The Challenge - Part 5 - Going Solo - Simply Because I Can

 I stopped one last time to slide off the bike saddle and wash down the last bite or two of an energy bar. About 35 miles of riding was behind me with another 5 miles or so to go to finish off my first 40 mile bike ride in a good number of years. As I stood in the shade of a small roadside tree, I took time to simply look around and absorb the scenic Kentucky landscape. A perfect blend of riding conditions had carried me to this point; no wind to speak of, about 80 degrees, blue skies. There's something enjoyable about riding the backroads alone. You ride at your own pace, stop when you want to, and just enjoy the day. Riding solo has its benefits and rewards...and at times, its risks.

I actually enjoy riding with another rider from time to time when our schedules align. Riding with another person actually makes the time go by faster as you tend to carry on a conversation that helps pass the time. That conversation is actually a good indicator of your effort level. Being able to maintain a solid pace and carry on a conversation that falls just inside being out of breath indicates you are riding inside a Zone 2 training level. Zone 2 allows for solid fitness gains when paced across longer rides. Riding solo sometimes makes it more difficult to gauge where you are. It's easy to push a bit too hard or not hard enough. At this stage in my training level, I just want to put in the miles and not worry too much about how fast I'm riding. Even so, my legs felt pretty strong that day which of itself is a milestone with my recent history of restricted blood flow issues into both of my legs and hip areas. That seems to have been solved, but regaining endurance and strength in my atrophied riding leg muscles will take time and consistent riding. Completing my first 40 miler, well, I feel pretty good about that. I'm well on my way to completing my first 100 kilometer ride. I've not done that is many years.

Going solo allows you to simply get away and leave behind, at least for a while, the daily issues we all face. I especially enjoy riding on days like the one I just described; not too warm or too cool or too windy, just right really. After the first few miles, the miles seem to roll along and before you know it, you've put 20 miles behind you...then 30...then...well, you get the idea. Sort of a mini-vacation you might say where you find a few hours to simply do what you want without anything interfering.

The joys of road cycling offer benefits far beyond the physical. Not only does it improve your overall physical fitness, it improves your mental and emotional fitness as well. A bicycle is one of the most efficient mechanical devices ever designed. Listening to the sounds of the tires as they roll along the road, is music to most cyclist. Riding atop a classic bicycle carries its own kind of fulfilment not unlike driving a classic car down the road. My old bike is near 40 years old, yet it still performs flawlessly and hums with its own unique vibration as it cruises. It's like sliding into a favorite pair of comfortable shoes...it just feels right. To me, my old bike looks like what a road bicycle should look like. 

The newer versions look more like tiny wheeled missiles, high tech and capable versions for sure, but somewhere along the way the aesthetic flow of the classic bicycle design elements have been forfeited for the sake of technological advances.

You know, the more I think about it, riding solo is what a good road bike provides. It's just you and your bike cruising along with the wind, the sun, and your thoughts. Having a reason to do so, well, most of the time I do it simply because I can.

The Challenge - Part 4 - Making Progress

 Headwinds. More wind, and then hills. Headwinds and hills are the bane for a cyclist. Combine the two, and you have a recipe for a tough day of riding. Recently, near the end of a 20 mile ride, I struggled up a long hill that gradually increased in steepness the closer I got to the top. A stiff 15 to 20 mph headwind made me feel like a drogue shoot trailed behind me. Even so...I made it to the top, winded for sure, but I made it. A year before, even thinking about climbing that hill was out of the question as my right leg and hip would have screamed in protest. But, all of that has changed.

A couple months back I underwent a surgical procedure to install several stents into a clogged right side Illiac artery and a partially blocked left side one. This blockage restricted the blood flow to my right leg and hip area so much, it resulted in a great deal of discomfort when I stressed the leg. The surgery appears to have been a resounding success as the discomfort is virtually gone now. Riding a bike during the past 3 or 4 years became an exercise in pain where I simply could not ride effectively because of that discomfort. But, now I can ride virtually pain free...with the caveat that I am really out of shape. My intended goal of being able to make a 100 kilometer ride this season is still in play, but I have a long ways to go to regain lost time and conditioning. In this, Part 4 of The Challenge, I'll explore the reality of trying to climb back into shape as someone who is approaching his mid-70's. 

