Mountain Mitch

I think you’ve had a lot of good advice here. We have certain things in common. I’m 69 and ride a Roubaix for most of my rides. But I have been riding a long time and also ski mountaineer in the winter. I go fairly quickly but try to keep a steady pace bearing in mind the target distance. I average around 20km/h on our mountainous terrain. If you are not climbing but you are panting then you are pushing too hard.

My ‘easy’ ride is over two modest mountain passes for a distance of 30 km. A more vigorous ride is again, two passes, for 50 km. I don’t feel particularly tired after those distances and hills don’t bother me (on the up - sometimes they do on excessively long downhills). However, I find I really don’t enjoy much more than 80 km. and seriously lag by 100 km. If I had more time to ride 80 km. more frequently I’d probably find graduating to 100 easier.

I strictly stay away from sugary drinks whether biking or skiing. They give you a short burst and then let you down with a crash. I think that’s why drinks like Gatorade are useful for hockey or football players. They want a short, sharp burst of energy. Instead I use electrolytes such as Nuun which have no sweetener at all. But, whatever you do, hydrate well.

Your shoulder pain suggests to me that you maybe up on the bars too much or riding with your elbows locked. Try and relax your shoulders while riding and stay in the drops as much as you can on the flats or downhills.