The fastest mamil on earth

Keep_Her_Lit

Apologies for the groan-worthy pun but I couldn't resist . This is one for the ould fellas and ould wans.

What inspires you to continue cycling and perhaps push yourself harder than before, despite no longer having youth on your side?

Being a few years on the wrong side of the big Four-Oh, I find myself thinking about this from time to time. OK, so forty-something isn't all that old but it's old enough to be classified as a Vet and it's older than I used to be. Moreover, given the way that time flies past, I'll be 50 before I know it, so this "getting old" malarkey is gradually becoming a reality, like it or not.

My thoughts on this are overwhelmingly positive. I've enjoyed cycling for decades and sincerely hope to enjoy it for decades to come, even though I've done little noteworthy to date - just a handful of races and sportives and a whole heap of commuting. There are loads of reasons to be optimistic and there's no shortage of inspiration out there - ould fellas and ould wans who aren't content to merely plod along but who still excel.

Here's a few examples of geezer cyclists who've made me think, "Wow! I'm impressed!". There are surely plenty more, so please chime in. Tell us about other top notch geezer cyclists, your own anecdotes or just your thoughts on the topic in general.

1) I'm sure this guy's story is an inspiration to very many Vets (and apologies if I'm stealing Beasty's thunder here, since the story has a strong Manchester connection).



On the left is Reg Harris, who retired from track cycling in 1957. He changed his mind 14 years later, returning to the sport in 1971 and was immediately competitive. After a further 3 years and at the tender age of 54, he beat Trevor Bull to take gold in the British Professional Sprint Championship. Way to go Reg!

2) Malcolm Elliott, an ace sprinter in his heyday, came out of retirement and returned to professional racing in 2003, aged 42.



He won our own Shay Elliott Memorial in 2007, just before turning 46. Seems he's still going at it hammer and tongs. Send her on, Malcolm!

3) Former Commonwealth Games medallist Joe Barr, came out of retirement after 12 years [... seems to be a pattern emerging here!] to raise money for the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children. He won the solo category of the 2009 Race Around Ireland.



Make no mistake, Joe is as hard as nails. Sorry, I take that back. Joe is harder than nails.

Cookie_Monster

Saw a documentary on this guy recently: Koichi Nakano

Fairly epic and inspiring stuff, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koichi_Nakano
proved tot he world that Japanese keirin cycling is a valid sport by winning the world track sprint champs ten times in a row, he even won the last one after two training falls and several damaged ribs

Jawgap

Let's not be sexist about this, but Jeannie Longo has an impressive record......

........she may also acquire a less desirably record if the proposed hearing goes against her.

redzone

I went for a spin on the Mtb recently with a couple of retired guys, I'm 38 and would consider myself to have a reasonable level of fitness.

These 2 lads were 58 and 66, we met in Laragh and went up through Trooperstown then over some hills eventually returning via Glendalough.

I thought the going should be handy enough due to the lads ages. Well I got some shock, they were like mountain goats climbing the hills and like a cheeteh when decending and their enthusiasm was boundless.

What I took away from the day apart from sore legs and much respect for the lads was that I hope when I'm their age that I will still get that level of enjoyment from the sport.

Plus their kids (all now in their late 20s and 30s) get out and go Mtbing with them every other weekend. That would be a nice thing to look forward to in the future. My eldest has just started school and is loosing the stabilisers.

Keep_Her_Lit

redzone wrote: »

Plus their kids (all now in their late 20s and 30s) get out and go Mtbing with them every other weekend. That would be a nice thing to look forward to in the future. My eldest has just started school and is loosing the stabilisers.

Nice one! I'd like to be in that position in a few years, heading off on hilly spins with my own kids, though they may have a keener interest in other pursuits by then.

Well I got some shock, they were like mountain goats climbing the hills and like a cheeteh when decending and their enthusiasm was boundless.

I’ve also been surprised on several occasions at just how bloody fast some of these gnarly old hardnuts can be!
Regarding cycling longevity, it seems that many who’ve been into soccer, rugby or even running just don’t feel that they can keep it up beyond a certain point. The wear and tear is simply too great and eventually, the cumulative effect of past injuries and the risk of further injuries puts a spanner in the works.

That’s one of the big advantages of cycling. Crashes notwithstanding, it’s a low impact activity. Once your riding position is sorted, you can do an awful lot of pedalling without any adverse effects at all. Swimming is also in this category but is somewhat less practical. Granted, there are some Irish days on which you might consider swimming to work but in general, cycling works out better.

clonmahon

I’m 48, cycled a lot in my 20s, commuting and touring, gave it up for my 30s and most of my 40s. Started again in early 2011. I went back to the bike after giving up the fags and also to cut down on motoring costs. I have replaced the car with the bike for many journeys and in August I done a 500 km tour of the west of Ireland. I have never cycled competitively nor had any interest in doing so. As a touring cyclist my interest has always been in endurance cycling, staying on the bike for 10 or 12 hours carrying all my camping and cooking gear and enjoying the countryside.

The big difference I find in my late 40s is the recovery time is a lot more. In my 20s I could do 4 or 5 hard days on the bike and after 24 hours off it I was ready to do it again now it takes me 3 days to recover. The drop in speed, power and endurance is surprisingly little but I’m finding recovery is a killer.

Two quotes sum up why I love cycling
Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride
John F. Kennedy

It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle. ~Ernest Hemingway

For more bike quotes
http://www.quotegarden.com/bicycling.html