Getting back in to it

[Rock bus]

I’d got up to fairly decent club member riding ie comfortable at 50\60 miles at c16 mph and could do 100 mile sportive.
But gave it up to focus on running as had place in London Marathon.

Now trying to get back on bike but finding it REALLY tough - can’t do 16 at easy pace

It’s frustrating and thinking of just giving up cycling and sticking to running.

Any tips on getting back in it or is it just case of being patient and time on the bike?

[Cyril Haearn]

You could try doing a little of each and changing frequently between cycling and running
Maybe you need to suffer for a while, maybe it is difficult to be good at both

Thought of taking up a third sport, maybe swimming?

[whoof]

It depends what you want to achieve, it doesn't sound like you enjoy riding a bike that much which is always going it make difficult for you to find motivation to ride.

If you want to ride quicker you are probably best doing some structured training rather than just riding and trying to hold 16 mph.

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/knowl ... ning-plans

Look through these and see which best suits your current fitness and goals.

[Eyebrox]

I can't sustain 16mph either. But I am perfectly happy with 200 miles a week at between 10 and 14. No targets set, just enjoying cycling in retirement.

[al_yrpal]

My advice is, go for a short 5 day tour. Expect to do only 25 to 35 miles on your first day. Keep distances flexible and by the end of the tour you will be all set to resume your cycling. Arran, Islay and back to the mainland springs to mind.

Al

[Cugel]

I’d got up to fairly decent club member riding ie comfortable at 50\60 miles at c16 mph and could do 100 mile sportive.
But gave it up to focus on running as had place in London Marathon.

Now trying to get back on bike but finding it REALLY tough - can’t do 16 at easy pace

It’s frustrating and thinking of just giving up cycling and sticking to running.

Any tips on getting back in it or is it just case of being patient and time on the bike?

Are you expecting an instant ability? It's a modern habit to "want it now". Anyone, even 80 year olds, can persist to get better than last week. But it does take persistence, which is a combination of time and the ability to delay gratification, along with a big dollop of trying hard in a structured mode inclusive of the necessary recovery-adaptation time.

On the other hand, if you go out regularly and ride hard over varying terrain for varying distances and times, with plenty of good grub and rest between, you'll probably get faster. A million cyclists have done this before you, with no training plan, no particular goal and no data-measuring gizmos in sight. One advantage of this "method" is that you can reduce it to "going out on my bike for enjoyable bike rides". The enjoyment bit seems to automatically invoke the persistence, trying hard, rest periods, etcetera. Soon you are faster and go further.


Cugel

[foxyrider]

I’d got up to fairly decent club member riding ie comfortable at 50\60 miles at c16 mph and could do 100 mile sportive.
But gave it up to focus on running as had place in London Marathon.

Now trying to get back on bike but finding it REALLY tough - can’t do 16 at easy pace

When I were a lad I rode everywhere at @ 20mph - problem was, I couldn't get much quicker when I was racing, which I did a lot of, so I wasn't that successful! A few years later when work and other stuff was starting to get in the way, my general riding speed dropped but I could race quicker, go figure. Currently I do up to 200 miles/week at 15/16mph, on some days it might be 12mph, others closer to 17/18mph - that's solo riding, as soon as I get in a group the speed goes up! Yep, a group rides quicker than a single rider most times, I've done 200km sportives at 20mph plus in a group without getting unduly fatigued.

So if you were comfortable doing club rides at 16mph i'd be thinking solo rides at 12/14mph would be pretty reasonable, you don't say what pace you are managing but TBH I wouldn't worry about it, enjoy the ride, have a dig when you feel like it, sit up and enjoy the view when you don't. Regular riding will improve your ability to hold a faster pace if it really matters to you, but there is much more to cycling than just boshing down the road full gas.

[gbnz]

Thought of taking up a third sport, maybe swimming?

+1 - took up swimming myself in '16-'17', first time in a pool since the early 80's. Only took a couple of weeks to start feeling the improvement, absolutely fantastic once you get down to it (NB. And cycling, running, weight work have proved quite transferable).

[Rock bus]

Swimming really would kill me!

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,

Swimming really would kill me!

Kill me too but, that's why you do it to improve.
You sound fit enough anyway, I did choose once until I saw a chap do both and win too, its only retuning your muscles a bit.

[Cyril Haearn]

"one must get wet", a phrase I use often, meaning: one must suffer, expose oneself to a new language or activity
Havnae been swimming for many years either

[tmac100]

I can't sustain 16mph either. But I am perfectly happy with 200 miles a week at between 10 and 14. No targets set, just enjoying cycling in retirement.

At 72 y.o. (in June) I am back into bicycling. A week ago, I did 2.5 (!) miles and yesterday did almost 10. Now legs are sore. No matter - as I was injured badly (6 broken ribs and cracked pelvis) a year ago and lost motivation. Now healed and I will slowly build the distances to at most 25 miles/day on my week end ride days (solo around the campus) and just keep bicycling as much as possible after work during the week ... more walking too, now that my new pedometer works.