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I'm 67. I need motivation. Help.

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Fifty Plus (50+) Share the victories, challenges, successes and special concerns of bicyclists 50 and older. Especially useful for those entering or reentering bicycling.

I'm 67. I need motivation. Help.

Old 06-20-21, 07:58 PM
  #26  
canklecat
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Originally Posted by horatio
..."Suiting up" is also a detriment, whereas once it was an enjoyable ritual. CankleCat, I'd never ride if it took an hour to prepare!
Alas, part of my lengthy prep is self imposed OCD. I was a boy scout and Navy Hospital Corpsman so preparedness became a bit of an obsession.

But I have cut back a bit on the stuff I haul. I used to carry a compact first aid kit on every ride (stuffed into a plastic bottle mounted in a bottle cage), especially group rides, in case anyone got a boo-boo or ouchy or asthma attack. I haven't carried quite so much stuff the past couple of years, although I still do carry spare packets of electrolytes in tiny Mylar packets (DripDrop and/or Propel), extra snacks, and a spare quick link for busted chains -- and I've needed all of those for fellow cyclists a few times. Some folks are chronically under-prepared and while it's annoying I'm programmed to be a help-bot, so I can't just ignore underprepared idjits. I've tried but then I obsess over guilt later. It's easier to be overprepared and pretend to be grumpy about it when emergencies occur.

My lightest carbon bike has only a Lezyne Road Caddy seat bag, a remarkably small yet versatile and capacious zip up rectangular ballistic nylon bag. It holds enough stuff to replace one tube, repair several other tubes, a tiny mini-tool, CO2 kit, quick link and one or two electrolyte packets.

My other bikes have wedge bags which always tempt me to overpack, including crap like spare batteries. I'm hopeless. Same with camera bags. I have several and hate every one of them.
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Old 06-20-21, 10:29 PM
  #27  
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LET ME SEE YOUR WAR FACE!!!!!!!!
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Old 06-21-21, 08:58 AM
  #28  
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I bought a Kickr bike when I retired. I get up at 6 am and ride it every day for 1 1/2 hours. Using Rouvy and Zwift. Ride out doors when the stars alone as my wife’s health is not the best and many days I have to take care of her.
Just get up off your *ss now.
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Old 06-21-21, 09:23 AM
  #29  
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Everyone is different; what motivates one person may demotivate another. It's hard for us to know what your motivators are.

Since you have five bikes, I'd suggest riding each of those five bikes and see what you enjoy. But even that suggestion is influenced by my motivation for enjoyment; other people are motivated by competitive drives, desire to be physically fit, etc.

Nonetheless, if your bikes are of different genres, like road, mtb, hybrid, then I suggest riding each of those bikes in the manner they were designed to be ridden. Kit up and do a road ride on the road bike. Put on some baggies and ride the MTB offroad, jeans and a tee and cruise some paths on the hybrid. After all that, see what sticks - what did you like? Do more of that.
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Old 06-21-21, 10:47 AM
  #30  
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Come up with a specific and easily attainable goal, like "Next week, I'm going to ride X miles".

Write it on a sticky note and put it on your refrigerator door.

Tell your close friends and family what your goal is, and request that they check in with you about your progress.

After you've accomplished that goal, come up with a new goal that's more ambitious.

Repeat.
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Old 06-21-21, 11:27 AM
  #31  
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Ask your state to invoke lockdown again! that's what motivated me to ride every day.

But seriously, I look at this app called GCN every morning when I eat my breakfast and they have a section called GCN inspiration which are posts of peoples bikes, bike rides, anything bike related and it gets me excited for bikes.
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Old 06-21-21, 11:43 AM
  #32  
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I think you'll be fine. When you drink beer and start losing weight I'd worry. Find some guys your age that ride to motivate you out of the chair.
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Old 06-21-21, 03:38 PM
  #33  
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Find something different to do as it seems you're a bit burnt on cycling. Rowing, hiking, kayaking, walking ,running, swimming in the lake, playing ball with the kids, on and on. Just start doing something. I don't always love cycling, especially in the heat of July/August. Let it go for a bit, just do something else . I put cycling on the second rung for brief periods a few times a year . For some of us a break is good. It's hard to find a better exercise , but there are lots of others that will keep you in ok shape. I come back to cycling because it gets me in great shape, but I'm beginning to think that ok shape is probably just as good as you age. Find a way to feel healthier, keep your significant other and your Doctor happy and you'll be fine.
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Old 06-21-21, 04:13 PM
  #34  
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Still need motivation?
Read Grant Peterson's Just Ride.
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Old 06-21-21, 04:31 PM
  #35  
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We should all give ourselves a pat on the back.

