Athletic performance in your 40s?

[Viva]

I thought my 2000-3000 miles a year was good...

I used to run that yearly and do road cycling as a sideshow. Fun times!

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[dan_pdx]

Clearly the problem here is that you're a road biker. Switch to mtn biking and all your wildest dreams will come true.

Ha! I don't entirely disagree, but I have pretty good road biking options from my house vs. needing to drive for MTB. Also, I've gotten in the habit of renting fancy MTBs when I visit the inlaws in Bend. Now I'm spoiled and don't want to ride a bike I could afford to buy. Oh yeah, and I'm a shitty mechanic and all I ever need to do on my road bike is oil the chain and adjust brake cable tension. I look at the discussions about suspension maintenance on Sprocket Rockets and quietly back away.

[dan_pdx]

I bet you took a bunch of time off, you’re a fat pig and are now soft. You shoulda stayed fit, dumbass.

Not sure if talking to me? I'm kind of soft, but not that fat: 155 lbs at 5' 10". I had a custom board built for me at 155 lbs a few years ago, so I'm not allowed to gain weight

[dan_pdx]

You're probably gonna die.

Well, that's what I'm worried about - I was hoping that you jokers would know what to do about it.

[Dantheman]

Oh yeah, and I'm a shitty mechanic and all I ever need to do on my road bike is oil the chain and adjust brake cable tension.

That part is nice. My commuter epitomizes "set it and forget it."

[EWG]

Start lifting heavy shit and sprinting, preferably yesterday, and don't stop until you're dead.

Absolutely 100% true.

[huckbucket]

Just don't do what 90% of my road racing friends do and just stop all of it because you're not competitive. Find endurance-related goals, but keep goals and enjoy biking for biking sake while feeling fit.

[Woodsy]

Wait until you get to the point when getting out of bed hurts.

started for me in my late 20s early 30s.
I am hard on my original equipment.

[dan_pdx]

This is true. I thought my 2000-3000 miles a year was good, but found out otherwise, the hard way. Mix it up with weights and steep hiking.

Thanks for the advice! Most years I do less mileage than that (in the PNW, so our road biking season is only about 5 months), and I never thought bone density would be a concern, but maybe I need to rethink. I do hike and a little strength training (body weight exercises), but I need to get more serious on the strength training front.

[dan_pdx]

Just don't do what 90% of my road racing friends do and just stop all of it because you're not competitive. Find endurance-related goals, but keep goals and enjoy biking for biking sake while feeling fit.

Agreed! There are still lots of interesting rides to do - I've been wanting to tour Trappist breweries for years, and closer to home, we have the Oregon Timber Trail, which is a pretty inspirational goal. I just miss the days when I could hop into pretty fast road rides and hang with the lead group without having done much training.

[Benny Profane]

Thanks for the advice! Most years I do less mileage than that (in the PNW, so our road biking season is only about 5 months), and I never thought bone density would be a concern, but maybe I need to rethink. I do hike and a little strength training (body weight exercises), but I need to get more serious on the strength training front.

Definitely. Weights, or, seriously, just walk a lot. We were made to walk, but, nobody does any more. NYC residents and suburban commuters into the city are actually much fitter overall than the rest of America because they wind up walking at least a few miles a day. I started going downhill when I left my job there and started driving back and forth to my seat in a cube for ten years. My right leg was getting weak and atrophied, even with the biking.

[Skistack]

Interesting, I've kind of wondered about that - I tested on the low end of normal 4 or 5 years ago and haven't seen an MD since. In your experience, are MDs forthcoming with that prescription?

Yes. At about 42 my MD said I had the testosterone level of an 85 year old. Been on the cream since. Get it checked once a year and adjust dosage if necessary.

[SumJongGuy]

Ya think? Go to the gym, pick up a 30 lb dumbbell, then carry that fucker around 24/7 and see how life treats you.

Oh I carry 35-40 pounds on multi day hikes doing 10 miles a day sometimes in the summer. I know exactly what it does. Probably would have put on 60 pounds post tobacco if I wasn't playing soccer, hiking, skiing, skateboarding, yard work, etc..

As already touched on.. Use it or lose it. Yes, our endurance and strength, along with benefits per hours training goes way down with age. But, I can still do 60-70% of what I did in my 30s. But, only because I stay active year round.

[::: :::]

gonna be 48 here soon and will be restarting basic fitness
[after (2) spine issues in 18mos]



again
















pretty sure i'm not old yet, right?

