transformation from old fat slow rider to epic rider

how to transform myself from an old (48) fat (14 stone) slow (15 mph average) to something more approaching an epic rider?

Is it weight loss?

Is it dedicated training regime like ones published in Cycling fitness mag with interval training.

Is it the ‘Obree’ approach with turbo sessions and obsessive training?

Or accept mediocre performance…

Ride lots.

You’ll burn up calories which will make you lighter.

You’ll get fitter in the process.

Consider road biking. Much more satisfying than a turbo.

I’m in your boat and looking forelonely at my issue of “the time crunched cyclist”. I suspect at 48 for me the answer is in there somewhere.

Stage one seems to be about goals. Then time. Then commitment.

Thanks..I pretty much do darkside road riding almost exclusively these days!

Interesting about ride lots…and I do agree I will lose weight…my ‘lightest’ periods has been where I have ridden more….but Obree in his book says that is not the answer. He advocates focused trainign sessions with recovery spinning in between.

Was Obree training to do “Epics” or races?

Did Obree start when he was 48 yrs old and 14 stone? Maybe a combined approach of looking at diet, fitting the training into the time you have available and then sticking to the plan will be beneficial, no?

well he talks about both but I guess he is mainly looking at TT racing. He does to about training for sportives and says you just need to slip in the odd long ride to know you can do the distance.

Don’t get over scientific to start with..

1) Eat a bit less
2) 3 rides per week – 1 long ride (3 hours easyish pace), 2 tempo rides (1 hour each, pushing it hard enough you can’t talk)

That should give you some gains to start with. As you progress, try going further on each ride (hint, that means you need to record how far you are going each time, and then comparing with previous rides)

thanks Rich…I guess I have done this sort of thing before but it has been sporadic and inconsistent. As a guide I average 2,000 – 3,000 miles a year. Guess a need to do a bit more!

When I am squeezed for time I do this quick circuit of 8 miles in about 35 mins (road). I wonder if that is pointless as most training regimes talk of rides of at least 1.5 hours duration.

Most training regimes have a goal in mind, whats yours!

Generally, reduce inputs and increase outputs.

Look at your diet (ie the things you eat not something you read on the internet) what is excess?

For me it was chocolate, crisps and the like, extra trips to the vending machine to cope with boredom at work (and maybe too much beer)

One simple bit of science is that fat burning takes place at lower intensity so the longer rides are probably better*.

*Better than a short hard ride – a short ride is better than 35mins on your arse

🙂

Get a decent coach, plenty around. They should be able to sort out the weight and power issue and help you towards your ambitions

my food downfall is kids and kids meals…I am divorced but have the kids over regularly and for ease cook them what they like which is naturally fatty, Carb rich food. They thrive on this and all are skinny as rakes of course. I also get the snacks, and chocolate in for them and you guessed it dip in myself.

How you ride is going to be dictated by what you eat, and how you train (if you include resting in that training bit).

It’s *simple* (as you know) eat the right foods (protein, leafy veg, fruits, sensible cabs). Do a mixture of steady state exercise (mostly) and intervals (less) chuck in some core and strength work (2 x a week). You don’t need a highly complex system to improve from where you are.

It’s not *easy*, however.

Controlling your eating in our world of easy availability of tasty, calorie dense food, is tough (well for many of us – I have a friend who finds it easy to have only two biscuits out of a packet but he’s a vegetarian so deeply suspect). Have the chicken salad or the burger?

Going to bed earlier so you get enough sleep to make that training stick? Or maybe messing around on the internet posting on forums, catching up on some crap on TV and general procrastination?

Doing that interval session, run or other less ‘fun’ training, or going out with some mates for a social ride (finishing at the pub)?

Decisions decisions….

What has worked for me in the past (And I’m currently struggling with a new ‘American’ lifestyle and the 3kg of additional body fat that seems to entail, so why the **** you should listen to me is debatable) is a really good, positive goal and accompanying mental image.

Pick yourself an event – race/ride/multi-day epic. Something that really motivates you. Now picture yourself doing it, easily because you’re 5kg lighter and you’ve trained well. It is, of course, a glorious sunny day, and you are riding really well – passing guys 20 years younger.

How does that feel?

Now remember that vivid picture and great feeling when you open the fridge. Fell the hot sun on your arms as you crest the climb when deciding whether to watch another episode of House. Remember the look on the youngsters faces when it’s raining and you are scheduled for an exercise session.

It’s that positive image of yourself doing something you love really well that will help you make the good decisions in those moments.

my food downfall is kids and kids meals…I am divorced but have the kids over regularly and for ease cook them what they like which is naturally fatty, Carb rich food.

I think I just found your motivation – Get the kids onto something healthier too!

Make a plan for your and their meals try and get something that they will like but cut out the bad stuff. Maybe try cooking something with them. Make it more interesting and less pressure on you.

I also get the snacks, and chocolate in for them and you guessed it dip in myself.

Again Simple but not easy solution to this one.

Try getting the kids onside with you, ask them for help as a reason for not having crap in the house. If it’s not there it can’t be eaten.

Although often hated in here This Guy[/url] has some good recipes that are easy and fun – should be good with kids. Teach them to cook and they will thank you in later life.

