Originally Posted by
GhostRider62
I am a little older than OP and I basically started from zero recently due to an accident in September. I would say it is a little harder to rebuild endurance fitness and it has to be age. My approach is building up more slowly than in the past. I used to be able to increase training load 15% per week for three weeks and then take an easy week. Repeat. After 2 months, I'd have my volume for long rides. I am shooting for 5-10% increase per week now. It seems like it is working but very slow progress.
I set a new PB for power yesterday on my 5 minute training hill. I have been using a power meter for around 9 years and ride that hill hard about once every 2 weeks. I can't ride very far due to pain, so, I have been riding short and very hard intervals.
I am 45 pounds over my 2015 weight of 182 and 35 pounds over my 2016 weight when my riding was strong. My best time in 2015 was 4:26 and all time best in 2016 was 4:06. I did 4:30 yesterday weighing a porky 227. I had started eating more protein in 2015/16 and gained muscle and power. After my accident in September, it took 3-4 months before being able to sleep and the last thing my Doc said was not to eat enough when healing 10 broken bones.
Well, I gained weight and that is why I am slow.