bast in the past. I.e racing to fitness. It's not huge, a crit on Tuesday night and a XC race Friday night followed by a Sunday club run and maybe a social chucked in somewhere.
Compared to the efforts on the Time Crunched it a stroll in the park. My logic says rather than kill yourself five times a week on the turbos put that effort into racing two hours a week?
I'm [i]trying[/i] to understand. Is your ego happy with winning a third/fourth rate competition knowing that you're not good enough for anything better?crikey - Member
If you have to ask, you probably won't understand. ( I mean that in a you really won't understand kind of way, rather than any kind of elitist silly sort of way).It's about testing yourself, it's about putting your ego on the line, it's about what motivates you, it's about what makes you, you.
& I think Druidh is talking lots of sense.
Who exactly do you want to beat?
What I really want to know is how the successful older riders manage.
By using their experience and riding smart. Doing what they do best.
I know I ain't gonna beat the young guns in a sprint, they'll eat me alive. Always and early break for me with the right number of riders.
I hate racing in the rain, but I know that as soon as the rain starts half the field are beat. Then throw a few gravelly corners into the mix. Old MTBers to the fore!!!
Just keep on keeping on!
SB
[i]I'm trying to understand. Is your ego happy with winning a third/fourth rate competition knowing that you're not good enough for anything better?[/i]
So, unless you are world champion, no contest is worthy?
Like I said, you don't understand, and it's really difficult to explain why it is important.
Unless you're competing [i]to be[/i] World Champion - or are working your way towards that goal.crikey - Member
So, unless you are world champion, no contest is worthy?
I hate racing in the rain, but I know that as soon as the rain starts half the field are beat. Then throw a few gravelly corners into the mix. Old MTBers to the fore!!!
Ah, poor roads are my speciallity, but half of that is because I know loads of riders hate them 🙂
A bit sad because an old mate doesn't race anymore. I took him downhill and round the corners and he took me up the hills - heaven.
Surely categorised racing is all about competing against people of your own skill range.
Doesn't matter if it's WCs or OAPs, if you start a race not knowing that you will win, but you could win then that's good enough isn't it 🙂
No druidh, it's not about being the best in the world, it's about being the best that you can be.
As you age your body changes. You may find that you are more competitive in endurance events rather than shorter races where outright speed is key. If you were competitive in your youth (and you ain't that old) and haven't totally larded up (doesn't sound like this is the case!), then I bet you still can be competitive; but perhaps you need to look at the events you are entering and play to your new strengths. To be honest it sounds to me like you are just having a dull patch of form which will almost certainly return.
But your yardstick is a bit flexible, worn out and varies in length day-to-day.crikey - Member
No druidh, it's not about being the best in the world, it's about being the best that you can be.
I guess, it is hard to explain. I mentioned intent on the sportive thread, in racing that intent is absolute. There are no excuses no safety rope. I certainly don't get that fear in my belly I get before a race when I do a sportive.
I'm struggling to find reasons really.
I have 2 friends in their 50s who can hold their own in 10s and 100s and still make folk half their age look fat and unfit on 300k audaxes.....
They just train smarter now and pick their events
One of them has been a national champ and has raced at international level ....both achived in his later years
As you age your body changes. You may find that you are more competitive in endurance events rather than shorter races where outright speed is key. If you were competitive in your youth (and you ain't that old) and haven't totally larded up (doesn't sound like this is the case!), then I bet you still can be competitive; but perhaps you need to look at the events you are entering and play to your new strengths. To be honest it sounds to me like you are just having a dull patch of form which will almost certainly return.
Indeed, a lot of racing is very short nowadays and doesn't suit. Long races are hard to find, but I have a 70 mile road race in May.
Druid, your'e confusing me here. You seem to support the concept of racing in a sportive, but seem to take issue with racing in a race?
For me. What it's all about, is knowing that you 'got it all out' on the day.
I've won races that were easy, and felt nothing. I've been pasted in races and it was great because I raced well, and knew that I'd ridden my best.
