Struggle on Hills on Road Bike

[S-Express]

so no need for youth, masters and veterans then as age is irrelevant?

Yes, age is irrelevant to a certain degree. Which is why Ned Overend was still winning elite level MTB races in his late 50s, riders in their late 40s can still hold elite level licences and 65yo riders can still knock out sub 20min 10s. None of this is new information.

If not then the veterans could win without their own category?

They can, and do, frequently.

And in fact I was the one that said I am fitter than I was when I was younger, and he disagrees with me

It was more a case of you contradicting yourself.

 

[jefmcg]

Why are you arguing about overtraining on a thread about someone averaging 30 miles a week?

 

[chrisb1357]

Yep made me laugh and will let them get on with it lol

 

[Dogtrousers]

Well last night I had my bike fit done with Andy Bishop in Worksop as I had booked one due to getting a little lower back pain during longer rides and not feeling that the bike was setup correct by myself. Andy made many changes to the bike setup as my original setup I did myself was not correct so I just need to get out this week for a ride to see how the bike now feels.

Best of luck. Hope it helps.

Why are you arguing about overtraining on a thread about someone averaging 30 miles a week?

Is it about overtraining? I'd lost track, I thought it was just for the sake of it.

 

[Tin Pot]

I'm sorry, run that past me again.... Are you saying that to practice (i.e. to train) is contrary to all scientific thought on exercise and training?

...Running it past you again:

1. "The only surefire way to get better at something is to do it as often as possible." - You
2. "This is not true and has never been substantiated." - Me

You haven't said "The only surefire way to get better at something is to practice and train regularly"

You also haven't said that "training should be periodised, allowing for rest and recovery."

Nor have you said "but your main problem is that you're carrying too much weight to be fast uphill".

So, as it stands, we are in disagreement

 

[S-Express]

Why are you arguing about overtraining on a thread about someone averaging 30 miles a week?

Pretty sure nobody is doing that. Are you on the right thread?

 

[Ajax Bay]

I'm loads fitter (weight, heart rate, fat %) than I was 10 years ago, but I'm also slower.

the veterans could win without their own category?
And in fact I was the one that said I am fitter than I was when I was younger, and he disagrees with me

"in fact" you said you were fitter but slower than "ten years ago"(see quote), so not actually fitter by the best metric. Lighter - tick. RHR lower - tick. Fat%age lower - tick. All good. Slower - tick. Fitter - no.
Yep; veterans can be fitter and can win, and beat every (of the many) under 40s in the 'open' race. I have (not cycling) and @S-Express has offered an example.

For the OP @chrisb1357 , don't let the 'I'm a bit old, I can't get fit' syndrome get you. If you've never been really fit, huge improvements can be made and this should be very motivating: going faster for longer. Getting up those hills. But you do need to get out and ride. Do not worry about over training. At 300 miles per week it's a long way off. Blokes that have been fit/very fit all their lives have to adopt a different approach: how much work can I / should I do to keep me not much less fit, as the years go by? [without breaking down]

 

[jefmcg]

"in fact" you said you were fitter but slower than "ten years ago"(see quote), so not actually fitter by the best metric. Lighter - tick. RHR lower - tick. Fat%age lower - tick. All good. Slower - tick. Fitter - no.

There are lots of measures of fitness. Speed isn't the only one. It's just one.

I bet the day before he died of a massive coronary, Jim Fixx could have run me into the ground, leaving me for dust. I hold that (assuming I don't die tomorrow) that I am fitter than he was on the last day of his life, by any measure except running speed.

 

[S-Express]

There are lots of measures of fitness. Speed isn't the only one. It's just one.

What are the others (from a cycling perspective) ?

 

[Ajax Bay]

There are lots of measures of fitness. Speed isn't the only one. It's just one.

Absolutely; but weight and fat %age aren't measures of fitness. Reduction of averaged (ie over a month) resting heart rate might be. We have been discussing fitness in a 'riding your bike' context, not whether you've got a dicky heart (whether you know it or not). If Jim could have run faster than you on the day before he died, then you're quite a slow runner (but this is Cycle Chat and your riding is legendary).

 

[jefmcg]

your riding is legendary

and slow

 

[ColinJ]

There are lots of measures of fitness. Speed isn't the only one. It's just one.

I bet the day before he died of a massive coronary, Jim Fixx could have run me into the ground, leaving me for dust. I hold that (assuming I don't die tomorrow) that I am fitter than he was on the last day of his life, by any measure except running speed.

There could be a big difference between 'fit' and 'healthy'.

I think I remember Chris Boardman saying that in theory the best time trial would be one where you gave so much that you collapsed or even died as you crossed the finish line. In practice, a little short of that would be advisable ...

Oh, and his arch rival on the world hour record ...

It’s like the last two minutes of a ’10’ when you’re pushing really, really hard. Except that it starts feeling like that after 15 minutes and there’s 45 still to go ... I read somewhere that horses can run themselves to death. So I thought, if a horse can do it, so can I.

 

[Dogtrousers]

@chrisb1357 Print some of the posts from this thread off and tape them to your handlebars. Next time you're riding up a long hill challenge yourself to make one iota of sense from them. This will be a good distraction from the pain in your legs and you will get to the top in no time.

 

[ColinJ]

@chrisb1357 Print some of the posts from this thread off and tape them to your handlebars. Next time you're riding up a long hill challenge yourself to make one iota of sense from them. This will be a good distraction from the pain in your legs and you will get to the top in no time.

Actually ... the distraction point is an interesting one. I have often ridden up a steepish hill without noticing it because I was deep in thought about something when I began the ascent.

When I first realised that I was doing that, I thought that I must be climbing more slowly because I was not concentrating on making a big effort. Surprisingly, when I checked my times I found that I wasn't much slower than usual.

For obvious reasons that is unlikely to happen on any brutish climb (say > 20%) because you are not going to get up it unless you really dig deep. I do notice it on 6%-10% though; climbs that are steep enough to require a reasonable effort while not being lung-busters.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I find really spectacular views can be a great distraction from the hill-climbing effort, which is why I head for the longest, biggest hills I can find every chance I get. Yes, I know: it's counterintuitive.