The OP must be out riding so much from all of the encouragement that there isn't any time for them to respond! <grin>
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Old 06-22-21, 12:58 AM
  #36  
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Cycling is an investment in your health! Get out there and have fun..
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Old 06-22-21, 07:10 AM
  #37  
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I was in the same situation recently, only I took off for several years. I ballooned up to over 235lbs and had to take several trips to the ER thinking I was having a heart attack. Turned out to be high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Went on a diet, cut back on the beers (I like beer) and started riding again last summer. What motivated me, besides my health issues, was having something to work towards. We have a race/ride here called the 24 Hours in the Canyon. It's a mountain bike and road bike 24 hour race but you can participate in without racing. I signed up for the 24 solo mountain bike race when registration opened in January. I had that in mind the 6 months leading up to the race, which I really wasn't going to "race", but challenge myself to see how many laps I could ride in 24 hours. It worked. I've dropped over 20lbs so far and I really enjoy getting on the bike again. After racing for over 20 years, I was a bit burned out. I'm glad I found a way to get back on the bike. I feel great. AND....I don't plan on racing anymore. I just ride for fun.
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Old 06-22-21, 11:39 AM
  #38  
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It depends on you. For me, riding with friends is a huge incentive. If you can join a group of cyclists that you like, you'll find yourself looking it.
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Old 06-22-21, 03:07 PM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by Shp4man
...would rather play video games and drink beer than ride....and still work a 40 hour week. I still have five bikes....But anyway, I've gained 20 pounds in 6 months. I need some damn motivation..... Help!!
I'm 49, work 40 hrs, and play video games maybe 10-20 hrs per week, drink a beer or three most days, and still manage to also ride about 80-100 miles per week. Work, gaming, beer, and riding are not all mutually exclusive. For me and my empty-nest lifestyle, they can all be done quite easily in the same day. My motivation to ride is simply because I like to ride and the feeling of continuous fitness improvements I get from it, AND that it helps me not gain weight from sitting around drinking and playing games, LOL. I think you already identified your motivation, now you just need the self-discipline to get out there and do it.
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Old 06-22-21, 04:37 PM
  #40  
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Also, beer really does taste good after you ride!
Tim
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Old 06-22-21, 06:11 PM
  #41  
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Before I respond, do you relate better to kind, positive encouragement or kick your ass motivation?
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Old 06-23-21, 10:08 AM
  #42  
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At 67, I’m not sure you need motivation, but maybe something that you think is fun; at least more fun than sitting around.

It is hard to imagine taking a bike out after work and trying not to get run over by drivers who don’t care, or hitting packed bike paths qualifying as fun. Although I did that for years.

I’m not saying this will work for you, but when I was 61, I was gifted an old GT mountain bike by a neighbor. I decided to try it out after work. Yes, I had to load it in the SUV and drive to a trailhead, but boy did that open my eyes to another world. A few miles in I thought I was going to die. I just knew one day I would be found fead face down on a trail by a group of Girl Scouts on a hike.

But I got hooked on it. Lost weight. I fell/crashed a lot and came to the realization that I couldn’t re-coup those 30-40 years of not developing mtb skills. But there were no cars. I could just grind along. And downhills were a blast.

I’m retired these days, will turn 70 this year Lord willing, and still ride my bikes; drop, flat, and mtb. I’m an hour or two rider. Being retired let’s me pick and choose.

Some days I can’t wait to ride and others I need to get myself out there. But it’s not that tough to spend a couple hours. A far cry from 4-5 hours on a golf course watching someone take a dozen practice swings and then chunk it.

John
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Old 06-23-21, 05:10 PM
  #43  
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Some great replies here. This coming weekend I'll take one of the bikes out for a spin. I'm thinking an easy ride around Mission Bay (all flat) just to start. On the Schwinn.
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Old 06-23-21, 06:16 PM
  #44  
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Originally Posted by Shp4man
Some great replies here. This coming weekend I'll take one of the bikes out for a spin. I'm thinking an easy ride around Mission Bay (all flat) just to start. On the Schwinn.
My wife and I have done that ride a number of times. Fun and laid back.

