# I used to be fast! What happened?



## beastmaster (Sep 19, 2012)

I am 57 years old. I am fit, very active, and take care of myself. My whole life I have been an athlete.

I raced mountain bikes in cat 2 for several years before going up to cat 1 for a few seasons. The last two years of my racing stint were single speeding. I did well, with occasional podium places and at the very least in the top of my age group. It was fun (if you call paying money to feel like that "fun!" Haha!)

In early January of 2019 I tore my ACL and sustained minor damage to my lateral meniscus. I had hamstring autograft surgery at the end of February, about 6 weeks following the original injury. I was non-weight bearing for almost 8 weeks to allow the single meniscus stitch to heal. I did my PT, worked hard, and did as told by my physician and therapist. By the end of September I was riding challenging single track again. I was given the green light to ski the '19-'20 season. I rode bikes a lot in 2020. It was the rebuilding year. I skied the '20-'21 season too. No problems with the knee anymore.

But! I am definitely not as fast or as strong as I was before the accident, even though I worked hard to regain fitness and my overall strength. (However, I did ski really well, but skiing is considerably easier than riding bikes. Haha!)

So, is this the new normal? The beginning of the "decline?" I certainly hope not!

It used to be easy to recover from bad injuries and get back to a high level. That is definitely not the case anymore. I find myself being more timid in challenging terrain; Places where pushing hard is required and not doing so is actually more dangerous. Strange how the mind works when we become instinctually more risk adverse.

Tell us your stories of coming back from injuries and how you either overcame your fear of re-injury or adapted to it.


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## Mountainfrog (Mar 7, 2006)

I've had the exact same experience and background. It started at 57, I believe I was my fittest at 53. I'm 67 now! The years, and injuries add up. The best I can do is stay fit. I've adjusted my riding style accordingly. I start out slower to warm up better and I find I can finish most of my ride like the old hero I was. I avoid the double blacks, mostly because I know my reaction time and overall timing is slower. I'm not intimidated by anything else though, I practice my skillsets every chance, and I don't push as hard. I don't have to. Keeping it fun is what it's all about, right?


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

Aging does bring about changes! I've never suffered any serious injuries that required more than just some time to heal superficial wounds, pulls, etc. but battle with occasional pain in various spots. 

Beast, maybe you'll regain that confidence again. I'm only a few years behind you but still try to challenge myself within reason.


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## Mike Aswell (Sep 1, 2009)

I've had both ACLs repaired. One with hamstring autograft (2000 at age 20) and one with patellar autograft (2013 at age 33).

In the long run I have been happier with the hamstring knee (LOL) but there is no doubt it took a long time for that hamstring to completely recover and compensate for the missing tendons. On a bike I can hammer when I want to, but if I try to truly fully sprint running, it always feels like I am on the cusp of pulling that hamstring, even 21 years later.

The recovery from the patellar one was faster - yes muscles are impacted by the cutting/surgery, but the piece they harvest is basically just the center of your knee cap -- but I have pain in that knee that the ortho said would never go away, because of the hole in my knee cap.

All that to say, keep working on your hamstring, it could be more of a factor than you think.


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## d365 (Jun 13, 2006)

Maybe you're just looking at it wrong. You had a significant injury, and yet you are skiing and riding hard again, in less than 2 years later. In the not too distant past, you'd be wearing a metal knee brace for the rest of your life, and getting on with a bum knee. Having had the same ACL reconstruction, I think you're still healing, but in small imperceivable ways now. You had a lot of severed nerves. Lost part of your hamstring. 

As far as risk aversion... well, you aren't getting any younger, but that aversion tends to wane as you forget and confidence returns. Sometimes to our detriment.


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## shakazulu12 (Jul 14, 2015)

I'm three years out of my ACL surgery, we harvested from my hamstring as well. I had some complications that resulted in my VMO not firing properly for almost 18 months. Finally got through that. I'm finding I can mountain bike fine, and continue to get stronger literally every week. But snowboarding and basketball are still huge problems since the forces are more lateral and explosive. It's just a process. Since covid started and I couldn't go out as much. I just went nuts with weights and have been determined to get it all back. The results have been impressive and I expect to be fully recovered in another year perhaps. Which is a full 4 years after the surgery. These things just take time, but with the right mindset, you will get there.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

The decline began at 26, you just didn't notice it 

Might be time to learn how to smell the flowers ...


