Been a Runner

Quick history 58 YO
Runner 48 years Things went to heck last fall.
Did a whole lot of road biking in the 1980s in NJ
Ran a whole mess of miles every year. Over 5000 in 2013 100 mile weeks RUNNING.
My times were very good 18:49 5 k at 57 YO 1:31 :04 half marathon at 56 YO
Now MRI shows a hip labral tear and 1 mm of cartilage left in the hip. Osteoarthritis. Yea Me. November 2014. No wonder it hurt so bad running!!
Running just hurts now. Doc and Surgeon said get on a bike and in a pool save the hip. Zero pain riding!! Stiff and a bit uncomfortable after sitting.
Bought a Sirrus Hybrid specialized bike and a good spin bike for inside riding
Been riding about 200- 230 miles a week combined . Spin 19 mph avg 16 mph bike on the road. The past three months here in NC
I forgot how cold it is riding into the wind.. HA

Anyway looking to buy a good road bike in the next few weeks and just need some encouragement. Running was a huge deal in my life.
Biking will now be my addiction:-)

tg16

I'm going to say congratulations. You may not feel it, but a positive spin is better than negative. I still run but not nearly as much or fast. Age and pain, 60 years old, is putting me on a bike more than running. Just a few observations that made me feel better and I hope work for you:

1. I can buy helmets, tires and such and not be spending more than I did on shoes and running gear. A great set of tires cost less than a pair of running shoes and I had to change those out every 3 months.

2. There is no rule you can't have several helmets just like you might have had with your running shoes.

3. We love to go fast under our own steam and bikes are a lot faster than running. I've registered for a duathlon in Mississippi and am looking forward to it. Also, I'm starting to ride with some folks from the gym who are training for a century. I'm looking at it the same way I did my first marathon. Let me suggest joining, supporting and riding with you local club.

It is addicting and once you make the adjustment, just as fun and a lot less pain.

Post a follow up and let me know how it goes on the bike search.

justblues

I've done more running than riding over the past several years primarily because I did not have a good place to ride. I just had a spinal fusion on my neck, and with three levels of fusion there now, I am afraid to run very much because of the constant jarring with every footfall. I just bought a bicycle and have started riding it. I plan to really step up the amount I ride as soon as I am out of the neck brace which should be this week.

JanMM

Welcome.

If someone steals one of my bikes, I'll run after them, but that's about it for me for running.

justblues

hm, good luck catching them.

qcpmsame 

Welcome aboard, Been A Runner, Glad to have you here in the 50+ asylum. Lots of former and current runners around here, many for the reasons you have gotten in to cycling. Pictures on the new ride, when you get one, are a requirement around the place. We like to drool over other's bicycles in our spare time.

Just Blues, going out on a limb here, if I already welcomed you, feel privileged that its two in your favor, anywhooo, welcome to our little asylum to you as well, same rules apply to every one.

Bill

MikeD1

Those are some excellent running times, I'm jealous! FWIW, docs told me to not run many times (knees), latest was about 1 1/2yr ago. But, I want to do Triathlon, so I need to do some running. I've found that I can run nearly pain free as long as I focus more on the biking and swimming and just run minimal amounts. I also try to run very light on my feet when I do run. My point is, that you MAY be able to do some running if you really want to. Myself, I love spending time on the bike. I bet once you get used to a road bike you will really love it . . .

justblues

Thank you for the welcome and I am quite certain that it is the first. I just joined a few days ago and have for the most part just read. Rules are good. At least if the rules are like "be nice", "be respectful" and etc., then I am all for them. If the rules are "be like everyone else" or "you must wear tight bicycle shorts to post here", then I'm going to be a rule breaker. Seriously, part of my reading has been to read the rules and other support posts. I like to get to know about the forum before diving in.

qcpmsame 

The only rule I was referring to was our lust for pictures of bicycles, as far as your behavior, that is up to the staff, and I ain't staff. Or a staph infection, either. Wear what gets you on a bicycle, and makes you comfortable while riding

It was strictly meant in jest, sorry if it was overbearing in any way.

Bill

Rick@OCRR

Exactly right, what Bill said!

There is a lot of 'jest" that goes on here but it's all meant to be good fun and not taken seriously. That said (and understood) there are occasional miss-understandings and differences of opinion. Miss-understandings can be corrected, differences of opinion can be tolerated.

Big picture, it's all good fun riding our bikes. I'm 65 and plan or riding for a few years yet!

Rick / OCRR

Dan Burkhart 

Welcome. Never been a runner myself, extremely flat feet made it too painful right from my youth. Thank goodness there are bicycles so I don't have to run.