I've remained at least somewhat active in spite of the rebellious leg and hip and that activity helped me retain at least a measure of physical condition. I've kept my weight in check for the most part but still carried 10 or 12 pounds more than I needed to. As of this morning I weighed in at 171 pounds. That is down about 10 pounds from just a few months ago. I want to drop down to about 168 or so with 165 being a good target weight to shoot for. Losing a few pounds from around my midsection will undoubtedly improve my ability to climb those steep, longer hills.

As far as riding goes, my intent for now is to simply rebuild my base mileage to a level where I can begin to train at a higher level of intensity. I'm up to almost 200 actual road miles now with still a ways to go before I will feel confident I have rebuilt that base. Even so, I tend to ride too fast out of the blocks which causes me to lose too much energy the deeper I get into a ride. Refueling is also a key factor I still need to refine. At this stage of my fitness rebuilding, I just need to slow down and put the miles in and not worry so much about how fast I am going. Taking a break every so often hurts nothing and allows my legs to recover somewhat, and also allows time to ingest a few grams of carbohydrates to keep me going. Speed will come later once endurance has improved. 

On those days when the weather prevents me from getting out, I'll use the Cyclops trainer and do a 30 minute session with a few intervals thrown in just to push my legs beyond what a normal easy ride might employ. Been monitoring my resting heart rate as well, to determine how well I am recovering from each ride. So far so good on that. My resting heart rate hovers down around 52 bpm or so when I am fully recovered and there are times it actually drops into the upper 40's. Oddly enough, it seems I sometimes have a difficult time getting my heart rate high enough to generate that training effect. My highest rate so far has been around 120 bpm when it should be climbing upwards into the 140's for that Zone 2 type of endurance riding. I guess it is all relative and depends on many different factors. At my age, 120 is probably fast enough to provide a solid level toward that training effect.

I have been tinkering with my bike trying to optimize its performance. Seat height and forward position, handlebar position, body position on the bike, plus checking and rechecking the mechanics of the bike to ensure it is optimally performing as it should is a constant, almost daily routine. Was out riding yesterday in fact when my chain came off...twice. A simple adjustment on the derailleur solved the problem. One pedal seems to gradually loosen just enough to induce a very slight amount of movement around the bearings. A slight turn with a socket and its back in good form...at least for now.

With each ride, I grow stronger. With each extended mile, my endurance improves. So far, 20 miles is my limit. Respectable, but still well short of my desired intent. Weather, wind, and staying motivated are all factors affecting my reaching that goal. I expect I will eventually make it, but for now progressing toward it is the key.

The Challenge - Part 3 - Old School Cyclist Training Routine on an Old School Classic Bike

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Sometimes I find myself wondering; ...what challenge is out there that an almost 74 year old former athlete might be able to pursue? How far can I push this old school body and what can I do that falls within my physical capabilities?...Not sure I can answer those questions just yet, for the limits of what I may or may not be able to accomplish physically have not been completely defined. My mind and ambitions are often at odds with what my body complains about, but I do believe I can do a great deal more than I often allow myself to do, and how much I allow myself to do is determined by what I am willing to try. I must remain realistic and understand that at my age, there are physical challenges to overcome. However, getting out there and trying, well...that is when discovering what your limits truly are...extend a great deal farther out than what you might think.

In trying to find an answer to those questions I have decided to start with something relatively small and doable before tackling anything bigger, but also pursue something difficult enough to offer a challenge. My intent then is to complete a 100 kilometer bike ride to eventually parlay that into a 100 mile ride...and then...well who knows after that. Pretty big talk I'd say for an old guy with a bum leg. Old is the operative word here; old school is the appropriate context. Bum leg could be a showstopper.  My bum leg stems from a seriously clogged Iliac artery that feeds blood flow into the lower extremities. When I place stress on it, my right leg and hip has been giving me trouble for several years now and I have only recently had the problem diagnosed. The solution involves taking a blood thinner along with having a Stent inserted to hopefully improve the overall blood flow. The impact of that has yet to be fully realized, but I am optimistic. Even so, riding and training on an old school classic bike has its rewards and its challenges when opposed to training on a newer high tech bike.

Classic bike vs new high tech bike, it's not unlike comparing a new modern automobile with all of the latest and greatest electronic wizardry incorporated into it, to a classic car from the 50's or 60's. Both possess a certain aesthetic qualities to move the senses of anyone who marvels at such things. I for one, tend to marvel more toward the classic 50's and 60's era automobiles. I just seem to be a better fit somewhere within that era. 

