When I was younger I never fully grasped the idea of maintenance workouts. I was unruly. “Maintenance?” “You dusty old coots, what the heck are you talking about?” Well, let the fifty-one-year-old version of me explain. At fifty-one, my body is pondering retirement. Thinking about places like Boca Raton or Leisure World while my brain is still thinking about keg stands and beer pong. Somewhere in the middle is my heart. Confused, blackened like a good snapper fillet.
Maintenance rides are about NOT going backward. At this age, I fall OUT of shape much faster than I ride into it. So, I have to keep the water at bay. These rides are like sandbags before the CAT5 hits your childhood home leaving you with nothing but a foundation and slag pond for a neighbor.
For me, maintenance is 20-30 miles, depending on time, and average to high output. I know the distance. I know my body. I know my schedule. If I have five conference calls in the afternoon, normal these days, then I’m going twenty and at average pace. Two calls spaced out over the day and I’m going thirty and much harder. Something big that day? Yoga only. And if I had to choose I would always take yoga over the bike. Thankfully I don’t have to choose at this point.
Now, today was quite special because I fell over and landed HARD on my ass, shoulder and hand. As I exited a deep gravel area onto the pavement I noticed a woman walking with her dog. Coyotes, normally skittish around humans, were trying to eat her dog while she was standing right there, and it was not a small dog. I looked, got distracted, got swamped in deep gravel and fell over without being able to unclip. It hurt. I have an icepack on my neck. I don’t feel stupid, yet. I’m still stuck on how calm the coyote looked.
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Hi Dan, 20-25km every workday is my maintenance, I pump it up to 60-100km in the WE, sometimes more. We live on the flattest of flat. 35km in your area is a great workout, nothing to be ashamed of for a 50+ young man 😉 Wish I could swap your routes for my boring flat…
Author
Reiner,
Well done. Yes, I’m starting at 7000 feet here and often going up to 10,000. It adds to the intrigue.
I feel you: I’m 53 and ride just to hold the line. I have a full schedule most days so escape at lunch (hard block 90 minutes) and ride 7-10 miles. COVID is aiding this: it’s impossible to do that when I’m in the office.
Author
Jim,
Covid rules for sure. And summer rules. Come winter there isn’t much riding here unless you fat bike or love to free. My plan is to van it south and work from there.
Same here Jim G. – cruising 7-10 miles in the morning before my daughters wake up and work day starts. I try to get in an extra 3-5 miles on the weekends. Cyclocross bike lets me ride 90% pavement and 10% off-road.
“Zen and the art of bicycle maintenance.”
ha
you’re welcome.
Author
Jim,
Hung out with Zen friend yesterday.
Sir,you are a true adventure driven man.
Author
Andreas,
Just a squirrel trying to get a nut.
absolutely no idea what maintenance ride means. but have an idea what squirrel trying to get a nut means while thinking about the beer pong alternative. had a short ride today to mum and cake and friend and cake and happy on a sunday afternoon. sunday afternoon, sun disappears don`t know where to, maybe new mexiko or chile. listening in front of the pc to john lennons alternate mind games. thinking something is gonna change. seems like everything is gonna change. read good sentences here again. falling outer shape sounds familiar. wonder how good this seat post suspension thing is, wonder if garmin is better than the suunto system, that I love but this ebay chick won`t send me the watch I`ve ordered because the old one broke and left me recordless. wonder how much altitude is from 7000 ft to 10k is in meters. will get up now, try to find a small good book for my son and I am sure it will be the heavy pack of the communist manifesto, but the best he can get at being 18.
and now, out. sun. ra. working in the backyard.
breathing. preparing. thinking again how much punk this lennon man was
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Cenk,
Maintenance means fighting tool and nail with both Father Time and Mother Nature. It never ends well for us humans.
HAHA Here’s me thinking – why would he be writing about doing maintenance on his bike – I mean we all clean the bike sometimes and put oil on the chain, but…. Then again, this guy talks about the strangest things in his videos..
But I discovered that wasn’t the subject at all! And yes – 100% agree with you on the “trying to work against age and nature”… I usually call it my “race against evolution”…
Having just moved to a totally flat area of Germany, I am still getting used to having the wind instead of the climbs for training partners. But I do appreciate the wide horizons…
Your coyote story is unbelievable (for a European, anyway)! I thought you would have crashed in deep gravel, but certainly did not expect THAT.
Hope the old skeleton is getting better fast and you’ll be back on the bike soon!
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Stephan,
Wind……oh man. It can be crushing. My body is back…..