The Over 50's Support Thread.

[Bonus]

I had a bit of a wake up call last week . . .

 

A week last Sunday I did a 36km XC MTB race. Normally I'd do a 50km race no problem but this was pretty tough, due in part to a lack of training after helping out at the Enduro World Series here and then us moving house. Came 10th in my age group.

 

Then Monday and Tuesday I did two days of "hard manual labour" for Ramon the farmer. In a nutshell - I was standing on a short ladder, using a pitchfork to lift crushed grapes and stalks out of a 2000 litre wine cask in the cellar and drop them into small buckets to take to the second stage press outside. The small trap hatch was in the top of the laying down cask and I can tell you it was hard on the stomach and arms. Then I was crushing the grapes with a big Italian ratchet hand press. Again, hard work on the arms. 

 

Wednesday was my birthday and by Wednesday afternoon I was literally good for nothing. It was like having flu but with no runny nose or sore throat. I was literally so "tired" that I could barely lift a cup of tea.

 

I'm afraid that with all the stress we've had over the last two months, a lack of sleep and getting old, I just over did it.

 

Bottom line is, I may not be able to just throw myself at "anything that comes my way" and come out of it ok anymore . . . . Need to pace myself and make sure I get enough rest & recovery. 

[coppi]

Wine pressing and making wine the old way is very hard work.............I used to help out as a kid and remember being asleep by sunset...........but boy was it fun !

Decanting into bottles and taking a sip every so often was also fun, my first hangover and my grandad laughed his head off..........he did warn me !

Edited October 16, 2018 by coppi

[Bonus]

Yeah it's hard work. Deceptively so.

[Prince]

I always thought your body needs less sleep as you get older. Well a bad nights sleep and i am seriously knackered for a few days. 

Edited October 16, 2018 by Prince

[Harryn]

I had a bit of a wake up call last week . . .

 

A week last Sunday I did a 36km XC MTB race. Normally I'd do a 50km race no problem but this was pretty tough, due in part to a lack of training after helping out at the Enduro World Series here and then us moving house. Came 10th in my age group.

 

Then Monday and Tuesday I did two days of "hard manual labour" for Ramon the farmer. In a nutshell - I was standing on a short ladder, using a pitchfork to lift crushed grapes and stalks out of a 2000 litre wine cask in the cellar and drop them into small buckets to take to the second stage press outside. The small trap hatch was in the top of the laying down cask and I can tell you it was hard on the stomach and arms. Then I was crushing the grapes with a big Italian ratchet hand press. Again, hard work on the arms.

 

Wednesday was my birthday and by Wednesday afternoon I was literally good for nothing. It was like having flu but with no runny nose or sore throat. I was literally so "tired" that I could barely lift a cup of tea.

 

I'm afraid that with all the stress we've had over the last two months, a lack of sleep and getting old, I just over did it.

 

Bottom line is, I may not be able to just throw myself at "anything that comes my way" and come out of it ok anymore . . . . Need to pace myself and make sure I get enough rest & recovery.

Sobering post. stemming from pressing wine. How ironic. Strength to you, brother.

[Bonus]

Sobering post. stemming from pressing wine. How ironic. Strength to you, brother.

 

Thanks..... I wouldn't mind but I don't even drink the damn stuff!

[Bonus]

I always thought your body needs less sleep as you get older. Well a bad nights sleep and i am seriously knackered for a few days.

 

I know "really old people" do sleep less, but in my 50's I still need a good nights sleep. Especially if I'm working or playing hard.

[scotty]

Never too stupid old to learn, Wed I took dogs for a walk, get back and when I turn the key in my gate lock it snaps. I have palisade so there's no getting over that but my neighbor has a standard gate so i climb that then climb on the 6ft wall between us and jump down. Now as a kid we did this regularly and even used to jump off the roof for dares albeit on grass, besides been wrong side of half a century its also not a good idea to do it in sandals and onto concrete driveway. Sprained right foot has kept me hobbling and off the bike for 2 days now. 

