Like these things that change over time, I turned 45 candles this year.
Back in December and January I decided or at least started thinking about my up and coming 2011 cycling season and mentally putting together some goals for the year and considering all the time and effort required to hit the mark on said events.
I determined I would not attend the NUE Endurance races I did in 2010, nor would I have an interest in participating in an entire spring road-race season. I would focus more on having some fun, doing the races I wanted to do, rather than the ones I felt like I should do...Maybe a sign of a change in my perception of cycling in my life or a sign of old age?
What I have learned about turning 45?
I Can't Do It All
I have to be more picky or selective in the races and rides I choose to attend. I am not 30 anymore. Plus this year I just didn't have an interest in spending 6 hours mountain biking on a Saturday and 3 hours on Sunday. It wasn't appealing in January and isn't now in September. I need to listen to my body more, listen to my brain more, where both maybe telling me, "there's nothing here, ride back home". I must choose my battles so to speak. Plus I'd like to spend more time at home, doing things with the BWE, friends, family and projects around our home.
Wed and Friday
Generally on Tuesdays and Thursdays I put in some harder workouts and efforts and I've certainly noticed in the early a.m. on Wed and Friday's at work I am getting out of my chair slower and walking funny for a few steps till my stuff comes around. My co-workers even notice, but they really have no idea, what I've put my body through on the day prior. They think I was just out 'riding my bike' which I was, but, well, its just not worth explaining to co-workers really. Which brings me to the next topic.
Stretching - Foam Roller - The Stick - Massage
As I have reached this ripe age, I have discovered the foam roller, two to be exact a hard one (black and dense) and a medium density white one that have become staples in the main room of our house. I use them regularly and find they can fill in about 75% of the void between professional massages. I highly recommend purchasing at least two, if you’ve never used one there are quite a few videos out there on you tube of how to use a foam roller. The Stick is a massage tool, that I’ve had for years, its a roller type stick with grips at each end and I can hit up some specific areas of my legs, hips, quads and shins. One must be careful with the Stick, and the foam rollers, you can really hurt yourself and bruise your muscles. I am stretching most nights, but at least 3 or 4 times a week.
I have a yoga strap I use as well that helps stretch my hamstrings, which get tight on and off throughout the season.
When cyclocross season starts, and I begin running/weights, hard efforts, my hamstrings usually get super stiff, so the yoga strap comes in handy, laying around watching TV sometimes. If you have never had a professional massage, I highly recommend finding someone local, that can either visit your home for at minimum an hour or an hour 30. If you must travel, it might save you a few dollars. As I age, and increase training loads or my stress levels go up, I find the professional massage to really do wonders for me, especially in areas, I just can’t seem to get to with the Stick, foam rollers or stretching.
Get Happy About Riding
exactly? Wow, where do you come up with these great questions? I mean, if you are a road cyclist, go out on your cyclocross bike and find some dirt, or take your mountain bike out of town and go ride a trail you've been thinking about riding for a year or more. Or go trail running, hiking, snow shoeing, skiiing, XC skiiing. Just go do something different, when you get back to riding your main bike - you'll enjoy it that much more. I swear.
“It’s going great, but how are YOU doing?”
The Best Girlfriend Ever (BGE) passed along an article to my BWE early this year about how sometimes it’s better when someone asks about your cycling to just simply answer, “it’s going great, how are YOU doing?” In other-words, not everyone in and around your life, shares you're (my obsession) with cycling. They don’t want or need to hear about how you busted out 1000 watts twice last week or how you crushed some 25 year old last week at a local training ride or the like. Be polite, answer their question and return the favor by learning something new about your friends. There will be a time and place to start talking cycling with your friends. For the most part, they might not have any concept of training, efforts, why you enjoy spending so much time riding, and why you just spent 100 bucks on tubular cyclocross tires. To summarize, don’t be the long-winded boring-cyclist-blowhard and monopolize the conversation for 3-hours at a party when someone starts asking about cycling - riding, racing or training. I am working on this, I swear. 