Their styling and nostalgic appeal carry a great deal of weight when it comes to moving one's senses. That fact alone could account for my affection for riding a near 40 year old classic bike as opposed to spending the money to upgrade to a newer more high tech version. Call me nostalgic, but the look and feel of a classic piece of machinery possesses a charm and elegance not found in the newer technologically superior equipment. I freely admit, I'm an old school kind of guy who prefers riding and training on an old school classic bike. 

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Put me on one of the newer bikes and tell me to make a best effort ride of a particular distance, then do the same ride using the older bike and I'd bet good money the results would be practically the same. The newer, lighter weight, advanced bikes can and will make a difference for a highly trained competitive athlete, but will provide minimal advantages for the average person. Even so, it may only save the professional cyclist a few watts of energy output and buy them a few tens of seconds or so over a given course, but those few seconds can mean the difference from winning or becoming an also ran. For someone like me...well...about the only thing it would make a difference in would be to make my wallet a whole lot thinner and lighter. I'm perfectly happy to ride my old, bought and paid for classic bike.

Okay...so how does an old school kind of guy with a bum leg train for a 100 kilometer ride? To be honest, it's not all that complicated. Initially, you must build up your mileage base. What I mean by that is to simply ride long and steady several days a week gradually increasing your distance, leg strength, and endurance until you have built up several hundred miles of base miles from which to move your training intensity forward. It is that baseline mileage that establishes the foundation upon which you can construct a training regiment that will help you gain strength, endurance, and confidence. 

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While building those base miles, especially in the beginning, don't worry about how fast you are going and try to limit the number and length of hills you encounter. The idea is to build up the miles, one mile at a time by simply spinning your legs at a reasonably good cadence using easy to moderate gearing. I'm not talking about putzing along at 4 or 5 mph, but maintain a steady pace where you can carry on a conversation hovering just outside being out of breath. This is known as Zone 2 effort within a 7 Zone scale, but explaining all that falls outside the intent of this post. The idea is to keep it simple and keep moving. The colder months are ideal times to get a headstart on building those miles by using an indoor trainer. There are numerous examples of such things with varying costs involved. I use another old classic; A Cycleops. I purchased one of these a long time ago and have used it a lot over the years for indoor riding. It's a good way to build base miles without having to ride in cold weather. The gym of course is another option, but there is nothing like training on your own bike and a used Cycleops trainer are relatively inexpensive probably less than a typical gym membership.

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Riding at that level will cause your heart rate to increase and as it does, so will your breathing rate. This is good, but don't worry about trying to beat your best time. Just put in the miles. So how many miles is enough? Well, that depends. My take on it is this. If I were younger and attempting to become more competitive, I'd shoot for something over 1000 miles, something like 1200 to 1500 miles spread out over a few months of ridings. However, I'm not a young man anymore so in my case, I plan on building up the base miles until I've reached 400 to 500 miles or there about. From that platform, I can then get a little more serious about what I'm doing. Unfortunately, I am so far behind its almost like starting from scratch.

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Getting more serious. Are you serious? What does that mean? I have to base what I attempt to do on several factors; what can my old school body handle and how hard can I push it without injuring myself or over doing it. Once you have built up a good level of base miles, the idea then is to not so much to simply increase your mileage, but become more efficient when riding or utilizing time in the saddle where you can maximize your results. You do this by following a pattern of workouts. 

Day one may be where I attempt to ride a set distance but sustaining a faster pace in doing so. Day two may be to purposely attack a few longer hills to build climbing strength combined with throwing in a few extra fast pace miles. Day three could include doing what are called intervals. Intervals are really tough and as an older person you need to take a cautious approach. Intervals work like this. The first 20 minutes or so of your ride you simply ride easy like to get loose and warmed up. Then for one minute, you push yourself hard reaching a point to where you are sustaining about 80% max effort for that one minute. Then you backoff for one or two minutes until you feel somewhat recovered, then  you repeat the one minute 80% effort interval. At first you may only be able to complete 3 or 4 of these sets, but over time as you get stronger, you will be able to not only increase the number of sets, but increase the duration of each one. Only do this one day a week and plan on taking the next day off or scheduling an easy ride on day four. On day five, make a long steady ride climbing a few hills along the way. Steady as she goes, but using a good cadence. Try to work on your riding form and focus on relaxing...just enjoy the ride. For days six and seven, do something else. Do some strength training either at the gym or at home. Even doing a few sets of pushups or working a set of dumbbells to strengthen your upper body will carry dividends in the long run. Take a walk or hike...go fishing. Do something other than ride and allow your body to recover and be fresh again for the upcoming week.