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## Dickies138 (Nov 24, 2020)

20 years ago your injuries might have meant that you'd be out of action permanently. At least you're back out there doing the activities you love. So you're a little slower. Most would expect that as we age. Sounds like you have the drive to get back to where you were. Don't forget to have fun!


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## mtnbkrmike (Mar 26, 2015)

I blame it on age and DD MaxxGripp Minions 😝

I’m just happy to be able to get out there and still spend quality time with my daughter, who is on her way up fast. Lucky her. At least I get to relive through her the joy I experienced when I too improved fast with mileage.

I’m at the point of being happy to get out there with her and to do what I can to try to prolong that, as long as I possibly can. It’s been an unbelievable run so far.

Biking has been the equivalent of medication and counselling, and a way to stay very close to my 20 year old daughter. Very grateful, even if I am getting slower and slower out there...

Off to Zwift!


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## JCKID58 (Nov 20, 2017)

62 now, been an "athlete", I am using that term extremely loosely here, since I was in my teens. While all my buddies were chugging beers I was staying hydrated drinking water, training to be the next motocross champion. Went on to body building, bicycle racing, road and MTB, duathlons, triathlons got into the OCR craze recently. Through out all of this dirt bikes and bicycles have been the constant addiction. Early 2017 on the way to a Spartan Race at FT. Benning my colon burst while driving. I'll save the details but almost didn't survive it. It happened again the following June literally 3 days after I was released to go back to work, I knew what was happening this time, another 8 days in the hospital, about 6 weeks later had surgery to remove a foot or so of my colon. Lost over 30 lbs. through it all, lost almost all my muscle mass. 4 years later nothing is the same. My body doesn't respond to what used to be my normal diet, workout routines. I have gained probably 20 of those lost pounds back and I am stuck there. The infection seems to have affected all my internal organs, nothing works the same. We ride at least 3 days a week and I can count on about every 6th or 7th ride being just a painful horrible experience. Gut pain spikes for no apparent reason, the pain causes my heart rate to stay spiked. In all I can't get the strength back or endurance that I had before this happened. I've been to various specialist with no real results, so I keep pushing forward on my own trying to relearn what makes my body tick. 

Plus the decline started at 26 and I didn't notice!!


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

beastmaster said:


> I am 57 years old. I am fit, very active, and take care of myself. My whole life I have been an athlete.
> 
> I raced mountain bikes in cat 2 for several years before going up to cat 1 for a few seasons. The last two years of my racing stint were single speeding. I did well, with occasional podium places and at the very least in the top of my age group. It was fun (if you call paying money to feel like that "fun!" Haha!)
> 
> ...


Wait until you turn 60 which I now consider the start of middle age.

Your actual physical decline starts in your late 20's according to my RN wife who continues to push her physical limits at 66.

Anyone who tells you that you can be as fast as you "were" whenever the "were" was is feeding you baloney.

You get old. You get slow. You don't have to stop until you die.


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## pelts79 (Feb 29, 2008)

I am 59, turning 60 in six months with battered knees. This year I really noticed the desire less to get on it and noticed my slow down. I just learned to enjoy the ride more than the time finishing it. I can still go long distances, just a little slower and that's ok with me. I'm thankful I can still ride.


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## KRob (Jan 13, 2004)

No serious injuries to recover from but I do notice I'm a little less willing to push myself really hard and take unreasonable chances to knock a few seconds off my strava times at 60. However, I was feeling really good the other day, and the dirt was perfect, and everything just felt smooth and in sync on a particular black descent and I was happy to find I'd posted my second fastest time ever on that descent when I finished. That's over 100 efforts including 15 race day efforts over the course of the last 15 years. My PR was posted almost 5 years ago, so maybe there's still hope of getting faster.


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

Now 67, I noticed my greatest decline in ability beginning at, ahem, age 57.

Just 10 years ago.

From age 47 through 58 I raced 100 milers. 57 was a return-to-racing year for me after taking a few years off. Finishing my first 100 miler in six years nearly killed me, but I did finish. And I told myself that I was rebuilding, that next year would be easier.

It wasn't.

58 was even worse. That was my final year racing.

I was surprised at how precipitous my athletic decline had been. But what could I do?

Accept the inevitable. Age gracefully. Ride for fun.