Other motivation is get Strava and start entering some of the challenges, good for pushing yourself when on solo rides to do one more hill or go 1-2km further

15 mph average sounds pretty good to me, especially if it’s off road

What richardK said mainly.

If you train and ride at 15mph, you will not be able to go much faster.

Your 14 stone but you have not mentioned your height and build, if your 6ft 5inch then thats OK.

Do you have any XC races locally? TT club? Road club?

Obviously riding is key, but its easier to ride with a goal, it doesnt matter where you finish, you will be having your own personal battle with someone, and that drags you on and makes you think next time I will beat you..

How about going touring? Riding an ambitious mileage every day can really kick your fitness up and your weight down.

At 15mph, you could easily do 100 miles a day when you’ve got all day to do nothing but ride. 5 days, you could get a nice 500 mile route in with B&Bs every night to keep it comfortable.

Once you’ve got that fitness, it makes “training” easier because you already feel strong and that helps with the mental side.

I usually don’t bother doing much in the Winter so end up a bit fatter
This year I’ve recorded my riding and can see how I’ve improved

Since the end of April I’m down from 13st 11lbs to 12st 5lbs and my average solo road speed is up from around 14-15 mph to 17-18
I don’t really watch what I eat but I’m concious not to over do it.

So 3 months of lots of riding did it for this old fat ****, I had a holiday mid June so that’s down on what is would have been, I even hold a KOM on a flat 1.5km segment 🙂

Eat less carbs, do Hindu squats, ride your bike. Only drink alcohol on Saturdays. That’s what k do and our works for me

The best thing you can do which will help you the most is join a road club.

Obviously all clubs differ, but generally they’ll be quite a bit of focus of events and racing, of all types, as well as 4/5 regular training rides a week.

It will force you to get out, and riding with people better than you really does help!

Obviously couple this with eating better and you’re onto a winner.

thanks for all the advice, lots to pick through and learn from 🙂

Interesting about ride lots…and I do agree I will lose weight…my ‘lightest’ periods has been where I have ridden more

errr? am i missing something?

OP it doesn’t sound like you need any super focussed scientific approach to improve.

Ride hard enough, eat & rest properly.

15 mph is not slow. I count myself as being reasonably fit, but I can’t average that on a mountain bike. My road bike average over most distances isn’t much over 15.

Who do you ride with ?

I ride with mates who are all 10 or more years and kilos less than me.

That keeps me fitter than I would normally be. I eat health and ride 3 times or more a week, nothing scientific about it. Im the same age as you.

I reckon your riding buddies and what you eat will make a massive difference.

while we are posting Strava data…

try again…

this year’s stats…

Count: 115 Activities
Distance: 1,447.41 miles
Time: 114:09:15 h:m:s
Elevation Gain: 20,178 m
Avg Speed: 12.7 mph
Avg HR: 143 bpm
Avg Run Cadence: 66 spm
Avg Bike Cadence: 68 rpm
Calories: 129,948 C

Similar to mine (I’m 55) apart from the hills.

Count:83 Activities
Distance:1,374.19 mi
Time:124:18:06 h:m:s
Elevation Gain:140,416 ft
Avg Speed:11.1 mph
Avg HR:137 bpm
Avg Bike Cadence:67 rpm
Calories:86,095 C
Max HR:192 bpm
Avg Elevation Gain:1,692 ft
Avg Distance:16.56 mi
Avg Time:1:29:51 h:m:s
Max Avg Bike Cadence:77 rpm
Max Bike Cadence:142 rpm
Max Avg Speed:17.8 mph
Max Elevation Gain:4,147 ft
Max Distance:44.73 mi

From Endomondo

Distance: 1,809 miles
Elevation Gain: 27,152m (89,081ft)

(I’m 54 in a couple of months)

My total (and hence fitness) is well down on last years – less than half at this point.

my food downfall is kids and kids meals…I am divorced but have the kids over regularly and for ease cook them what they like which is naturally fatty, Carb rich food. They thrive on this and all are skinny as rakes of course. I also get the snacks, and chocolate in for them and you guessed it dip in myself.

Been there, done that – usually eating out as I only had the kids w/e and/or the odd day.

Climbing hills is far easier when you weigh less, but start by just running a gear higher everywhere – and always ensure you build a sweat up.

aw – Member
how to transform myself from an old (48) fat (14 stone) slow (15 mph average) to something more approaching an epic rider?

Is it weight loss?

Is it dedicated training regime like ones published in Cycling fitness mag with interval training.

Is it the ‘Obree’ approach with turbo sessions and obsessive training?

Or accept mediocre performance…

Started to do some “epic” rides recently after a few years just pottering around having lost my old riding buddies. New riding buddies were feeling the need to get “out there” and asked me for some routes etc.
Last “epic” was the 3 Passes in the Lales which took us 7hrs. Someone on the forum posted up that they did it in 5+ .

My point being what type of “epic” rider do you want to be? Someone who wants to challenge a set time or like my mates just go for a bit of fun and a day out?

As for stats like those above I don’t bother. I am 10yrs older, 1/2st+ heavier, asthmatic , high bp, knackered back and knees so my priorities are different from others 😉