5/18/15 12:49 AM

You're older, maybe have poorer reaction times, and you should be Honest with yourself whether or not your eyesight is as good as it was. If your eyesight at night is as good as it used to be, you can see deep into the shadows in daytime.

I ride the tandem nowadays. We go faster on the flats on downhills than I could ever manage by myself. (On the climbs we're way slower than me by myself.) Because I've got someone's life in my hands, I'm way more vigilant than before and take nothing for granted. But I descend faster now because it's even more important not to disrupt the balance with brakes...

5/18/15 4:15 AM

April, rethink your routes and slow down. If your legs outrun your skills then you are bound to crash. I gave up MTB riding completely because of that issue. I crashed way to much.

5/18/15 7:46 AM

Before remembering your XC skiing, kayaking - I reacted "work on upper body," but two seconds later I knew that might even be an insult.

Maybe think of the bike as recovery time and relish the days when everyone passes you, quietly knowing "never on Sunday!"

5/18/15 4:05 PM

While I can quite understand the issue here, having just passed the three year mark since I last rode on the road, I must voice some disagreement on the issue of whether one should be a voluntary helmet user, as I have also just passed the three year mark of being able to walk and talk. You can, of course make any guesses you like, but I, for one, am glad that the damage shown below occurred to my helmet and not to my head!

http://jmp.sh/2q0vuCo

edit to add: not that my head was unscathed. I got brain damage, a busted trochlear nerve, and a broken neck too. But I did not die, which I find rather reassuring.

5/18/15 6:02 PM

Erik,

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I gave up MTB riding completely because of that issue. I crashed way to much.

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you should be Honest with yourself whether or not your eyesight is as good as it was. If your eyesight at night is as good as it used to be, you can see deep into the shadows in daytime.

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You're older, maybe have poorer reaction times,

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5/18/15 8:24 PM

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My eye sight had never been all that great (near sighted with astigmatism). So seeing deep into the shadow has never been my strong point. I rely on experience from mtn biking to get me through unseen road irregularities. But this time, it failed me.

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5/18/15 8:30 PM

One more thing. The main problem I have with aging is that I've suddenly gotten considerably slower.

I've noticed I can't suffer anymore through training, hanging on at first, and then eventually making good and triumphing.

At the gym, I've been running on the treadmill, hoping to ramp up fitness for my 6th marathon. And it's just not happening. The improvements are just not coming anymore. I know I have to be patient. And spread out that training plan and not get frustrated. I can't tough or suffer to bring the fitness out of me anymore.

But this had me in stages of denial and I think I've finally gotten to reluctant acceptance. On the other hand, I appreciate now how lucky I used to be...

5/18/15 8:54 PM

How old are you now Sandi? I wonder if age makes for a Lasik non practicality for me.

I am lucky I guess the 4:00/4:50 contacts get me to 20/low 20s. But my right eye astigmatism get worse as I get older and the contacts don't correct at all.

I rode so hard last year, not knowing if I could get fast again. Previous seasons ended with injuries before getting going. [usually non cycling related] And prior to getting to PDX I had not ridden hardly much since I left NJ in 2002.

It was slow and recovery time even more so... even once I got some progress going...

I started to feel ashamed to post here like I was actually a cyclist frankly.

So back to last year, it was over 10 years since I was a menace on the bike. One of my riding friends recently gave me a shirt last week that says "I am the Motor" so I guess I can still TT semi effectively. Cause that is when I see gaps open in my mirror. Although I feel like Ulrich on steep stuff, only a lot slower...

5/18/15 9:58 PM

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This could be the main problem. If you can't see it in time, you definitely can't avoid it.

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5/19/15 12:39 AM

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How old are you now Sandi? I wonder if age makes for a Lasik non practicality for me.

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5/19/15 12:46 AM

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The particular pothole wasn't very big. I definitely had gotten through something like that many many times. I never exactly figured out why this particular hit was different than many others before.

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5/19/15 10:49 AM

I scrutinize what I will be rolling over continually. I miss looking up a lot and seeing the roses etc. But between the Moto-CX and MTN biking for decades before getting a road bike. It is just habitual for me. I put even little pieces of gravel and debris either just right or left of my line, no exceptions. I almost never 'hit' anything, pace line poor call outs being the exception frankly. I still bunny hop and un-weight all the time. There is a MUT section that has a 2' wide water section running over in one spot. I can't quite get over it with out about 2" spot of wet on my front tire, but I try every time. ;) It is easier to get air and clear stuff on a FS MTB bike, but you legs will get you off the ground on the road bike easily with the right technique. The folks behind you if close don't appreciate it first few time though... ;)

5/19/15 11:12 AM

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Have you revisited that pothole and ridden through it multiple times slowly?

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5/19/15 11:29 AM

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No, report from my riding partn4er who live nearby said he saw road crews working in that stretchT. So possibly getting filled right now.

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5/19/15 7:31 PM

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For confidence and peace of mind, I'd drive out there and revisit the pothole

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There was a time (a long while back) when I had crashed unexpectedly and my confidence took a dive. But not dealing with it head on made it even worse. I was tentative for a while, using my brakes too proactively and not enjoying things. Once I got over it in my head, I was fine.

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5/20/15 11:41 AM

Several years after I turned 60, I had two crashes. I stopped riding with clubs and groups (now I ride solo or with one friend or two) and remembered what I enjoy most about cycling--the serenity. YMMV, April

5/20/15 7:53 PM

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remembered what I enjoy most about cycling--the serenity.

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5/22/15 5:38 AM

The mountain biking definition was mine, not Wayne's. I still feel pretty much the same way, though my incidence of significant injuries is way down. I still bark my shins once in a while and get the typical scratches from brush and briars.

5/22/15 7:05 AM

Sandiway, you might get your iron levels checked. Based on suggestions from Datars I got tested after my power output magically dropped 10% in one season. Sure enough my iron levels (serum iron, ferritin) were borderline anemic. Taking iron helped a lot. I continue to slow down but iron supplements have given me back maybe 10 years.

5/22/15 7:25 AM

I think it's 90% mental and the rest is in your head. Barring a specific deficiency or other factor as Kerry mentions, of course.

When I was highly motivated this winter to get in shape for the Mallorca ride, I made really good fitness gains (@64). With that ride going awry, and some other stuff, I haven't ridden too much for a few weeks, and am lacking the motivational edge I had before. I had a quite good ride last weekend so I don't think I've lost too much fitness, but I think my choices are to ride pretty well this summer if I can find motivation to put in the work, or otherwise mediocre as usual. Life circumstances have a role as well of course.

5/22/15 7:45 AM

I too had issues with low ferritin levels (actually had off line conversations with Kerry on this) Some 8-9 years ago I found one spring that I got fatigued very early on long early spring base rides. I was working with old TTF'r Bill Black for some coaching he immediately asked abut my diet which contained no red meat. It was Bill who suggested to get a blood test to check my Ferritin level. It came back as the MD said "the low level of normal" which IIRC was about 24! which Bill said was anemic for an endurance athlete and someone who attempts to race. Bill suggested eating red meat as iron is best absorbed from heme sources vs non heme sources. I followed his advice got my ferritin level up and wholaa was riding better & longer and my TT efforts jumped back to where they used to be....

5/22/15 8:15 AM

as to Ferritin levels. I have Hemochromatosis, a genetic condition where the gene that regulates (shuts off) Ferritin absorption doesn't work, so the level builds up. When it was discovered (fortuitously) I think the level was around 900 (the normal range tops out around 300). Unfortunately that high level did not translate into good fitness :)

The condition is regulated by drawing blood, at first this was done every 2 weeks, but now just once per year, and the level is maintained around 50. I have asked them to give me the blood back so I can store it in the fridge a few weeks, but no luck...

Anyway, a relatively low Ferritin level beats Cirrhosis, which is where Hemochromatosis can end up if unchecked.

5/22/15 8:40 AM

what do they do with your drawn blood? do they use it as a blood donation? or do they just dispose of it? seems a shame if they did the red cross could use it!

5/22/15 8:53 AM

It's all over the media, there's a vampire and zombie epidemic. We've signed a treaty with Transylvania to transfer high ferritin blood and to offer limited sacrifices in return for their cooperation with border enforcement.

5/22/15 9:00 AM

They dispose of the blood. Don't know if there are regulations or what.