[Bloukrans]

Never too stupid old to learn, Wed I took dogs for a walk, get back and when I turn the key in my gate lock it snaps. I have palisade so there's no getting over that but my neighbor has a standard gate so i climb that then climb on the 6ft wall between us and jump down. Now as a kid we did this regularly and even used to jump off the roof for dares albeit on grass, besides been wrong side of half a century its also not a good idea to do it in sandals and onto concrete driveway. Sprained right foot has kept me hobbling and off the bike for 2 days now.

Eish, hoop oom raak gou gesond!

[dev null]

So, I bailed out of this year's W2W at the last minute. Predicted temperatures too high and will be a risk to my health.

 

Feels real ***, I tell you. Last year I almost died on that mountain. Still not sure what my medical problem is. As soon as the temperatures goes up, my heart rate climbs through the roof and my body cooks, and I just lose all strength in my body. Took Vit B12 injections etc this year. Still have the issue.

 

Did a Boschendal 2 weekends ago in about 28 degrees, and the same problem reared its head.

 

Did full blood tests and resting EKG this year, and the only thing which came up was my Vit B12 that was too low.

 

Any ideas?

Edited October 22, 2018 by Moridin

[Help.Me.]

So, I bailed out of this year's W2W at the last minute. Predicted temperatures too high and will be a risk to my health.

 

Feels real ***, I tell you. Last year I almost died on that mountain. Still not sure what my medical problem is. As soon as the temperatures goes up, my heart rate climbs through the roof and my body cooks, and I just lose all strength in my body. Took Vit B12 injections etc this year. Still have the issue.

 

Did a Boschendal 2 weekends ago in about 28 degrees, and the same problem reared its head.

 

Did full blood tests and resting EKG this year, and the only thing which came up was my Vit B12 that was too low.

 

Any ideas?

Maybe train more in the heat of the day? By training i mean do long easy trips at first and later push a bit harder........but i am not a doctor. Do you take enough fluids on the bike?

[Cav']

So, I bailed out of this year's W2W at the last minute. Predicted temperatures too high and will be a risk to my health.

 

Feels real ***, I tell you. Last year I almost died on that mountain. Still not sure what my medical problem is. As soon as the temperatures goes up, my heart rate climbs through the roof and my body cooks, and I just lose all strength in my body. Took Vit B12 injections etc this year. Still have the issue.

 

Did a Boschendal 2 weekends ago in about 28 degrees, and the same problem reared its head.

 

Did full blood tests and resting EKG this year, and the only thing which came up was my Vit B12 that was too low.

 

Any ideas?

Maybe pick up some Antifreeze at Engen.

[dev null]

Maybe train more in the heat of the day? By training i mean do long easy trips at first and later push a bit harder........but i am not a doctor. Do you take enough fluids on the bike?

 

Yes. On the Boschendal ride (Black route, 23km, about 800m climbing), I went through 2 and a half bottles of water. That was supposed to be my training prep in heat. It was only about 28 that day on the mountainside. No wind. When there is wind I can handle it much better. When there is no wind my body just cooks.

[Bonus]

I can sympathize. In SA I had to have my summer rides done and dusted by 10am latest, due to the heat.

 

That's why I always suffered so much on the 94.7 type rides where we often didn't get going until 8.30 or 9am.

[AfricaMike]

Really enjoyed reading through this thread.  As a 53 year old my priorities on the bike have changed - I'm quite happy to chug along at a brisk (for me) pace, knowing I'm not going to win a sprint or a hillclimb against the younger generation.  This change in mindset has been a very liberating experience as I'm not out there to be faster or stronger - just simply enjoying riding the bike.  I've been riding bikes since the days when Hansom and Alpina were state-of-the-art and the only way to watch pro-cycling was to stand on the side of the road watching the Rapport Tour come past or chilling on the side of the track at Hector Norris.  I dont need the latest and greatest gadgets, and my 'old-school' aluminium MTB dual-sus and 105-specced road bike are perfect for what I need....

 

I also have a BMW GS parked in the garage for those days when I crave 2-wheels but am not in the mood for the effort :-)

[V12man]

 

Any ideas?

A visit to Dr Death....  he is a great cardiologist.

 

Dr Wouter Basson Cardiology

Telephone +27 21 979 0910 Address 4b Lompre House Loerie Park,

15 Paul Kruger Street,

Durbanville, 7550 Location Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa