[Closed] Race fit in your forties

50 here, started racing 18months ago so no previous to benchmark against.

I found myself struggling to really improve so paid for some coaching input and now try for quality over quantity and to pay attention to phases of training, tapering and rest.

I'm wrecked at certain times but get the max benefit from it.

Even this Sunday my bottle wasn't touched after a club 100km ride, add that to the race on the saturday I was pissing treacle.
Posted 15 hours ago #
dobo - Member

oldgit that cant be healthy and you probably perform so much better hydrated

bloody hell oldgit you're probably doing yourself a mischief that may surface at any moment!

hydration/nutrition obviously not needed during a cross race, but have you tried drinking on longer rides to see what happens? if not, go on, I dare you!
I find it doesnt make me go any faster, I just dont 'fade' towards the end as quick....
probably helps recovery as well.

Oh, and the general OP point- I find at my age I need a very long warm-up to stand any chance of not going into the red zone and then pop very quickly.

I'm reading this with interest - Being a little way from 40 yet, its good to know that being competitive doesn't necessarily come down to age. I've sort of realised that this year with the club - a lot of fast lads in their 40's.

I'm hoping that some consistency over winter will help for next season.

Oh, and the general OP point- I find at my age I need a very long warm-up to stand any chance of not going into the red zone and then pop very quickly.

This is very true! The initial charge at the start of a race gets harder to manage the older I get. Warm up gets longer and longer.

Oh, and the general OP point- I find at my age I need a very long warm-up to stand any chance of not going into the red zone and then pop very quickly.

Age Distance Index (vs 20's age group)

So whilst I am sure there is a decline - even though I started late enough to still be improving - racecraft and natural ability will still see some of the 50+ vets beating me in races with relative ease.

As for warm ups - I like to cycle the 10 miles to the race, just to turn the legs over. It certainly helps in the E123 races. In the vets, we are more sedate starting off as a rule, although two of us did attack on the first lap one race this season 😈 . I had one race in Brighton where I knew I could not go with the organised team from Crawley who got away on the first lap. Second race, I took my rollers 😉

There are a few 40+ roadies I know around Bristol that are winning races in elite 1/2/3 races

bloody hell oldgit you're probably doing yourself a mischief that may surface at any moment!

It's really hard to make yourself remember to drink, even though I know it's not good.

2) swimmers don't draft,

Eh? Yeah they do!

It's really hard to make yourself remember to drink

I'd like to think I'm in the majority when I say I don't agree, I just pick up my bottle when I need it.

Thing is I never feel I need it, and it's down there and the golden rule is never look down at the bike. Sometimes I might stop, then see it and think to have a sip.

I always use one when on the turbos between sessions, and I swig one before a race.

Thought this was Singletrack world ? Not cycling news!

Don't get ya?

I like the age posts as they're relevant to me. And this post has been contributed to by XC'ers, CX'ers, enduro riders and roadies. As you get older the peer group gets smaller so this tripe is great.

Just looked at this. V interesting thread. I'm nearing 40, and generally just ride a bit, and enter xc or endurance races when I'm feeling fit. I'm not fast though, so have now set myself the task of getting quick enough to be useful in vets xc when I'm 40. I'm fully aware that there is a massive gulf between where I am now in open and vets, so I've got to really knuckle down and make some improvements.

Thought this was Singletrack world ? Not cycling news!

We think it's past your bedtime now off you pop, sweet gnarly enduro dreams 😈

It's been one of the most informative posts for a long time.

I'm making sure I'm riding events that I want to get in whilst I'm capable of it, but the vets racing is super competitive, but a massive spread of ability.

@Oldgit Are you a Garmin Edge user? If so, just set yourself an alarm every however long. I leave my 30 minute alarm on all the time as its a useful unit of time for loads of reasons when training or racing.

Thought this was Singletrack world ? Not cycling news!

A couple of years ago, the median age on this site was 45 years. And it was a pretty big sample too!

njee, from that study there was no drafting - it was single timed pool swim submitted independently. The most interesting part was this 😉

However, in absolute numbers, total swimmers participating in the 1 h swim peaked in the 40–49 year age group and then declined very significantly thereafter

So it really is swimmingtrackworld.

Interesting thread this….

I come from Ex Semi Pro Roadie who chucked the bike in a skip and not touched one for 15yrs, went competitive sailing then got into riding again a few years back (due to an Ex Teamate). I’m in my mid 40’s....

Back then training was every other night, 2 nights at 90% HRMax, 1 night 4hr group ride, Saturday would be another intensive session, Sunday Race. Did OK, held a very demanding job down, eat very well and hydrated very well too, no beer, wasn’t really into it back then, slept like a baby.

Anyhoos, started playing on bikes again, competitive spirit kicked back in but vowed never to compete in Races. Riding intensity grew, I started to track my rides, which became home training sessions, lost some weight and ended up where I am now. I’m starting to compete in CX races, I figure these short Races will not make me train like a loony nor spend all my time on the bloody bike. I’m now doing this lark for fun, if it gets too serious I’m jacking it all back in again.

Getting a training regime and tracking training log will help no end. I use a HRM and Cadence meter, have sessions for specific targets and log em’ all down. I use the method “If I can’t be arsed, soft pedal/go home/do something else” and not beat myself up for it neither. I use both CX’er and Roadie for training, prefer Roadie for longer distance endurance, CX’er for intense 1-2hr Hacks (though I’m using the CX’er for longer distance stuff too now)

Stress I don’t need nor want, I am doing this for fun I keep telling myself. However it seems I’ve lost none of my competitive spirit so have morphed into training sessions easily. I seem to like pushing myself, seem to want to do better.

Overriding focus for me now is do it for fun.

I have noticed I’m better at longer distance CX events, short high intensive Races and I blow, combination of finding myself back in a pack and probably not pacing myself but it’s early days, of the three CX races I’ve entered recently I’ve ended up mid pack which has surprised me but the fast lads are off in the distance. The long events and I’m right up there, top 10%. This is where my skills lie and I’m much happier with that so I’m targeting the longer distance stuff first now with the short CX races second and for a bit of fun.. how long this lasts I don’t know, I may end up training specifically for these who knows, I’ll review it after next Spring.

I’m never entering a Roadie race ever again, had my fill of that thank you very much.

Not sure if that lot is of any help other than track/log your sessions, use whatever means you can to log HR/Cadence/Distance and target specific training sessions into short intensive and longer distance endurance training.

Clearly some folks like mates to train with, me I’m a loner, see what method suits you.

Got to the big four o last Feb and I'm fitter than I've ever been. Only started road riding in earnest since August last year (mtbing for over 14 years though) and like a few others have mentioned the longer I ride the faster I seem to get, a real slow burner. Done a few sportives (ok I know it's not racing but they are timed and I always try and do my best) and notice all the people who set off at the same time as me and disappear at the start I always catch and pass from half way onwards. The Fred whit this year is a case in point. The last 20 odd miles (which included Hardknott and Wrynose passes) I felt strong as an Ox, really flying along even somehow managing a couple of Kom's near the end. There's deffinatly something in as you get older your endurance increases.

@Oldgit Are you a Garmin Edge user? If so, just set yourself an alarm every however long. I leave my 30 minute alarm on all the time as its a useful unit of time for loads of reasons when training or racing.

Got one in my drawer and just set it to 10km alarms, cheers. Now I just have to remember to fit the Garmin to make me remember to drink 😐

Oldgit in all your posts you manage to give the impression that you really don't enjoy riding at all, that it's something to be endured, bounded by a set of strict rules to which you must adhere. Is it just me? Why do you do it...?

Good thread.

I have cycled all of my life (joined a club at about 11 years old). I have raced on and off during my youth/adulthood and have got back into competitive cycling recently.

As with most comments above, warm-up is critical and the balls out start to races is always a struggle but as the race goes on I get stronger and stronger. That is why I find track league tough, there is usually a single formation lap and then you are flat out. I tend to spend most of a track league meeting on the rollers just ticking over.

I find in a CX race that I start to pick quite a few riders off as the race goes on.

I think the key is to keep riding all year around. The older you get the quicker it is to lose fitness and the longer it takes to get it back. Commuting is my mainstay and keeps me relatively fit. I try to do one 50 mile ride at the weekends and another 30 miler if I can fit one in. During the winter I will do the club turbo sessions and maybe some track league and the occasional cx race.

I race for enjoyment now so do not target doing the whole series of any races. I just do them ad-hoc.

I did a couple of time trials this year and will try to do a few more next year. I had an illness about 18 months ago and have really struggled to get my strength back. I have considered weight training, I would be interested in any over 40s who have weight trained to gain strength for riding - has it helped? What specifically did you do?

Push-ups have been my standard exercise for years, easy to do anywhere and anytime. Lots of different ways of doing them. Recently started to do some kettlebell exercises, I am poor at doing static exercise for the sake of it though.

I think the key is to keep riding all year around. The older you get the quicker it is to lose fitness and the longer it takes to get it back.

Agreed on the latter part of this but it depends what events you want to do and when in the season. If I want to peak next August I couldn't carry on training without a break because I would either become exhausted or not train at the required intensity to improve. So I've taken 3 weeks off.

I'll have lost anaerobic power but that's not an issue as winter is base phase for me so I'd have lost it anyhow. I'm now climbing up the walls wanting to get out on the bike so am motivated for cold wet and dark training hours.