I know where you're coming from oldgit. Winning is good, but winning the hard way is better.
Again, I say, just keep on keeping on.
SB
BTW - first time ever, the doctor wouldn't give me a medical cert' for my licence. I have to go for tests. I challenged the doctor to a bike race around the block. No joy!!!! 🙂
druid...well on your way to big-hitter-dom...the certificate is almost signed here at cynic-towers!
Seriously though, racing in "proper" races, where folk have trained, you get points, you need a license etc...is way different to sportives. You are competing against the best folk in your locality in your age group (bar pros & those in elite, which are prob non existent over 40). for me it was about the buzz of racing, improving, having good wee ding-dongs with guys you get to know. If you are good enough you can get a medal or whatever - which means something to some.
If you don't get that then I don't know how else to explain. For it to be pointless if you're not aiming towards WC is a nonsense.
[i]But your yardstick is a bit flexible, worn out and varies in length day-to-day. [/i]
But I've got a yardstick.
It's mine, its old, it's worn out, it varies as you suggest, but it's mine. In the grand scheme of things it's not important, but for me, for the way I view myself it means something.
Your mileage, as they say, may vary.
A mate of mine - who hasn't posted on here that I've noticed for a while - started racing CX at around 50ish - doesn't seem to bother him that he isn't at the front, and he can still destroy me on a ride pretty much whenever he wants to!
But you are only competing against the folk in your locality and age group who are not [i]that[/i] much better or worse than you are, else they'd be in a lower or higher echelon.cynic-al - Member
You are competing against the best folk in your locality in your age group (bar pros & those in elite, which are prob non existent over 40)
How much racing have you done druidh?
I'm not asking in a look-at-the-man-who-doesn't-race way, but to determine your viewpoint.
@oldgit - your right to focus on the longer events, you are less disadvantaged by your age, speed and strength go first, stamina you can go do to better with age.
I have to say I'm quite surprised there are not more age divisions as there are in many sports, eg static rowing.
@druidh - you are just trolling, people compete for many difrerent reasons, the chance of wining being just one
Sorry druidh I don't get your point...are you offended at folk looking down on sportive "racers" so you are just saying they are no different, just a bit fitter?
You are racing to get into that higher echelon. My mate rode his second race Saturday, he is just a 4th cat and was racing 3rds and he got second place. One more point and he will be a 3rd cat, and so it goes on.
I'd like to do well enough in my cross season to be asked to represent my league in the championships.
And I'll race championships with guys coming from the length and breadth of the country, hardly local.
I've taken part in a few timed events - more for the craic, or to raise funds for charity. I guess I'm genuinely struggling to see why folk (like oldgit in his OP) are getting so stressed about what I view to be a fairly mundane level of competition.crikey - Member
How much racing have you done druidh?I'm not asking in a look-at-the-man-who-doesn't-race way, but to determine your viewpoint.
are getting so stressed about what I view to be a fairly mundane level of competition.
LOL...just try it, you won't be calling it mundane.
And I thought you had a point!
No offence Al, though I'm struggling to see where this artificial divide (what is/isn't [i]real[/i] racing) arises. For anyone likely to be posing on this thread, it's surely all just a bit of fun?cynic-al - Member
Sorry druidh I don't get your point...are you offended at folk looking down on sportive "racers" so you are just saying they are no different, just a bit fitter?
@druidh - competition is never mundane. If it is for you, you are missing the point of competition.
Yes, it's for fun. Serious fun.
SB
I'm also 52. I don't hold with this 'do longer events' thing. Just do what you like most. I race cx in the London League and National Trophy/Champs. I'm not going to beat Mick Bell but I'm not going to stop trying. It's such a magic sport I just love being part of it. If you are getting stale try something else, this year I'll be riding the full Tour of Flanders Cyclo again and then Paris Roubaix. These are just as much of a challenge and give you that satisfaction of being part of monument events. Get your fix of racing by doing some LVRCs but if you are a 'crosser' don't take it too seriously so you are fresh for the winter season.