DiabloScott

Welcome. We get a lot of folks who developed knee and joint problems from tennis, running, basketball, skateboarding... cycling is something you can do for life.

Take your time with the bike purchase - way too many people regret buying in haste. Shop around, research, and ask us in here.

Bikey Mikey

Welcome to the forums.

RonH

Sorry to hear the news.
Cycling will be a HUGER deal.
Have fun bike shopping and riding.

JanMM

I never said I'd catch 'em...................

DaveLeeNC

I have done a ton more running than cycling in my life (I was a 2500 miles/year guy when running seriously). But there have been extensive periods where I did nothing. And at age 65 my knees and ankles simply are not up to running any longer.

Cycling is a great alternative for guys like us. And I will admit that it is somehow 'more fun' than running. With your running background you will do really well. But you can spend a ton of money here if you choose. But you don't have to make that choice (said the guy who not long ago put a $1300 groupset on a 20 year old EL-OS steel frame).

dave

ps. I also supplement my road bike with a spinner bike as a trainer.

Been a Runner

Thanks all

31 yesterday on the bike .. Yes not running and this is different but fun. Brought bike in for first maintenance. So 26 miles today on the Spin Bike in the garage, at least the door was open and I was able to look outside !

Retro Grouch 

5,000 running miles in a year? Zowie - that's a lot! I'm still feeling the effects of running half that much 25 or 30 years ago.

Now you get to trade "the agony of de-feet" for "the agony of de-seat".

Cougrrcj

My wife's boss is just about to turn 50, and has been a runner for a long time. He does full Marathons, Doubles, and Ultras. Total running nut. BUT now that he's getting older and starting to hurt a bit, he's starting to see the wisdom in riding.

qcpmsame 

Good friend, (high school and college, same degrees, and fellow runner, as well as a groomsman for our wedding,) recently had to have a hip replacement. He ran as long as his hip and both knees would let him, pain got to be too much. He is recovering well and talked to me about starting back riding. I am going to offer up what ever he needs when the ortho-surge and the PT people say go. He helped me get started running in XC back in high school after getting medicaled out of football with a shoulder injury, I owe him.

Bill

Been a Runner

Update... Was riding 250 miles per month on the hybrid and another 650 on the trainer per month March, April and the first 18 days of May to then have 50 stitches put into my lower leg and another 50 in my forearm after the plastic surgeon cut out the two basal cell cancers that were on this 59 YO body. Had the stitches out of the arm yesterday and most on the leg except he decided to be conservative and leave a few in the middle of the leg lower leg almost by ankle on the tibia, not much skin there. Said 1 more week but I could ride the trainer again. Thank goodness. From running 100 miles a week to basically riding almost 1000 miles a month to NOTHING for the past 19 days was a shock to the system. HA I feel pretty damn good . Oh the margins were clear cancer is gone Yea! Now did 19 this am on the trainer. Felt great. Maybe the rest was good. Now time to start the bike .. Road bike hunt for what to ride? suggestions please. Willing to spend around 1500.

qcpmsame 

B.A.R.,
Glad that you got the cancers cut out, hopefully before they had metastasized. Any chemo, or radiation therapy going to be necessary? That was some very impressive weekly mileage, both running and cycling, as well as doing trainer hours. Don't burn yourself out by pushing things too much.

As to your question about a road bicycle, at your price if its new, a CAAD 10, or a Specialized Allez, or one of the various aluminum framed models,with a new generation, 11-speed, 105 group-set, should be possible. Used you could probably pick up a pretty nice one, or most anything. Watch for end of the year close outs.

Best of luck on the recovery. And, welcome to the 50+ asylum.

Bill

tg16

Congratulations on getting the cancers out. I hope any follow up treatments go smooth. New bike? I really like the Bianchi Impulso and it was $1500.

fishboy316

Congrats on the Cancer Free!! As for the bike, You need to go out and test ride as many as you can in the style you are thinking of till one jumps out at you and says "Take me home now" comes Along. That's what happened to me. I rode comfort bikes and touring and cross and race and I ended up with a Cervelo S5(Race). It was within the first mile and I knew it was my Bike. Ask the LBS about any leftovers. All mine have been leftovers. I got the S5 for $2300, the C-dale lefty for $1700 and the Trek X01 for $600. I ALWAYS go for the leftovers. With what I do I do not care if I have the very latest in components. I have gotten a lot more bike than I would have bee able to afford at full price. My LBS jokes that it costs him money to have me for a customer! It works for me.
Bill