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

IStock photo

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. 

IStock photo

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. 

IStock photo

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.

Cycleops Trainer

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.

IStock Photo

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.

IStock Photo

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.

IStock Image

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.

IStock Image

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. 

IStock Image

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.

IStock Image

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.

The Challenge - Part 2 - 'The Classic Bike'

 It was the classic looks and clean paint scheme of the Bridgestone RB-2 road bike that first caught my attention. I was in desperate need of an upgrade because at that time I was attempting to compete in individual triathlons and the old bike I was riding fell well short of what was needed.

Don't Laugh! The old Clunker bike that
actually did its job! (circa 1985ish)

 Back in the summer of 1994 my old red clunker of a bike that I had used for a good number of years had by then seen better days. Not even sure what brand it was but it weighed in around 28 lbs, quite heavy for a road bike, and possessed old heavy cotterpinned crank arms, three worn out crankset gears designed more for casual neighborhood cruising than the open road, and brakes that bordered on being dangerously inadequate. I had actually put a good number of miles on it and eventually swapped out the cotterpin crankset to a newer and lighter weight one with a better gear ratio (52/42). About all I can say for it is...well, it served its purpose and provided a means to an end. It did its job. I really wasn't looking to buy a new higher end bike. Even back then they were quite expensive and fell well outside of my budget. That did not prevent me from spending time browsing around the bike shop looking at the latest and greatest collections. 

Bike shops back then carried a far greater number of pure road bikes than they seem to do today. Everything is gravel bikes or e-bikes or mountain bike/hybrids. One day I made an unscheduled stop...just to look around...and spied this beautiful blue and white Bridgestone RB-2 sitting by itself over in one corner. When I sauntered over to it I was immediately enamored by its lines and styling. A salesman walked over and told me they had just received it the day before as a trade-in on a new bike. He said it was in excellent condition and used by a rider who was beginning to ride more competitively and needed an upgraded bike. I asked how much? When he told me they were asking a little over $200 for it, I knew then and there I had to somehow find the funds to get it. New, it sold for around $600 and equivalent bikes of the day easily surpassed $800 to a $1000 and higher, so the $200 price tag seemed like a bargain. The very next day I became its new owner and from that moment on, the two of us have ridden thousands of flawless miles together...that is until more recent years, but that is another part of the saga.

The RB-2 is the little brother to the higher end RB-1 which retains a great deal of respect in the bicycling world as a pro-quality racing bike and Bridgestone became a well respected name within the cycling community in its day.

The RB-2 was basically the same bike as the RB-1 with good quality components that fell a step or two lower down the scale than the top-end lines. My RB-2 was manufactured (according to the serial number) in 1987 and I believe that model became available in their 1988 line of road bikes. The one I have remains virtually in its original state except for new tires, a new chain, and some basic maintenance like new bearings and such things like that. The main difference between the RB-1 and RB-2 was the RB-1 was lighter weight and cost twice as much new.

It uses the Shimano Exage Sport line of brakes, derailleur, and gear sets. It was my first experience using Indexed shifting which by the way is far better than the old friction style of shifters. It has the classic look of locating the shifter levers on the downtube with the cables running along the length of that same tube and across the top bar. Recently I watched a biking video where the rider spent time riding a vintage '1995ish' bike that used the same configuration with the shifter levers being located on the downtube. He politely complained how awkward it was to have to reach for those levers while riding. I just smiled and laughed a little because I am so used to doing it that way it seems natural to me.

The cyclist spoiling technology available today certainly leaps into the realm of the modern era with electronic wireless shifters actuated with the brake handles, super lightweight frames weighing in under 8 kilo's, and aerodynamic styling. The physical styling of todays bikes, on the other hand, I believe leave a lot to be desired. Functionally, they are marvels of modern technology...but I still love the classic looks of the older bikes.

Costs have certainly risen as well where today to find a decent quality bike requires an investment of thousands. For me...well, I truly am an old school kind of person who prefers not only the classic looks of a bygone era, but the comparative costs as well. Being a DIYer, I can easily perform most all the maintenance on my old RB-2 where as a newer bike would scare me too much. 

Before we moved to Kentucky, we lived in central Oklahoma for a good many years. The wind truly does come sweeping down the plain in that part of the world and the wind is something you just deal with. I often found myself easily cruising along at 20+ mph with a strong tailwind, to suddenly drop to barely maintaining 10 mph on the way back and expending way more effort doing so. Try climbing a hill going into a stiff wind. That 10 mph would easily drop to 5 or 6 and I'd be spent by the time I reached the top.

I used a ten mile loop I enjoyed riding, often completing several circuits on a ride. On one particular ride I made late one summer day I found myself at the far end of that loop where the country opened up and the scenery expanded from horizon to horizon. The sun was near setting by this time as I had got a late start and I could not tary as I needed to get back to my starting point before darkness set it. I stopped and steadied the bike beneath my extended legs and leaned against the handlebars to feel the cooling evening breeze on my face as the golden rays set the low hanging clouds ablaze. Kind of nice really. Just me, my trusty bike, the open backroad, and scenery second to none. Yeah...there is more to cycling than just pedaling down the road.

If not for a bum leg that has slowed me down for several years now, I would have spent more time in the saddle. Soon, if the Stent procedure I've mentioned previously is successful, my leg situation should improve enough to allow me to once again experience the joy of feeling the wind in my face and the thrill of comfortably propelling myself down the road.  The intent here is to work my way back to where making a 100 kilometer ride is a doable thing...then maybe, just maybe, I'll witness another one of those late afternoon sunsets with a gentle breeze blowing in my face along the way.