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Over time, your rides will become easier and the hard workouts will produce good gains in endurance. On your days where you make long steady rides, gradually increase your mileage to where you eventually approach the 100 kilometer goal, something in the area of 75 or 80 kilometers. You don't have to do 100 kilometers to train for a century kilometer ride. But by gradually increasing your distance on your long rides, you will train your body to where it adapts to the impact those miles will have. If you can do 75 or 80 kilometers...you can make 100 with minimal extra effort. Also, when making rides that last more than an hour or so, you will probably need to refuel as you go. Let's talk about nutrition.

All this training requires proper nutrition. You put junk into your body and it will perform like you put junk into it. Feed yourself with proper nutritious foods high in carbohydrates preferably complex carbohydrates, with plenty of protein and a good amount of fat as well. Your muscles want to burn carbs because they are the easiest and most efficient fuel sources your muscles can utilize. Although your body stores carbohydrates in the form of glycogen for quick release fuel, those stores are used up rather quickly when performing vigorous exercise which forces your muscles to break down fat reserves for fuel.

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Fat is a high energy source of fuel, but it is more difficult for your body to utilize it. As always, it is vital to remain hydrated before, during, and after your workout. Refueling on long rides lasting over an hour is critical to be able to sustain a steady effort. This can be accomplished by using carbohydrate gels or simply bringing along something to eat like sliced apples or energy bars and energy drinks. The idea is to refuel before you bonk because when you run out of fuel, it becomes really tough to continue. Once you fall behind on your fueling requirements, it is almost impossible to catch up during your riding. Intake extra fuel about every 20 to 30 minute on long rides even if you don't feel like you need to. The idea is to stay ahead of the curve and push that bonk point out as far as you can. Hitting the wall (I have done this in the past and it was not a pleasant experience) can be very discouraging. But, it can be avoided by simply taking in some extra fuel along the way.

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Dehydration, especially common during the warmer months, can reduce your efficiency a great deal. Drink plenty of fluids, and keep your electrolytes up by using energy drinks that contain a mix of potassium, sodium, calcium, among others. But, don't drink in big gulps. Ingest smaller sips more frequently. Full strength energy drinks may also be too harsh for your body to absorb and can be slow to empty out of your stomach when performing strenuous exercise which can cause bloating and cramps. Sometimes, a diluted mix works better. Experiment with different mixtures so you can learn what works best for you.

One final thing about fitness training. Keep a log of your workouts.  A simple small spiral notebook works for me or if you want, use a computerized version on your laptop. Track things like date, route information, distance, how you felt, what worked and didn't work, daily mileage extended out to weekly total, month to date total, and year to date totals. 

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Although nice to have, it is not really necessary to use a heart rate monitor or expensive wattage tracking pedals and computerized Wahoo data trackers. Heart rate can be easily checked the old fashion way and your wattage output can be estimated by taking note of your perceived effort. Those electronic things are nice, but a simple odometer/mileage/speed/avg speed bike devise will provide a great deal of useful information, and they are simple to use and install and best of all, they don't cost all that much. Although not necessary, a phone app route tracker/planner can provide an easy way of finding and planning a your rides. Komoot is a free one that works very well.

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Being an old school cyclist riding and training on a old school classic bike reaps its own rewards. There will come a day when it all falls into place; the fitness level, the riding conditions, the scenery, the moment. You'll find yourself on cruise mode and feeling strong with the miles rolling off behind you. When that happens, well, all the training struggles to get there will have been well worth the effort.  

Depending on how my bum leg comes along after the Stent surgery will determine just how far along I'll be able to pursue this effort. I'm feeling optimistic and encouraged and maybe even a little bit excited about the possibilities. Stay tuned to see how all this plays out. Thnx for coming along for the ride.

UPDATE: The stent surgery went off on schedule and the preliminary indicators are very positive. Still pretty sore, but plan on doing more soon. A total of five stents were inserted; four on the right side where most of the issues were, and one on the left. Have taken several walks since then ranging from a little over a mile to over two miles that included several hills and experienced no discomfort..Also have made several short bike rides up to 10 miles and the leg(s) felt great! :) Looking forward on getting started training in earnest as soon as the weather allows.