So my take on it is that you get older you have to get [u]more[/u] not less scientific to get gains and minimise the risk of pointless overtraining at the wrong time.

I'm now climbing up the walls wanting to get out on the bike so am motivated for cold wet and dark training hours.

That for me was a massive thing. I use to take October off, because it meant come 1st November, when it was cold and wet and shit, I was desperate to go out for a nice long ride, that enthusiasm carries you through until December, then it's Christmas, then it starts getting lighter again!

Interesting reading about hydration, i work on the theory of drink lots on the ride to help with recovery and the next ride. Also i always take protein after a long ride, even if its just a peanut butter sandwich.
At 52 it takes me 20 miles to get warmed up then i can hold the pace like a diesel engine. I have taken up pilates this year and has made a massive difference to core fitness and posture damaged by 40+ years over dropped bars!
The biggest difference for me now is mental strength, i know how hard i can push myself and am comfortable with suffering.

Aren't there physiological changes that take place around your 40s? I think there's quite a drop off in the production of HGH and that does impact recovery.Aren't there physiological changes that take place around your 40s? I think there's quite a drop off in the production of HGH and that does impact recovery.

All sorts of bits start dropping off when you get to 40 🙁 Been to the doctors more times since I turned 40 that the rest of my life put together , 47 now.

Still am am as fit as I ever have been, the main issue is recovering from injury takes forever.

Train hard but rest hard as well, those rest days really matter.

I have considered weight training, I would be interested in any over 40s who have weight trained to gain strength for riding - has it helped? What specifically did you do?

I turbo twice a week, and finish off my session with loose weights. It's just made up stuff and a combination of lifting and stretching with weights. Good for the bones and core.

Should mention a bike fit I had some time back. I was sort of stuck in the position I rode in thirty odd years ago. Of course my core had weakened and I was wasting huge amounts of energy just supporting myself on the bike. Gone a bit more upright, and in turn found extra speed this year.

http://smilerbiker.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/wattbike-powerfit.html

Good stuff on this thread now - wasn't expecting so many replies. Based on stw mag content I thought that most riders were middle aged, won't be known to be training and are just out being gnarly on a 160 fs. Seems there's quite a few putting in a structure to their riding to form training for either racing or just plain riding fast.

Recovery is definetly an equally important element to my training now but I think I poorly manage it. I find my riding time is limited now with young kids, so my riding tends to be flat out until I get back to the door trying to maximise my time at speed. I do find energy drinks with protein, like accelerade, beneficial to my recovery. It's expensive to use energy drinks all the time so have been trying squash instead, hoping that when things get heated it'll be the turbo boost, but it hasn't worked as slow training equals slow racing.

Interested that there's been little mention of weights/gym work. I'd rather be on my bike than in the gym with mirror boys and the chat club and so try big gear seated stuff and rigid SS for leg and upper body work outs. I do appreciate that core strength and suppleness are key to good posture to prevent fatigue and reduce sprains when crashing.

The variations in training intensity, duration etc seems the same as any age group ie tailor it to your goals. As has been mentioned, seems the 3 week rota is worthy, being aware of not feeling it so not busting yourself because the schedule says so, but equally make the most of opportunities when they arise and being regular ish whatever the weather.

At 43 racing cx vets is the best racing I've ever done, slightly serious enough to hurt a bit and make it worthwhile but not daft serious. Quite jolly in fact. I ride 30 mins each way commute and chuck in 3 short turbo sessions a week. That's it - usually finish a third of the way down the field. Picking a discipline and sticking to it helped no end - with cx generally no point on doing base building rides of 4 hours and its pretty easy to squeeze in 30-40 mins on the turbo. The sharp end of a race is a whole different matter however...

I had my first ever abandon from a fast club run today. 70km in and my legs went from heavy to dead within minutes.
My breathing was poor from the start, I felt really fine, but I couldn't get a lung full.
Is it possible to just ride on legs alone?

Reason I'm posting is that I'm such a ludite I don't know what to do because this is new to me.
What would you do? I'm racing Saturday.

Stop riding, sounds like fatigue to me.

Don't be tempted to get on a bike at all this week, lay off it, eat/drink slightly more than you would normally and get lots of sleep..

IMO of course..

That's what I 'feel' is right.

Probably not what you will actually do though 🙂

I will.
I've done all sorts of hard rides, and never felt dead legs like this.

Thinking about it, it might be my job. The last few weeks I've been virtually labouring 11 hours a day without lunch stops or having a drink.

Anyone had a read of [url= http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/02/training-center/book-excerpt-fast-after-50-offers-high-intensity-training-advice_361733 ]this "Fast after 50" book[/url]?