John
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Old 06-23-21, 11:12 PM
  #45  
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I find what works for me is finding a local climb of about 1,000 feet and work on improving my time on it. For a least awhile you should go from being glad that you're an older guy who can still get up a hill to actually being focused on what your time is (even if it isn't nearly as good when you were 35 and still thin). At least that's what I'm doing now on my old Lemond and it's keeping me happy seeing that I'm making progress. I've also become a bit of a pandemic woodworker. Both activities make me tired but being able to make some small tables and benches to give to people has gained me social prestige in the tribe that I haven't experienced before. Still impressed that you can play video games at your age--I have no idea about any of that.
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Old 06-24-21, 06:32 AM
  #46  
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Originally Posted by SClaraPokeman
Still impressed that you can play video games at your age--I have no idea about any of that.
I was thinking the same thing and maybe there's something to be said about that! I don't have the concentration for video games and get restless after about 15 minutes. Last winter, during lockdown I thought I would give gaming a try on an XBox 360(?) unit my son had left behind and picked up one of those adventure games that I know he played for months. I figured it would take me years to complete. I couldn't get past the first challenge! ha ha. Maybe next winter.

The only game I enjoy is Zwifting.
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Old 06-25-21, 04:29 AM
  #47  
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Hey, Shp4mn, I’m 82 and still work a 60-hour week. After the pandemic, the recent death of my only biking buddy and four trips to the hospital, I need motivation too! When I was a young man (at 75), I was so motivated, I tried to ride my age but pooped out after 51 miles.

I’m not worried about weight; I lost 17 pounds in the last year. But I also lost muscle tone, balance and short-term memory. I needed to get back on my bike.

I knew 20-mile trips were no longer possible, along with 15mph rides. I couldn’t handle headwinds of more than 8 mph or temperatures higher than 85 degree.

Up to age 80, after a winter layoff, I had to begin with 5-mile rides and build up slowly to 15, with 20 miles a hopeful target by October. This year, my first ride was 1.2 miles, and I fell turning around at the half-way mark. Typical speed, 8 mph.

So the next day, I drank some Boost, ate a poached egg with oatmeal and wheat toast, and rode the same route without falling. I believed my physical heath, and perhaps my life, depended upon my being able to recover my strength, balance and fitness. This morning, four weeks later, I rode 5.1 miles at speeds up to 12 mph. One day next week, if it doesn’t rain or the wind doesn’t blow too hard, I hope to ride 7 miles. No goals beyond that except to ride as often as possible, always in the morning when winds and traffic are light.

Canklecat: The morning ritual of suiting up for my ride is what inspires me to move out from behind my computer, and once that’s done, loading my bike and driving to a predetermined site on the bikeway is automatic. I’ve slimmed down my gear to include a cell phone, my hearing aid system, cold water, wallet and a peanut butter snack. Flashing lights on the bike and helmet, fluorescent vest with pockets and my most comfortable sneakers.

Sooner or later, I’ll need to be rescued due to a flat tire, a bad wreck or heart palpitations.

Don
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Old 06-25-21, 05:49 AM
  #48  
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When I am a little bit down on motivation, sitting on the sofa surrounded by the "screens" and looking for inspiration, I will have a look at strava.com or bikeforums.net websites and see what is going on. People have fun, exercise and get healthy and report back their efforts, often with photos - that motivates me to get out.

On bikeforums I like to start with "Did you ride today?" to make myself feel guilty, and "Photo of the day …" to see the beauty of the outdoors world. On strava I click on the dashboard to see what I have been doing recently and then I will click on the clubs recent activities to see what other people were doing - there is always something that captures my attention, inspires me, and makes me plan my next run, ride or swim.
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Old 06-25-21, 05:54 AM
  #49  
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OP wrote >>> " I'm 67. I need motivation. Help."

NO advice for OP but my motivation is simply that >>>

"Since I really enjoy bicycling and MY DEATH WILL END MY BICYCLING, got to ride now and enjoy"
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Old 06-25-21, 06:52 AM
  #50  
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From personal experience: there have been days when it was nice for a bike ride, but I just "wasn't feeling it". Went anyway, and I find I always feel much better-physically and mentally, after a ride.
So, if it's a nice day, go for it! Hopefully, you'll find, as I have, that you're glad you did. Now, whenever I think I might not ride, I just go back to the "memory bank" and that provides the inspiration.
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