Originally Posted by
big john
I used to do long rides with a lot of climbing every Saturday. The last few years I was working I had to back off. Too much suffering and getting dropped and I stopped enjoying them.
I've been retired for 2 years and I've done the occasional hard ride but I wanted to try one of the real tough ones that I used to love. I also wanted to do it solo so I wouldn't have to try and keep up with anyone and could go easy or stop whenever I wanted. One of my friends insists that I could train back into shape to chase the century riders through the hills every week.
I don't know if I can but mainly I don't know if I want to. I know guys older than I am who do that stuff but I don't know if I can be one of them. First, I have no discipline with diet or training or anything. Also, I'm 200 pounds and dragging that up every hill is harder than those 150 pound guys (or 110 pound women) have it.
Yesterday I did ok, no cramps or nausea or terrible suffering but the last couple hours I was wondering if I want to do it again. Getting into sucky car traffic after hours of quiet didn't help. I'll be 67 this week and maybe I can be happy doing 4 to 6 hour rides.
Happy Birthday! I'll make it to 70 in two weeks.