Am i too old to keep building?

Training
23

Hell yeah!

For most of 2020 I’ll be 49 (not sure what that is in COVID years…) and this year I raised and extended almost my entire power curve!

I’m now stronger and more fit than when I was racing and winning in my 20’s (maybe the competition back then wasn’t so hot…?).

That could have a lot to do with structured training vs pure unbridled youth, but so what!

A few things I have noticed the past couple of years: 1) in my 20’s I had a very fast jump/snap, it’s now not as snappy (but I also don’t train it); 2) my current 10/10 hard effort repeatability has diminished from my younger days (again, I don’t train it but that’s all I trained back in the day); 3) my obsessive focus on winning/outcome has been somewhat replaced by my obsessive focus on training/process. I still love to race and compete but I don’t think I need to win to be content.

Will I ever hit a 350 FTP? I dunno, but I love to train more now than when I was young so I’ll do all I can to chase my genetic ceiling. I might also not need to hit 350 to accomplish my goals.

The best thing you can do is find enjoyment riding your bike. If you don’t like it, you’re not going to do it, no matter how bad you want to hit some random fitness metric. That said, you might have to do a few non-fun things to make your fun thing even more funner. :wink:

See you on the road!

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24

man, you’re young… enjoy 41. Remember Chris Horner won the Vuelta at that age :wink:

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25

@Mw1692 (throws up superhero numbers, only after claiming “not quite old guy non-excuse.” Keep ripping. :+1:

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26

That was by far the best Vuelta ever!

Also, at 35 and after years of playing football, I may be still young’ish but my body feels 87 years old.

This is my 3rd proper season on the bike after hanging up the boots and my 1st season doing proper structured training. Have gone from 220w FTP to around the 300w mark this year.

My partner and I welcomed our first kid into the world late last year so I was a fat new Dad with a low FTP inside a body of a 90 year old. After some solid training, including training myself not to reach for all the chocolate croissants in the world, I’ve dropped about 12kg of fat new Dad weight and significantly increased a lot of my metrics this year. If I can get to this Summer around 4-4.5w/kg then I reckon I’ll shock a few of the bunches I ride with over the Summer break!

27

I am 45 with two kids, one yet baby and another at 5 years of age.
I started TR about 6 months ago at 192 FTP and now am at 230 (hit 246 but could not carry on training since family duties came in). I am 176 lbs which gives me not even a 3W/kg BUT, I am planning on training in the low volume and who knows, I might hit 300 FTP in about a year time, wish me luck.

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28

I’d been riding for fun for a couple of years, and decided I wanted to race MTB (XC in New England). I was 43 then. I started “training” at about that time. My FTP (from an 8 min test) was 223. Fast forward a few years with intermittent structured training (from a book, of all things) and my FTP (8 min test) was 298. However, my repeatability and actual time at high % of FTP was miserable. I wasn’t doing well in races, at all.

Introduce real structured training, and in 2 years my FTP increased to about 305 and I lost about 10 lbs. Neither is huge, but combined makes a difference. My ability to hold high % of FTP increased dramatically, as did my higher power at shorter duration capabilities, and repeatability. And I was doing a lot better in races, often top 10, occasional podium.

Gains keep coming - my current FTP is 310W, which at COVID weight is 3.8W/kg. At race weight it’s 4-ish. Typical mid-season FTP is abut 4.1W/kg. This year i set my highest 1 min power ever, and my ability to repeat efforts continues to increase. 2 years ago was a good year with a few podiums and 3rd in series overall. Last year was my best racing year ever - 6 races, 5 podiums in the 50-60 group, and 2nd in series overall. Finish times were often podium qualifying in the 40-50 group as well. I was really looking forward to this season, but obviously it was not to be. Next year is gonna rock!

So, at 41 and 315 FTP (w/kg?), and structured training you’re still very much on the upswing. Nothing beats motivated training with structure.

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29

Totally agree, comparing myself of 12 months ago is definitely what keeps me motivated and a good marker of progress.

You say “tongue-in-cheek”, but i actually do ride with a couple of ex-pros in their 50’s and they definitely put the hurt on me :laughing: but seeing them on their downward spiral just got me thinking about mine. But i guess after you’ve rode in the Olympics i should never compare myself to them!!! But it’s definitely inspiring

Very encouraging to hear people still building and it gives me great confidence i can keep doing the same.

30

Apologies for the lame unhumble brag but I get frustrated with the mentality getting older = getting slower…with good training, recovery and nutrition you can still improve as a late starter or maintain a high level as a long time cyclist

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31

I’m 45 in two months, timewise I am smashing my performance of 3-5 years ago. I might not have the same watts but I am also 6-7kg lighter post bowel/colon cancer op but more sustainable. At 43-44 I built all the way through chemo and my w/kg were above my pre op best. I had a bit of a dip in the summer but I am building again and hope to do so for many a year to come and from what I’ve seen in older mates that is definitely possible :+1:

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32

I don’t know if I’m too young to chime in, but I’ll add my .02. Apologies if TMI but I hope it’s a relevant insight.

I always generally athletic as a kid (county level XC & 1500m) and was a decent CX racer from 16-21, although my training was nothing more sophisticated than ‘ride/run as often as possible and throw in some hill repeats occasionally’. I did well enough to qualify for the British CX finals when I was 18, though finished mid-pack. I dabbled with TTing in my early 20s and did well for a newbie but got nagging hamstring issues from the aero position and didn’t really pursue it.

I carried on riding recreationally, though increasingly rarely, into my early 30s, when (I’ll be honest) the combination of divorce, drinking and substance misuse rather took over. I still rode periodically, but usually just to be on my own and the pace was laughable. By 2015 I’d stopped riding altogether.

I started riding again about 2.5 years ago as part of 'getting my sh*t together" and at the instigation of my daughter who had got into mountain biking. I was 95kg. My first road ride on my own was 20k. It took me an hour and nearly killed me. But it was good to be back. I got some help for various issues and slowly started rebuilding my health and fitness.

When lockdown hit over here, I used it as an opportunity to begin proper structured training. My first FTP was 221 at 85kg. Last week I hit 311 at 78kg - that’s an inflated power number (thanks Tacx!), but there is very clearly an obvious and significant improvement.

I’m just enjoying being fitter than I’ve been for at least 15 years, and seeing what I can do. I want to do some European sportives, possibly get back into TTing, and ride more with my daughter (now 12, and very much a road rider).

This is way too long and rambling, sorry, but overall my perspective is that this is giving me tremendous enjoyment, health benefits and a healthy outlet for work stress. I’d love to get to 4.5w/kg and drop some of the 20 somethings, but if I can’t, it doesn’t matter. I’m in a way better place and that’s what matters.

Even if any of us are too old to get faster, we can still enjoy it at least as much.

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33

No need to apologize. Humble brags here are practically a form of encouragement when asked “is it too late, am I too old, or please inspire me, etc…”

5w/kg is a long, long, term goal of mine, and I have about a decade to catch your level. Right now that calculation looks like gain 76.9 watts, or lose 13kg…

Those 13kg would put me at my sophomore/junior year of high school body mass. Not likely doable, and in reality, for life-balance, overall strength, and general health, I have no desire to lose more than a couple KG, even for peak racing fitness, so I’ll just have to gain those watts.

34

yeah, totally agree in general although getting slower is inevitable so don’t try comparing yourself to what you could do in 20s when you are in 50s.

Age related declines should not be an excuse to go easy, and in fact just the opposite it should be motivation to challenge yourself and “get busy living or get busy dying.” This is my latest motivational video:

Joe Rogan's Not Suitable for Work (NSFW) 3 Rules That Will Immediately Change Your Life

https://youtu.be/pzoOg_uWMWo

:metal:

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35

Agreed…fortunately I didn’t have a PM in my 20s :rofl:…but I do and will continue to fight for every watt and Kg (and bike race!) regardless of age :+1:t2:

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36

I didn’t have a PM in my racing 20’s either…but I do have the same hill/“mountain” I raced up (and won!) when I was in the (perceived) best shape of my then life. Just from time, distance, speed, weight, etc metrics I should be able to figure out ballpark historical power. I haven’t had a crack at it in a few years, maybe next year when I’m even less “too old”! :laughing:

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37

Jeez man, you are a fledgling compared to me!.
I’m 64 and been a runner and cyclist all my life. I started on TR in March, and have never trained so consistently ,and had used HR, not power as a measure. I also did not like training indoors.
Now I’m the opposite, I train with power (smart trainer Cyclops Hammer) and i hate the cold and wet…
I raised my FTP by 15 2 months ago.
And now I’m working on my sprinting. Ha ha it’s non existent ,but i have faith in TR :rofl:
You have lots of potential for improvement.
You don’t mention what plan you are doing on here, and whether you race ,or ride for fitness, but with the right consistent training you will improve.

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38

Yeah, you need to move area, or better yet country…that’s what I did :joy:

More seriously of course I was stronger when I was early 20s living at home and riding 15h+ per week but I also did so much dumb shit (half wheeling friends, racing up every climb, not recovering properly, late nights, crap diet etc) I’m sure just eliminating that I’ve helped to minimise some of the age gap versus younger super strong super dumb ass me :joy::rofl:

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39

That’s actually a good idea. I’m going to visit my folks next week, and I may stay an extra day and take the bike to have a crack at one or 2 of my old training loops, as I can still remember some of my ‘best’ times.

Given how much better my current bike is, I have no excuse not to be competitive with my younger self!

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40

I’m 69 about to turn 70. Starting being coached through Peaks Coaching Group (Hunter Allen) in June and have been doing structured training at high intensity since. I’m going to take a break for financial reasons and am going to use TrainerRoad for my structured workouts. Gradual improvement with 2 minute, 5 minute, and 10 minute peak power bests in the last week and recently took 40 seconds off my previous PR on a 6 minute Strava climbing segment.

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41

+10% improvement @ 70…we can close this thread now! :older_man: :muscle:

p.s. – is this you?!

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42

I’m sure that for 4 days you’ve been inundated with tales of improvement over 40.

I’m another one. So I guess I’d say this. 41 isn’t old, There are pro cyclists that old. The current women’s olympic time trial gold medalist won in 2016 at (nearly) 43. I started cycling older than you are now.

The great thing about starting late is as you age you can continue to get better for quite a while. If you start at 15, by your 40s you have to work extra hard to hold on to what you have. :smiley:

My ftp has bounced around a bit, but at 46 it was probably 375, ( I was also riding 12k a year), right now it’s down to 325 (covid playing hell, but trainerroad has me climbing back (up from 280 in july).

So let me just say, that by the time I’m 50…I’ll definitely have that 350 (7 months from now).

Keep at it.

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