If loin cloths could speak...
I never used to get injured. I could ride all day on hardly any water or food, under the Australian sun with nary a squirt of sunscreen, drink four beers directly after and then go and DJ and dance til the wee hours of the next morning without stretching or any form of ‘warming down’. To me, warming up was the modus operandi.
This pattern, while not exactly the norm, got me through to at least my mid 40s. In fact, some of my best form on the bike (and on the dancefloor) occurred in the first five years of my fifth decade. The second half was not as concentrated on racing and consequently any training––and I use that term loosely––I would do would be haphazard in its structure and goals were something I’d see watching the football on the telly. Beer was still the hydrant of choice and the term “I really should start stretching” became a mantra, an of-repeated, more often ignored, horrible, desperate mantra.
Now in my early 50s, the time to put that mantra into service is hard to ignore. Just sitting here, in my ergonomic office chair, at my real proper desk with the keyboard at the right height and everything, my back aches like that of a 50 year old Cyclist. My shoulders are rolled forward and my neck is lost in a shrug that threatens to swallow my head whole. My right arm goes numb every few minutes, which of course elicits the darkest of thoughts; “Is this a heart attack?” “Am I having a stroke?” If so, I wish they’d just hurry up and get it over with.
Curiously, mountain biking seemed to be less painful on my back/arm in the time I’ve had this injury. Leaning over the bars on the road bike means the first twenty minutes are spent trying to stretch the arm, irony of ironies, and dangling it and shaking it to null the numbness. I look like a fucking tool. Something had to give, and two weeks ago I did what no man ever does: I went to the doctor. Thinking the heart attack scenario was the most likely, he quickly shut down that theory with an ECG and some X-Rays. Narrowing of the C6/7 discs and foraminal encroachment was the diagnosis. At least it had a name now, not just “fuck my shoulder hurts/my arm is numb” that I’m sure colleagues were getting sick of.
The upside is I get to go to the chiropractor twice a week. How is that an upside? Well, she’s French for a start. And after only a couple of visits, things are getting better. I haven’t been able to ride for a couple of weeks, compounded by a weekend riding some of the burliest trails in the country and crashing my brains out following a World Cup downhiller down a trail that he built and wasn’t really a trail. Result, a trip over the bars, a hug of a tree and a rack of toasted ribs, which served to take my attention off the arm at least.
While I don’t have the services of a team of masseurs, stretchers, manipulators and fluffers and plain weird dudes grabbing random bits like old mate on the rack in the lead photo, I’m more aware that as one gets on in years, especially these ones that start with a 5, there is a greater need to do the body maintenance that one should have been doing decades ago. Because if there are to be any more decades of riding, it just has to be. And I hear there may be some French women who do yoga…
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50 is the new 30!
@wilburrox
...and 60 the new 20 or is it just a case of "You can't help getting old but you can stay immature forever"?
@RayG
My lower back isn't always on message first thing in the morning during periods of cycling inactivity (years of rugby abuse and a lack of core strength work) and there've been occasions when I haven't been able to reach my feet; the kids are getting bored of putting my socks on. The more I ride the better it gets which is strong motivation in itself.
@brett great article (unless you've just been spending too much time lying on your arm to numb it and your hand), inspiration to go and get my knees sorted out.
At 68 years young and now confronting my inevitable demise sooner rather than later, I am seriously thinking of donating my body to medical research as a catalogue of sporting injuries (far too many to list here). There are numerous lumps, scars and distorted limbs that attest to the pursuit of rugby at a high (international) level, not to mention the internal damage. If I were ever to meet my liver, face-to-face, I wouldn't know quite where to start to explain . . .
I got back into cycling in my mid-50s as a way of maintaining some fitness without load bearing and avoiding contact - physical that is. I now treasure the banter that goes along with it, so long as my hearing holds out.
@Teocalli
Indeed, I like that thinking! Now, going one step further and 70 being the new 10... that might imply something less than desirable yes? But, one day, many moons from now, reverting to my indestructible no worries in the world self at 20 ? Not a bad thing. I can imagine would be fun.
Hitting my early 40's and am learning that self care is key. Chiro, massage therapy, accupuncture, and physio are all keeping me on the road - too much time playing rugby in my younger days took its' toll. As for the picture above - I had no idea Dr. Frank N Furter was so tanned.
Damn this is a timely article. I'll hit 53 this year. Other than some ongoing back issues (helped immensely by winter core work and stretching that I stupidly abandon when the season starts) I'm in pretty decent shape. That being said, something has just started happening with my left hip area. Not sure if it's the joint or a muscle issue. I'll keep an eye on it. It only bugs me when I get up from sitting and for the first few strides. So far no issues on the bike.
That being said, compared to most guys my age, I'm in very good shape. I think doing a sport with great cardio and little to no impact is the winning way. Being a 53 year old shooting hoops or soccer or something else is just asking for trouble.
That lead pic is a hoot. It looks like the rider is in a mortuary and is being dressed for burial. Late 40s/early 50s by the look of things. Do we have an id on the rider? Oli?
My VMH is the one with nagging injuries (neck, shoulder, knee) due to various bike crashes (the most serious one being hit from behind by a car). Knock on wood, despite five motorcycle crashes (two at the track and three on the road -- two where I totalled my motorcycles but walked away injury free), I'm not feeling the ill effects of "old age" at 56. And I just stretched out and lowered my stem 10mm both directions. Most of my contemporaries are trying to figure out at least higher, if not shorter.
I stretch and do light exercises for ~30 minutes every morning. Visit my chiropractor once a month for an adjustment. My VMH just bought the both of us some sports massage sessions, but those are definitely a luxury/treat. As I'm a desk jockey during the week, I try to get up and walk around whenever I can. Just remember what Fausto Coppi said: Age and treachery will overcome youth and skill.
Landed in the same scenario last summer. PT, injections, adjustment of my position on the bike, ergonomics in the workplace, and I feel like I'm ready to get back to some semblance of V