[SumJongGuy]

Definitely. Weights, or, seriously, just walk a lot. We were made to walk, but, nobody does any more. NYC residents and suburban commuters into the city are actually much fitter overall than the rest of America because they wind up walking at least a few miles a day. I started going downhill when I left my job there and started driving back and forth to my seat in a cube for ten years. My right leg was getting weak and atrophied, even with the biking.

Calling BS on this. And, I know about the walking, lived on Long Island and worked in Manhattan a couple times a week in the late 80s..

The top 10 fittest cities are:

Arlington, Va.
Seattle, Wash.
Minneapolis, Minn.
San Francisco, Calif.
Madison, Wis.
Washington, D.C.
St. Paul, Minn.
Irvine, Calif.
Denver, Colo.
Portland, Ore.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/...st/1151487001/

Lived south of MPLS St Paul in the 80s. I think the uphill and downhill involved in the walking or biking around that area may be why it's more effective than the NYC area.. which is mostly flat. In fact, all of those cities above have lots of hills it seems..

[Viva]

...just walk a lot. We were made to walk...

..........

[east or bust]

Feel ya man, 25 has been rough

[frorider]

Time to throw in the towel?

Ned Overend is my spirit animal.

[jamal]

Do you weigh more than you did 5 years ago? How much do you drink, how well do you sleep?

I'm still a couple of years from 40 but am lighter and fitter than I've ever been. Cutting back a little on beer has probably made the biggest difference. I sleep and recover a lot better and dropped a few pounds. It's kind of still surprising because I'll do workouts and expect to be tired the next day or two but then can still go out and ride pretty hard.

[XXX-er]

Just wait until you guys go from 50-60.
We're all getting older. It does suck though when you realize that you need to rethink your goals, strategy and timing. It's not that I don't still ski, ride or hike the same stuff, but my level of energy, aggressiveness and mind-set has changed a bit

This ^^

I'm a type II diabetic, I did have a gut was 5'8" 175 which is overweight according to the BMI , so I lost 15-20 lb at age 50 by portion control/ quitting sugar and my a1c went down 2 points, from there I did gain 2-3 lbs when the craft brews opened up in town last year but sugar levels are still pretty good for a type II

IME age 50 was my last chance to do something about my health & fitness, I was retired at 49 got pretty fit and had lots of time to play thru my 50's but at 60 + i am noticing a bigger difference in drive and energy levels, also experianced ED and needed topping up

This year I don't really fit in my whitewater play boat cuz my legs are too stiff and I'm thinking of giving it up after 36 yars cuz I just can't be bothered anymore



getting old sucks but it beats the alternative

so anyhow if you see Alice tell her i'm ready to go

[4matic]

Endurance shouldn't be a problem in your 40's. You're losing agility and speed but endurance should still be near peak.

[PowerWhore7]

TRT for the win

[XXX-er]

my buddy the ultra runner looked in the bar for the event signup and said hmm pretty young room

cuz most of the guys at ultra's are 50 or 60

before I became a has-been my best edurance was at 56 when i had trained to ski for the 24 hr event

[AdironRider]

I think the biggest kick in the nuts about getting old and fat is that in your 20's if you carried around a 30 pound weight all day you'd lose a shitton of weight through osmosis or something. Now I carry an extra 30 and have to do an hour + of cardio a day to maintain current status.

[dan_pdx]

Do you weigh more than you did 5 years ago? How much do you drink, how well do you sleep?

I'm still a couple of years from 40 but am lighter and fitter than I've ever been. Cutting back a little on beer has probably made the biggest difference. I sleep and recover a lot better and dropped a few pounds. It's kind of still surprising because I'll do workouts and expect to be tired the next day or two but then can still go out and ride pretty hard.

OK whippersnapper, I think you might be surprised by the drop off from, say, 38 to 44 - I know I was. Come back in 6-7 years and let us know how it's going ;-)

Relative to average Americans, I'm in pretty good shape, but my ass is dragging compared to me at your age. I've gotten better on diet since my 30s - my wife and I take 2 or 3 days to get through a bottle of wine and I'm eating pretty well - lowish carbs, very little sugar, not much junk food. Gotta get better on the training side of the equation.

I know it can be done: in my late 30s, I went toe to toe with a guy who had to be in his mid 60s or better - we were cycling, wound up together partway through a big hill climb, and it got competitive, with both of us going all out. He edged me out at the top by a few feet and told me his power meter had him at over 400 watts on the final pitch. I am nowhere near riding like that today, can't decide if that guy is more inspirational or discouraging.