Thought I was doing well.
Discussion
Only been back on a bike for two weeks but I've been covering 17k a day knocking off a few minutes each time, I'm currently down to 46 minutes but today while going up a hill puffing and panting forcing myself to dig each turn of the crank to my horror a man who must have been 70 if a day on a 3 speed bike with drum brakes sailed past me as if I was at a standstill.
I felt so deflated
I felt so deflated
ds!A while ago I was passed going uphill by a commuter type on an upright bike, in a heavy overcoat with a briefcase on the rear rack. He absolutely flew past, no sign of a sweat, whereas I was on a racer in full lycra, gurning and sweating like a pest. I was puzzled and more than a little annoyed to be shown up. Thinking it must be Bradley Wiggins returning from his day job or some equally ridiculous explanation, as soon as I got onto the flat I chased him and caught him up. It was at this point that I identified his bicycle as an electrically assisted model, with a large(ish) battery and a power display on the handlebar. These things are limited to a speed of 15 or 20mph under assistance, so I slapped it in the big ring and powered away towards a suitably fruity downhill section, leaving him to 'eat my dust'.
that was probably my f-in-law
he's 69 this year, and still cycles evrey day, covering at least 200miles/week.
Every other wednesday he goes a bit mad and goes out with the local race lot- he then covers 100miles in a few hours.
he's in incredible shape for a 40 yr old let alone a 70 yr old!
he's 69 this year, and still cycles evrey day, covering at least 200miles/week.
Every other wednesday he goes a bit mad and goes out with the local race lot- he then covers 100miles in a few hours.
he's in incredible shape for a 40 yr old let alone a 70 yr old!
I had a most surprising occurence last year, I was staying near Cheddar at the top of the Malvern hills and doing some practice for the Way of the Roses. I mistakenly cycled down the side of the hill and once on my way down thought I might as well enjoy the trip, and worry about coming back up at the time. I then cycled past Wookey Hole and started up the single track road to the top, was about half way up still pedalling when I met a car coming the other way. Thought I was going to have to stop to let it past. Not a bit of it, the driver stopped and reversed to uo to a passing bay so I could pass withou stopping.
Was slighty upset as by that point was really wishing I was walking!
Was slighty upset as by that point was really wishing I was walking!
Chrisgr31 said:
I had a most surprising occurence last year, I was staying near Cheddar at the top of the Malvern hills and doing some practice for the Way of the Roses. I mistakenly cycled down the side of the hill and once on my way down thought I might as well enjoy the trip, and worry about coming back up at the time. I then cycled past Wookey Hole and started up the single track road to the top, was about half way up still pedalling when I met a car coming the other way. Thought I was going to have to stop to let it past. Not a bit of it, the driver stopped and reversed to uo to a passing bay so I could pass withou stopping.
Was slighty upset as by that point was really wishing I was walking!
Being as Malvern to Wookey Hole must be at least 80 miles I'd say you'd done filppin' well Was slighty upset as by that point was really wishing I was walking!
Different scenario but tonight, my first proper ride out in a fair few years, not done much CV in the gym for a while, so wasn't expecting miracles but a guy went past me up hill quicker than I was probably going down hill!!! I was bloody amazed!
Fitness of some of you Lycra cyclists must be quite impressive... I'm almost sold on the idea of getting a road bike purely for fitness and having my MTB for fun!
On a similar note, there's a guy local to me who must be in his 80's does about a 10k jog every morning! Incredible!
Fitness of some of you Lycra cyclists must be quite impressive... I'm almost sold on the idea of getting a road bike purely for fitness and having my MTB for fun!
On a similar note, there's a guy local to me who must be in his 80's does about a 10k jog every morning! Incredible!
robpearson said:
Pugwash, he's not in cc giro in Sutton Coldfield is he? They go out every Wednesday for 80 miles or so. Nothing quite so demoralising as having an octogenarian kick your arse on a hill climb...
he does go out every wednesday, but he's in a guildford cycling club. Constantly amazed by his level of fitness- but then he;s been cycling for miles and miles almost every day of his life. he did tell me what he thought his daily average was- and it was something silly like 40miles every day of his life! 