Which I do now -- ride for fun. Inasmuch as I still ride a lot, I realize I'm actually still pretty strong. I ride with lots of friends and I'm still in the hunt. And I'm having more fun than ever. "Training" is overrated. Perspective is everything 
=sParty


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## BujiBiker (Jun 7, 2019)

Had knee surgery two years ago. Blew my knee out the first time in 16. Finally did it good in 18 at the dojo. My muscles were strong, just didn’t have any joint stability. 3 days post surgery my whole leg was jello. Never seen atrophy that fast or drastic. I’ve done over 6 months of pt and I still can’t stand up to pedal. My quad has never come back. Then COVID hit and couldn’t go to the gym. Weights and hill climbing are what’s needed for me. I’ve only ridden 3 times since december. Too wet for the trails. I’m happy to be able to stand on the pedals. Couldn’t do that till the end of season last year.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

Nurse Ben said:


> The decline began at 26, you just didn't notice it
> 
> Might be time to learn how to smell the flowers ...


I have no doubt that I would crush my 26 y/o self. There are a few benefits from being such a slacker and abusing myself in my younger years.

Nearing 60 now and I really feel like I'm as fit or fitter than I've ever been. I know that won't last too many more years but I'm enjoying it now. Count my blessings every day and feel very fortunate for sure.


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## rod9301 (Oct 30, 2004)

I'm 72, and spent the winter in France. Unfortunately all the ski resorts were closed this winter.
So i backcountry skied 15 hours a week, must of it at like intensity, except for an hour or so each time, when i was climbing couloirs which was at higher intensity.

Coming back to mountain biking, 8 was fitter than ever, so it's possible to improve fitness even when old.

I also lift heavy, for legs, regularly, and moderate for upper body and a ton of core.



Sent from my Redmi Note 8 Pro using Tapatalk


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## chazpat (Sep 23, 2006)

I'm also 57. I crashed bad in a gravel race a year and a half ago and broke six bones. I feel like I ride more conservatively now, I even get down on myself about it, but on my ride this past weekend, I got 4 PRs, two that were the full loop, not just some little section. I was surprised as I was on my rigid SS on trails that don't have all that much elevation, just tons of momentum stealing rocks and roots and I was just riding, not going for PRs, I actually use RideWithGPS and just have it linked to Strava.

And before this, I rode somewhat conservatively as I'm on blood thinners and a bad crash with heavy bleeding or a concussion could be bad. I rode hard enough that I knew I'd have a bad crash someday, sure thought it would be on the trail and not the gravel. I'll wash out and go down occasionally but I don't corner so fast that I would go flying off the trail and into a tree.

I've raced different formats from sprint tris to adventure races but the only podiums I've been on were for smaller 5K foot races and just age group. I do think my mtb muscle memory is still increasing, I'm surprised at the distance I'm doing so early this year after riding less last year and not running but despite the PRs, I don't think I'm getting any faster. But that's ok.


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## ElTortoise (Jul 27, 2015)

No injuries to speak of (knock on wood) but I'm finding age is certainly no friend when it comes to trying to get faster biking or running. The fact we're riding into our mid to late fifties, sixties, and some on this forum into their seventies or older means we're doing better than most people in our age bracket and a good many more half our age. Just get out and enjoy the ride while you can.


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## paramount3 (Jul 13, 2014)

Just being on the bike is enough. I'm almost 57, lifelong runner and cyclist (not a racer), and as of about a year ago I really can't run anymore due to a sore back and sore knees. I mean, I can run, but what's the point? No spring in the tendons, it's basically speed walking when I do run, and it doesn't feel good, not like the old days of running shirtless for 8 miles on a warm evening and just feeling in touch with the world. But I can walk OK, and I can ride a bike, and I want to preserve these two abilities as long as possible. A few days ago I was feeling pretty good and let the bike go on a familiar descent, got a Strava PR. Now many of you might be happy with that, but when I saw that I told myself "you f'ing idiot!" Getting a PR means you were going fast, going fast means you were pushing your limits, pushing your limits means a high probability of a crash, and a crash means high probability of injury. Probability will eventually catch up with you. Just being on the bike is enough. My father at age 57 was still able to play golf, but was quite overweight, had high BP, and was a few years from being diagnosed with type II diabetes. I'm on a bike 4-6 days a week, sometimes just a 5 mile round trip commute, but it makes me feel good. Just ride and be happy.


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## deuxdiesel (Jan 14, 2007)

Age happens. For some people it is a slower creep than others, but it always wins. I had some success in MTB and CX races 10 years ago, but that was only due to skills developed over years of riding and not actual peak fitness. Even my skill set has diminished now, as I take a more cautious approach to riding because injuries take much longer to heal these days.


