Hi all: Pez cycling has a review of what seems like an interesting read for we who are age-challenged: PEZ Bookshelf: The Midlife Cyclist - PezCycling News.
Quincy Five
Thanks for the book rec. Downloaded.
“But his suggestion of getting off the bike from time to time to do other things, such as weight training or alternative sports, is seen more and more as beneficial, particular as athletes age and muscle mass declines even as endurance is maintained.”
Great quote from the article.
Also interesting his perspective on the uselessness of VO2Max.
David Williams
Steve and Alan, do you mean a discussion of the book, or Quincy’s quote from the book? The question of why we ride and how much is optimal for good health and longevity is perhaps as much philosophical as it is scientific (given the limited research on over 60 cyclists) and would be a good discussion I’d venture.
This book has been on my radar for a while and the Pez review nudged me into buying, but the paperback is not readily available online, and my first choice of ordering from my LBS (local book shop, the other LBS!) will take at lest a month. I’d prefer a real copy over Kindle so for now, I’ve found several podcasts where Phil Cavell is interviewed so I’m starting with those.
Tom Field
David, Could you point to said podcasts?. I’m not interested in the Kindle edition either, and with a whole house full of books at this point, I’m loath to add to the library if I can obtain the information elsewhere.
David Williams
Tom, I’ve checked out three Cavell podcasts about the book, and so far the Midlife Athlete podcast from October 2021 is the best. A fairly deep, philosophical dive into cardiovascular issues, polarized training along the lines we’ve discussed, and interestingly, his recommendation that knowing your HRV is more important than your FTP. (I may start a topic in the forum on HRV as that’s something I’ve been doing and now have Oura ring to track it overnight.) Cavell who is just turning 60 also says he can only do one hard session per week. Spotify. (If you don’t have a Spotify account, you can likely find it in your preferred podcast app)
dkrenik
Re: Cavell’s “The Midlife Cyclist”. I guess that I’m going to have to go back and re-read it. I recall it being an enjoyable read - more conversational than prescriptive. I also recall not agreeing with all that he states. The “Masters” training book that I keep going back to is Friel’s “Fast After 50”.