Too Old?

Christopher Harrison said:

Maybe I'm sounding a bit negative, but I just want to be realistic: am
I too old? I want to win, but I don't want to waste my life in vain!...
You guys have always been most supportive in the past and, whilst I
realise this group deals perhaps more with the recreational side of
things, you know your stuff! Please be honest 😉

Join a club now. See www.britishcycling.org.uk for details of clubs
near you.
Go racing. See if it is for you.

You would have to be fairly top-notch right out of the box to stand a
chance of making it to professional ranks, ie getting into the upper
ranks in your first couple of seasons.

Unless you fancy being a cycle courier..

...d

Christopher Harrison said:

Maybe I'm sounding a bit negative, but I just want to be realistic: am
I too old? I want to win, but I don't want to waste my life in vain!...
You guys have always been most supportive in the past and, whilst I
realise this group deals perhaps more with the recreational side of
things, you know your stuff! Please be honest 😉

Two other examples you might want to bare in mind:- Richard Prebble
became national 25 mile TT champion one year after taking up cycling
competitively, although he was a cycle courier before that. Malcolm
Elliot is still riding 'professionally' despite him having 20 years on
you. There are opportunities to be had, depending on what level you
target.

'Professional' now just means you do it for a living - very difficult
in this country, where most riders are part-timers. Get yourself up the
BC road license categories and either your options will open up or the
realities will hit home. The better you are, the easier it will be to
get into a sponsored team. There are more British team abroad than you
realise, but most are like 3rd division setups where riders go for
expirience, rather than big prize money. They survive on a diet of
mostly criterium races or kermeses, rather than big road races.

Christopher Harrison said:

Hi all,

I have aspirations of becoming a professional cyclist -- because I love
it and, at the risk of being a little brazen, I'm pretty good. Having
said that, now the winter is here, humility has taken me a little: I am
no good in the cold weather and, what's more, I'm not "professional
fit". (I'm also acutely aware that I have never actually raced, so only
assume that the thrill and challenge would excite and drive me.
Although this is rather likely: I'm the very competitive type.)

Anyway, I digress... The above "issues" can all be remedied: whilst I'm
fighting genetics, I can work-out to improve my physique and, if I was
really dedicated, I could ride no matter what the temperature; and my
plan was to start racing next season.
However, there's one thing that bothers me, which I have no control
over -- and I feel it may scupper the deal.

I'm 25.

Not old at all; but too old to think about starting to become
professional?
Whilst it's very arrogant of me to compare myself against such greats:
Armstrong was a world champion at 22, retired at 34 with seven Tour de
France titles; Cooke is just 23; Basso is currently 28; Boardman won
Olympic Gold at 24; and Merckx was just 19 when he became a world
champion -- retiring at 32, considered one of the greatest cyclists of
all time.

Maybe I'm sounding a bit negative, but I just want to be realistic: am
I too old? I want to win, but I don't want to waste my life in vain!...
You guys have always been most supportive in the past and, whilst I
realise this group deals perhaps more with the recreational side of
things, you know your stuff! Please be honest 😉

Many thanks in advance for your advice 🙂
Christopher Harrison

You say you're good, but you've never raced, so how good are you?
What's your time for 25 miles? Less than 1 hour?
What's your time for 100 miles? Less than 4 hours?
Are you a member of a club? If not, join one.
If you mean by professional you want to get sponsered by someone to
race then that's always possible, even at my age of 37, but if you're
looking to compete in the TdF or the Olympics then that's going to be
tough, unless you're as good as you say you are.

How's your cash flow? 'Cos if you want to get picked up by a sponser
you've got to enter some of the big races to pick up a few national
points to get noticed. Plus if you want to compete on a level playing
field with those Cat 1 guys you'll need a good bike. Good shoes too.

Yea, it's winter, but there's still racing going on, track, cyclo-cross
and mtb. Check out ...

http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/site/BC/eve/eventsfuture.asp

Even Lance raced mtb in the off season, I know I raced him, oh and
lost, he came in second and I was about hundred and second 🙂

If you really can't handle the cold and wet get a trainer for the
house, buy some training DVD's and keep spinning over the winter.
There's a couple of great training programs to help increase VO2 max
through the use of an indoor trainer. Start doing weights.

My biggest huddles for training these days are work and family. With a
two year old in the house I can't spend the hours I need on the bike. I
can't just bugger off for 5 hours on a Saturday to get some miles in,
that's not fair on the wife. How's your free time?

Sorry to lay it on so thick, but the guys I know who race
semi-professional (everything is paid for, bikes, travel, entrance
fees, maintainence, just no wage) treat it like a second job. They
finish the 9-5 and then jump on the bike.

If you want it, it's very possible you just to work you [censored] off to get
it. Best of luck.

Laters,

Marz

Marz said:

Christopher Harrison said:

Hi all,
................I am
no good in the cold weather and,

OK Lets just stop there then. If what we've had in the UK so far is the
'winter' to you and you're not out there suffering then you don't have
what it takes. Gotta be brutally honest here.