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## fredcook (Apr 2, 2009)

*I used to be fast! What happened?*

To you, nothing. The rest of the world just got faster...


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

deuxdiesel said:


> Age happens. For some people it is a slower creep than others, but it always wins. I had some success in MTB and CX races 10 years ago, but that was only due to skills developed over years of riding and not actual peak fitness. Even my skill set has diminished now, as I take a more cautious approach to riding because injuries take much longer to heal these days.


I am more cautious at 71 (almost 72) because at 82 I still want to be riding, not wondering how I got so slow or why I hurt so much that I can't ride.

We have two choices, old or dead and dead always wins eventually.


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## Prognosticator (Feb 15, 2021)

I'm 54. Like so many of you, I've been an athlete all my life. I played lacrosse and football. Started MTBing in the 90's. Added road riding to the mix in the early 2000s. I lift weights 3 X week. I am fortunate to work at a major university that has an incredible gym that costs me nothing and is often filled with college students who are incredibly strong and push me just by their presence. I am also fortunate to manage a team that includes people much younger than myself. In terms of growing old, I can't over-emphasize the importance of being around young people. I hope to avoid ever having to live in a "retirement community" or assisted living facility where I am surrounded by all old people just waiting it out.

As for MTB, sure I have gotten slower and more risk-averse over the years, but I am happy just to be doing it and to have the time and health to carry on. I look around at other men my age, and I am way ahead of most. Where I live, walking into the woods, climbing a tree and sitting in a deer stand is the most exercise most guys my age get. I have nothing against hunting BTW, I'm just using that as an example.


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## jabrabu (Aug 2, 2010)

I'm 59, and while I expect for my athletic performance to decline as I age, the decline over the past few years has been so rapid that I feel like something is wrong with me. All my health markers are good (weight, blood pressure, blood chemistry, etc.), but my biking and running speed have significantly declined, and I can no longer keep up with the guys I used to ride with. If I try to exercise more or with greater intensity to get faster I can't recover from the harder workouts or greater volume. It's frustrating.
The good thing is that I have focused more on skills training and have actually improved some of my skills.


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## Prognosticator (Feb 15, 2021)

jabrabu said:


> I'm 59, and while I expect for my athletic performance to decline as I age, the decline over the past few years has been so rapid that I feel like something is wrong with me. All my health markers are good (weight, blood pressure, blood chemistry, etc.), but my biking and running speed have significantly declined, and I can no longer keep up with the guys I used to ride with. If I try to exercise more or with greater intensity to get faster I can't recover from the harder workouts or greater volume. It's frustrating.
> The good thing is that I have focused more on skills training and have actually improved some of my skills.


We are all aging for the first and only time. That's why I think a forum like this can be so important for comparing our circumstances to others. If something doesn't feel right and it doesn't comport with the experiences of other similarly-situated people (i.e. others on this forum), you might consider getting help. We don't want you suffering needlessly.


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## beastmaster (Sep 19, 2012)

Interesting replies! I appreciate everyone's experiences and thoughts. Thank you all for sharing.

Here is a little more about my experiences. I played basketball at a D1 school throughout college. I was certainly my fastest in those days. Like @Nurse Ben said, I was in speed decline since my mid to late 20's. I gave up B-ball in my mid-30's.

I have skied my whole life (Yes, even through college but without my coaches knowledge or permission. Haha) After college skiing became my winter-time profession. I taught skiing for about 10 years and at the end I was a fully certified and a level 2 coach for PSIA. Except when I am backcountry, skiing is easy. Hiking/skinning for those turns is hard.

I started riding mountain bikes while I was instructing--sometime in the late 80's or early 90's. I rode, but didn't really begin to ride hard until I was in my early 40's, by which point all my friends were way faster than I was. Even at that point, I didn't really focus on bike handling much while my friends were all riding crazy lines. Bike handling came to play more in my late 40's. I started racing in my late 40's too. Sort of late to the game! Haha!

The crew I ride with are all about my age (52-close to 60). We go hard and fast. I was one of the faster in the group for years (after I learned how to ride!!!) Many in the group regularly set KOM's on climbs and descents. I used to be one of them.

However, this year feels quite different. Maybe its the result of the injury, maybe its hormonal, maybe it's my lack of really going deep into the pain box (something I love to do, but do find myself doing less for some reason). At 57 I still can go hard on skis. Way faster and harder than almost anyone on the hill (even this past year). But on the bike I am not in that same position. It is an emotional and psychological challenge to either accept this new state or push into it. I am still waiting to see which will prevail.


