GhostRider62

There are not a lot of studies or data from lifelong athletes. Most of the 10% loss per decade statements that I read come from studies of non-athletes or athletes who gave up. I don't buy the 10% loss in aerobic power per decade. That would mean I should have suffered around a 30% loss from my youthful FTP, which is purely impossibly based on performance. I used to estimate power using a hill and stop watch and have a good guess what it used to be. I have no proof but I know my power is not off 30%. No way. I did 18.1 METs on a stress test with a sports cardiologist and Garmin tells me my VO2 max is over 60. I am not sure they are accurate but the point is..... no way the 10% loss per decade is accurate for me.

I looked into this aging and performance question pretty carefully and it seems a more typical range is 0.2-0.4% per year after about age 35 for athletes who keep the intensity and volume up over the years. There was a lifelong marathoner who recorded his VO2 max until he was like 90 and recorded 0.2% loss per year and I read Andrew Coggan is averaging 0.22% loss per year and a legendary British TT who lost 0.3% per year. Etc. So, 2-3% loss per decade seems doable at least until age 65. If someone started riding again at age 55 after a 20 year break in serious training, it might take 5 years of hard training to reach true potential. It also seems that after 65, the rate of decline increases. I don't know why. More injuries? I do know that it is harder to come back from injury or surgery compared to when young. I am doing that now myself. It has taken a while but I am coming back. I like to say the motor is good but the chassis has some rust on it. I found it is important to know when to rest. I had 4 PB on hills yesterday and decided my body needs a rest.

Edit Note: I seem to recall that Andrew Coggan stated his decline in mL of O2 per year and I estimated it to a percentage.....so, I am not 100% sure on that