Damn it all! Dropped by a chap on an older MTB with a 4 pint plastic milk bottle on each end of his bars. Me on the 'racer', full lycra, him in jeans/shirt. Proper embarrassing for a moment, but as I tried to catch him up, he turned into his driveway, denying me the opportunity. This got me thinking, and I realised that he had likely just 'nipped to the shop' and was returning home. I on the other hand was in the last 8 miles of what turned out to be a 65 miler. Is this an acceptable excuse? I also realised that had I been checking behind regularly I would have seen him coming, and turned up the pace a little - turns out that I wasn't really giving it the effort I could have done, and after he'd gone past I found that I still had plenty in the tank to 'get on it'. This all happened in Thaxted, Essex, up the hill through the town with the church to my left.
Marginally less embarrassing was being dropped (uphill again) earlier in the ride, as the culprit this time was on a TT bike and absolutely flying. I did try to catch him but no chance - best I could manage was to keep him in sight for about a mile, but lost him at a 'T' junction in the next village. I had bike envy and fitness envy. Despite riding between 80 - 100 miles in an average week over 4 cycling days, this fella had a level of fitness I can only dream of. I am now in the process of persuading myself to try a Time Trial myself, possibly as early as this coming Thursday......
Marginally less embarrassing was being dropped (uphill again) earlier in the ride, as the culprit this time was on a TT bike and absolutely flying. I did try to catch him but no chance - best I could manage was to keep him in sight for about a mile, but lost him at a 'T' junction in the next village. I had bike envy and fitness envy. Despite riding between 80 - 100 miles in an average week over 4 cycling days, this fella had a level of fitness I can only dream of. I am now in the process of persuading myself to try a Time Trial myself, possibly as early as this coming Thursday......
Good to hear these stories 
On a similar note but a different sport, weightlifting. On Saturday I heard about an older guy in his early 50's that could CJ 160kg...what an animal...I'm basically in my prime at 27 and I can only CJ 150, but Clean 160. A guy of 52 can out CJ me!!! I really need to get over this wrist injury (can't get weights over head properly) and GET ON IT. But at least the guy has a bunch of Masters World Records though.
Koing
On a similar note but a different sport, weightlifting. On Saturday I heard about an older guy in his early 50's that could CJ 160kg...what an animal...I'm basically in my prime at 27 and I can only CJ 150, but Clean 160. A guy of 52 can out CJ me!!! I really need to get over this wrist injury (can't get weights over head properly) and GET ON IT. But at least the guy has a bunch of Masters World Records though.
Koing
yellowjack said:
Damn it all! Dropped by a chap on an older MTB with a 4 pint plastic milk bottle on each end of his bars. Me on the 'racer', full lycra, him in jeans/shirt. Proper embarrassing for a moment, but as I tried to catch him up, he turned into his driveway, denying me the opportunity. This got me thinking, and I realised that he had likely just 'nipped to the shop' and was returning home. I on the other hand was in the last 8 miles of what turned out to be a 65 miler. Is this an acceptable excuse? I also realised that had I been checking behind regularly I would have seen him coming, and turned up the pace a little - turns out that I wasn't really giving it the effort I could have done, and after he'd gone past I found that I still had plenty in the tank to 'get on it'. This all happened in Thaxted, Essex, up the hill through the town with the church to my left.
Marginally less embarrassing was being dropped (uphill again) earlier in the ride, as the culprit this time was on a TT bike and absolutely flying. I did try to catch him but no chance - best I could manage was to keep him in sight for about a mile, but lost him at a 'T' junction in the next village. I had bike envy and fitness envy. Despite riding between 80 - 100 miles in an average week over 4 cycling days, this fella had a level of fitness I can only dream of. I am now in the process of persuading myself to try a Time Trial myself, possibly as early as this coming Thursday......
You do sometimes find that you drop to a trudging pace over that kind of distance, but whenever someone passes me I always snap back into it, get on his wheel if I can and then work out if I have the beans to pass again. If not, enjoy the tow as long as you can keep it, if so, then pick your moment and blast it! Childish and pointless, but has to be done!Marginally less embarrassing was being dropped (uphill again) earlier in the ride, as the culprit this time was on a TT bike and absolutely flying. I did try to catch him but no chance - best I could manage was to keep him in sight for about a mile, but lost him at a 'T' junction in the next village. I had bike envy and fitness envy. Despite riding between 80 - 100 miles in an average week over 4 cycling days, this fella had a level of fitness I can only dream of. I am now in the process of persuading myself to try a Time Trial myself, possibly as early as this coming Thursday......
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