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## d365 (Jun 13, 2006)

"It is an emotional and psychological challenge to either accept this new state or push into it. I am still waiting to see which will prevail."

Do both. You certainly need to accept that you're not as young as you used to be, but at the same time, you should celebrate what you can do. There are tons of people, who wish they had your level of activity, ability, and fitness that you enjoy now. Live in the moment. Good days, I push into it. Days I'm not feeling it, I just take it as it comes and enjoy riding in nature. I still tend to have more good days, and rip, but I'm also not trying to relive some "good old days" or compare myself to it.


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## PlankSpanker (Oct 3, 2010)

Just to throw a few more logs on the fire, I also saw a decline right at 59-ish. Could not recover as quickly, dropped some lbs on my weightlifting PR's and so on. Aging and decline is inevitable, but I expected more of a ride off into the sunset than hitting a wall 

Before you go feeling sorry for yourself, consider that there are folks like Ned Overend (age 65) that can still spank ANY of us as well as 99% of ALL riders. Even as you age, there is a very good chance that this is not actually your limiter - training, nutrition, recovery, strategy, experience etc.. all go a long way towards overall fitness and very few of us are operating at our genetic potential. I am constantly reminded of this as I get dropped by 70 year olds on group rides.

Setting aside immutable physical laws for a moment, I also find that being "old" has benefits. I can finally afford to have a nice bike and go to places I never could while trying to establish a career and raising a family. Having survived cancer a number of times along with some other drama, I am truly grateful every time I "get to" (not have to) go for a ride. Instead of rushing around or wasting time on social media, I know that I only have a few more quarters to put in the machine so I make sure they count. He who has the most fun wins, and this has very little relationship to age.

Phew, I'm exhausted - time for a nap!


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

d365 said:


> Do both. You certainly need to accept that you're not as young as you used to be, but at the same time, you should celebrate what you can do. There are tons of people, who wish they had your level of activity, ability, and fitness that you enjoy now. Live in the moment. Good days, I push into it. Days I'm not feeling it, I just take it as it comes and enjoy riding in nature. I still tend to have more good days, and rip, but I'm also not trying to relive some "good old days" or compare myself to it.


I agree. You know the difference between those strong days and those where you're body is just tired from the prior workouts. I'm getting better at allowing myself days off every now and then because I've learned that I'm rewarded with a few days of feeling like I'm 30 again...


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## Prognosticator (Feb 15, 2021)

beastmaster said:


> Interesting replies! I appreciate everyone's experiences and thoughts. Thank you all for sharing.
> 
> Here is a little more about my experiences. I played basketball at a D1 school throughout college. I was certainly my fastest in those days. Like @Nurse Ben said, I was in speed decline since my mid to late 20's. I gave up B-ball in my mid-30's.
> 
> ...


If you were a D-1 athlete in anything, then your body has seen some wear-and-tear and you should be accustomed to going "deep into the pain box." And you have a great advantage over most others in understanding your body and its reactions to stress. Again, if something doesn't feel right, talk to someone who can help. My mom was fiercely independent, intense and high energy. She did everything fast as the result of being a mother of five. I visited her when she was 78 and noticed a change in energy and her needing to rest. Of course, I thought it was old age. I still remember her telling me, "You need to be more patient with me. I don't have the energy I used to." That admission was hard for me to believe. I even talked to my brothers and sisters about it. Six months later she was dead from cancer.

We all need to listen closely to our bodies and not take them for granted.


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## TheBaldBlur (Jan 13, 2014)

I'm 58 and one of the (many!) things I notice about riding now vs riding 20-30 yrs ago is that I am MUCH more risk-averse now. For me that makes me slower than I could be even on familiar trails. On an side-note, I began TRT about a year ago and have noticed that same risk-aversion has diminished some compared to before I started. While I still don't "live for pushing the limits" like I used to, I'm notably faster on the same trails but that could also be conditioning, strength, confidence....


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## 33red (Jan 5, 2016)

You are still fast, you just need to add in my age group.
I am 63 and i limit myself to 4hrs of daily exercise. I was doing 6,
i was also doing 8hrs when i was younger.


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## beastmaster (Sep 19, 2012)

Well, yesterday I was fast: a KOM on a 10 minute climb, a fourth place overall on a 15 minute climb, and a whole bunch of PR's. So who the f-ck knows! Haha!

Funny thing was it was late in the afternoon and I was equivocating as to whether I would ride or not. I didn't feel like I was fast, but I guess I was.


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## BmanInTheD (Sep 19, 2014)

I'm 61 and my "decline" started about 56-57. At least more rapid decline. I started back training at about 54 after taking a few years off and made really good gains for a couple years. Then I noticed I couldn't recover as well and wasn't making the gains anymore. Started asking around and it seems the general consensus with whom I asked was that around 55-ish is when most people started to really notice a difference. Now it's to the point where I'm just trying not to lose much from year to year. Still having fun, though!


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## Preston67 (Mar 20, 2008)

I'm not as fast as I used to think I was.


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## beastmaster (Sep 19, 2012)

Sunday's ride was a good one too. 21 miles and 3100 vertical feet climbed in a little under 3 hours. I got an astonishing 41 achievements! No top 10's anywhere but faster everywhere. So it appears what I am lacking most is consistency plus a little top end. Working on that stuff is tough.

I am taking 2 days off a week and every other week 3 days a week off the bike. The recovery time is helping. Plus, right when I walk in the door I am making myself a protein shake. My hydration is also been better more recently.


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## BujiBiker (Jun 7, 2019)

I rode a whole four miles today. In the 900‘ elevation of the flatland Midwest. It was pretty fast today. Perfect dirt before it rains again for two days. Grrr! The biggest reason though was new brakes. New 4 pot Quadiums vs mushy SRAM Level 2 pots. My new(ish) bike feels brand new with quality stoppers.

And easier trails vs my regular ones. But I did t say that.


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## Champion_Monster (Nov 30, 2014)

KRob said:


> No serious injuries to recover from but I do notice I'm a little less willing to push myself really hard and take unreasonable chances to knock a few seconds off my strava times at 60. However, I was feeling really good the other day, and the dirt was perfect, and everything just felt smooth and in sync on a particular black descent and I was happy to find I'd posted my second fastest time ever on that descent when I finished. That's over 100 efforts including 15 race day efforts over the course of the last 15 years. My PR was posted almost 5 years ago, so maybe there's still hope of getting faster.


My plan is to internalize these types of stories and disregard the other less optimistic ones. My bias will win the day!


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## Tall BMX'r (Jan 11, 2021)

I watched two really good South swells roll through but I can't surf because of my recent mtb crash. About all I can do right now is walk down to the beach and watch. I cleaned my bike up today. Straightened out my bars and seat post. Put air in the tires and washed the bike. Checked everything over, no cracks in the frame. Rode it around the yard but it hurt to pull the brakes with two sprained wrists. Still can't sleep a solid night because of my cracked ribs. It only hurts when I lay down. I've never been hurt like this surfing, skiing or mtb'g. Skateboarding when I was a kid, YES. Lots of broken bones and painful impacts. I rode Mammoth the first year they opened it for mtb'g. No suspension. Then singletracked with a hardtail and long travel fork. Jumped but nothing crazy because it was a hardtail. Didn't ride much for the past 8 years, just surfed and raced open ocean paddleboards. Got a used hardtail about a year and a half ago and started riding with a group. I've been riding 3 times a week mostly XC and flow trails. Bought a SC Hightower with more suspension than I've ever had. Plus an XXL frame that fits me. Started hitting the steep DH trails and bigger jumps over the last 3 months. 
All my past BMX & motocross racing was coming back to me. Sending it and getting used to the suspension. Then an endo crash on a double black diamond DH trail. Over the bars and smashed my Gopro against my chest. Torso impact. Dusted myself off and rode on. Back on the trail 2 days later. Lesson not learned. This recent crash has really opened my eyes to the reality of my age. Balance and reaction time is slower. Endurance has dropped a little, but I can hang with everyone in my riding group. I've been starting all my rides by heading right up to the Jumpline. I was kinda obsessing with jumping. That is not going to happen anymore. Just ride the flow and avoid the double black diamond tracks. Leave it to the young guns and their gravity bikes..... My jumping boat has sailed.


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## gdb85 (Mar 4, 2017)

A little running cliche in our group..."the older I get the faster I was", lol. I take things with a grain of salt nowadays, definitely can't do the things I use to do but am still pretty fit and love to ride. As long as I'm having fun I'll keep riding, push things a little but stay within my limits.


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

gdb85 said:


> A little running cliche in our group..."the older I get the faster I was", lol. I take things with a grain of salt nowadays, definitely can't do the things I use to do but am still pretty fit and love to ride. As long as I'm having fun I'll keep riding, push things a little but stay within my limits.


With me its more "the older I get, the slower I was." Some of my riding buddies used to refer to me as "Sherpa" because I could climb anything at a slow, steady pace. I may be faster now but that is likely because of 29" wheels and lighter equipment but I still love to climb.

Where I have become faster is on a road bike. I did my first post Covid group ride yesterday and easily hung at the front, passed people on climbs and sprinted to finish second at the end. Yup, it was an older group but I'm older then sin these days so it counted for something.

Just some rambling from an old fart who doesn't know when to quit.


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## JCKID58 (Nov 20, 2017)

I just picked up a copy of the book, Fast after Fifty, that someone referenced earlier in this thread. It was just delivered a couple days ago, I'm only about 50 pages in, but I'm so glad I got this book. It has given me a fresh view of where I'm at physically and mentally. I was starting to believe "the voices" real and imagined that were telling me maybe it's time to back it down, stop trying so hard, stop having too high of expectations, just settle. 
"You know, you're not young anymore, maybe you need to just accept it" 
"You know those surgeries really took a lot out of you, you will never be the same." 
I really recommend this book. I might be late to the party on this book but it has opened my eyes to what is still possible. I'm excited to start pushing harder again, first time in a while I've felt this way!


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## beastmaster (Sep 19, 2012)

JCKID58 said:


> I just picked up a copy of the book, Fast after Fifty, that someone referenced earlier in this thread. It was just delivered a couple days ago, I'm only about 50 pages in, but I'm so glad I got this book. It has given me a fresh view of where I'm at physically and mentally. I was starting to believe "the voices" real and imagined that were telling me maybe it's time to back it down, stop trying so hard, stop having too high of expectations, just settle.
> "You know, you're not young anymore, maybe you need to just accept it"
> "You know those surgeries really took a lot out of you, you will never be the same."
> I really recommend this book. I might be late to the party on this book but it has opened my eyes to what is still possible. I'm excited to start pushing harder again, first time in a while I've felt this way!


Resistance is futile! Haha!
I am always pushing myself. I have some new tactics which I am deploying to help with fitness and consistency. It is going to take a few months to see how things shape up, but I already am showing some good gains.
Learning to be faster is a result of putting in the time, miles, and having the discipline to push just enough in all sorts of places and ways to expand the envelope a little bit at a time. Ride your ride and not someone else's.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

JCKID58 said:


> I just picked up a copy of the book, Fast after Fifty, that someone referenced earlier in this thread. It was just delivered a couple days ago, I'm only about 50 pages in, but I'm so glad I got this book. It has given me a fresh view of where I'm at physically and mentally. I was starting to believe "the voices" real and imagined that were telling me maybe it's time to back it down, stop trying so hard, stop having too high of expectations, just settle.
> "You know, you're not young anymore, maybe you need to just accept it"
> "You know those surgeries really took a lot out of you, you will never be the same."
> I really recommend this book. I might be late to the party on this book but it has opened my eyes to what is still possible. I'm excited to start pushing harder again, first time in a while I've felt this way!


I swear by it; got it when it was published and it's on my night stand for regular reference.

I've learned a lot from his work, and how he targets those three main issues that impacted by age.


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## Dave Mac (Jan 9, 2017)

this is a most interesting topic to me, I Just started mounting biking at the age of 52 and have been getting faster every year now at the age of 55, and have been wondering when the decline will come LOL, this year I have seen my biggest gains all around. I think the gains have really come from me also starting to do 2 days a weeks of leg lifting. 

Wonder those of you that have have been MTB for a while, at what age did you actually see the decline in speed loss???


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## Tall BMX'r (Jan 11, 2021)

This year at 57. Not really slowing down, but lack of desire to compete. I used to train to compete. Without that up coming race, the training is just a average work out or a ride. No goals set.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

Responses:

“I’m faster than I used to be”
“I’m old and it’s okay”
“I think my T is low”
”I’m not that old yet”

Reality:

Getting old is natural
Getting slower as we age is natural
Getting frustrated about getting slower as we age is unhealthy.

Conclusion:

Adjusting to aging is better than the alternative 👍


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

Tall BMX'r said:


> This year at 57. Not really slowing down, but lack of desire to compete. I used to train to compete. Without that up coming race, the training is just a average work out or a ride. No goals set.


Unsolicited advice: change your goal(s). Speaking for myself, although I don't ride quite as many hours per week as I did when I was racing, I changed my priorities in such a way that I have more fun hours.

I changed my definition of "fun." When I was younger and racing, I certainly found a degree of fun within the brutality of it. And I made sure there was plenty of brutality. If I could endure the agony better than my mates, then I could win. Achievement -- enduring brutality more successfully than others -- was a large slice of my "fun" pie back in those days.

Not so much anymore.

The difference? With ageing, recovery took longer. Too long. From one week to the next, I could no longer recover quickly enough to compete.

I learned to embrace what I have. Happiness is less about getting what we want and more about wanting what we get. I feel lucky to be alive, lucky to have my mobility, lucky to still be riding at a high level at 67. In fact, I think riding mountain bikes like I do at this advanced age is kind of crazy.

But I do it.

And I'm going to keep doing it as long as I can -- as long as it's fun.
=sParty


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

Sparticus said:


> Unsolicited advice: change your goal(s). Speaking for myself, although I don't ride quite as many hours per week as I did when I was racing, I changed my priorities in such a way that I have more fun hours.
> 
> I changed my definition of "fun." When I was younger and racing, I certainly found a degree of fun within the brutality of it. And I made sure there was plenty of brutality. If I could endure the agony better than my mates, then I could win. Achievement -- enduring brutality more successfully than others -- was a large slice of my "fun" pie back in those days.
> 
> ...


Changing goals is always a way to change things up. I used to have a goal of riding 100 days a season and skiing 80 days. Now the goal is a combined 180 day so some years, I ski less but ride more and can always change it up. I like to accumulate vertical too but its my goal and I don't share it with anyone. I always combine road and mountain biking days because any day on a bike is a great day. At almost 72, I think I'm riding at a high level but who really cares?


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

Rev Bubba said:


> I think I'm riding at a high level but who really cares?


You do and that's what matters. We're close enough to the same age that I hope I can speak for both of us, Rev. At this time in our lives we should do whatever we want. 
=sParty


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

Sparticus said:


> You do and that's what matters. We're close enough to the same age that I hope I can speak for both of us, Rev. At this time in our lives we should do whatever we want.
> =sParty


Yes we should and if we are lucky, we can.


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## ZX11 (Dec 24, 2020)

Just ordered the Fast After Fifty book. It was $8 paperback at Amazon. I hope it isn't just about bike racing. I ride for exercise and am interested in weight training too.


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## plummet (Jul 8, 2005)

The older I get the better I was!

Yes. As the injury count grows so too does the recovery time. 

Now I'm all about the grin factor. If I'm grinning I'm winning.


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## fredcook (Apr 2, 2009)

plummet said:


> The older I get the better I was!


👍


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

Nurse Ben said:


> Reality:


Still snag occasional pr's and realize that every one may be my last.

Conclusion: Carpe Diem!


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

My favorite style of riding was DH especially the steep and twisty sections. I found it fun and exhilarating and despite being fairly new to the sport I picked up skills quickly. I even did a couple of races. Then I had a terrible crash in 2015 and ended up in ICU trauma followed a few weeks of recovery. I dialled back my riding. I am currently happy riding fun trails and being in nature snapping photos etc. I still get a thrill going down and making through some tough sections.

For my recovery after my crash (I had a lot of bones to heal) I started running and I haven't stopped. My cardio improved and I've discovered that it's never too late to learn something new plus I'm getting fitter as I age. I now train to run long distance but I also work on sprints and tempo. I'm not the same as I was, I'm not as fast as a 30 year old but I've adjusted. I can still hone my skills riding year round; it's just that I've set different goals and found new things that excite me


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

cyclelicious said:


> My favorite style of riding was DH especially the steep and twisty sections. I found it fun and exhilarating and despite being fairly new to the sport I picked up skills quickly. I even did a couple of races. Then I had a terrible crash in 2015 and ended up in ICU trauma followed a few weeks of recovery. I dialled back my riding. I am currently happy riding fun trails and being in nature snapping photos etc. I still get a thrill going down and making through some tough sections.
> 
> For my recovery after my crash (I had a lot of bones to heal) I started running and I haven't stopped. My cardio improved and I've discovered that it's never too late to learn something new plus I'm getting fitter as I age. I now train to run long distance but I also work on sprints and tempo. I'm not the same as I was, I'm not as fast as a 30 year old but I've adjusted. I can still hone my skills riding year round; it's just that I've set different goals and found new things that excite me


That is the cycle of life. We push. We crash. We heal. We pull back. We have fun.


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