Don't think that Eoropean racing is all tans and sunshine, there's more
than enough cold, wet, sleety and just plain bloody miserable days
racing going on in the Spring and Autumn when you'd be grimly hanging
on to a bunch barely able to see or feel your fingers and toes.

Robert

BigRab said the following on 09/11/2006 15:09:

Quoted message said:

Don't think that Eoropean racing is all tans and sunshine, there's more
than enough cold, wet, sleety and just plain bloody miserable days
racing going on in the Spring and Autumn when you'd be grimly hanging
on to a bunch barely able to see or feel your fingers and toes.

You do this for fun? :-)

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

BigRab said:

Marz said:

Christopher Harrison said:

Hi all,
................I am
no good in the cold weather and,

OK Lets just stop there then. If what we've had in the UK so far is the
'winter' to you and you're not out there suffering then you don't have
what it takes. Gotta be brutally honest here.

Don't think that Eoropean racing is all tans and sunshine, there's more
than enough cold, wet, sleety and just plain bloody miserable days
racing going on in the Spring and Autumn when you'd be grimly hanging
on to a bunch barely able to see or feel your fingers and toes.

This is the idealized bit: in reality you'll probably get dropped on the
furthest bit of the course, after which you have to make it back in an
unknown region without a jacket or food and with empty bottles. When you
make it the shower wil be cold!

--
---
Marten Gerritsen

INFOapestaartjeM-GINEERINGpuntNL
www.m-gineering.nl

In article <[email hidden]>

Christopher Harrison said:

Hi all,

I have aspirations of becoming a professional cyclist -- because I love
it and, at the risk of being a little brazen, I'm pretty good. Having
said that, now the winter is here, humility has taken me a little: I am
no good in the cold weather and, what's more, I'm not "professional
fit". (I'm also acutely aware that I have never actually raced, so only
assume that the thrill and challenge would excite and drive me.
Although this is rather likely: I'm the very competitive type.)

Turning pro is the sort of thing you could consider when you're
competing successfully as an amateur at least at national level. Join a
club, get a racing license, compete in time trials, road races, track
events and off-road. Go out with the chain gang a couple of times a
week whatever the weather, go to the gym, get lots of miles in your
legs, spend lots of money on good equipment, eat the right food, get
plenty of rest (you won't have much time for a day job unless you can
get a job in a gym). When you're a successful amateur you should look
for sponsorship to cover your costs and try to get some international
experience. Then see if you can get any interest from a minor pro team.

Paul Boyd said:

BigRab said the following on 09/11/2006 15:09:

Quoted message said:

Don't think that Eoropean racing is all tans and sunshine, there's more
than enough cold, wet, sleety and just plain bloody miserable days
racing going on in the Spring and Autumn when you'd be grimly hanging
on to a bunch barely able to see or feel your fingers and toes.

You do this for fun? :-)

I used to but after 30 years of it I've retired to marathon running now
:-)
Robert

Thanks guys 🙂 Your opinions and advice have certainly given me
something to ponder over... I think I shall join a club sooner than I
had originally intended.

Christopher Harrison said:

Hi all,

I have aspirations of becoming a professional cyclist -- because I love
it and, at the risk of being a little brazen, I'm pretty good. Having
said that, now the winter is here, humility has taken me a little: I am
no good in the cold weather and, what's more, I'm not "professional
fit". (I'm also acutely aware that I have never actually raced, so only
assume that the thrill and challenge would excite and drive me.
Although this is rather likely: I'm the very competitive type.)

Anyway, I digress... The above "issues" can all be remedied: whilst I'm
fighting genetics, I can work-out to improve my physique and, if I was
really dedicated, I could ride no matter what the temperature; and my
plan was to start racing next season.
However, there's one thing that bothers me, which I have no control
over -- and I feel it may scupper the deal.

I'm 25.

Not old at all; but too old to think about starting to become
professional?
Whilst it's very arrogant of me to compare myself against such greats:
Armstrong was a world champion at 22, retired at 34 with seven Tour de
France titles; Cooke is just 23; Basso is currently 28; Boardman won
Olympic Gold at 24; and Merckx was just 19 when he became a world
champion -- retiring at 32, considered one of the greatest cyclists of
all time.

Maybe I'm sounding a bit negative, but I just want to be realistic: am
I too old? I want to win, but I don't want to waste my life in vain!...
You guys have always been most supportive in the past and, whilst I
realise this group deals perhaps more with the recreational side of
things, you know your stuff! Please be honest 😉

Many thanks in advance for your advice 🙂
Christopher Harrison

BigRab said:

Don't think that Eoropean racing is all tans and sunshine, there's more
than enough cold, wet, sleety and just plain bloody miserable days
racing going on in the Spring and Autumn when you'd be grimly hanging
on to a bunch barely able to see or feel your fingers and toes.

Reminds me of the epic ride Andy Hampsten did in the 1988(?) Giro over
the Gavia pass in heavy snow. He had to stop halfway down the descent
to [censored] on his fingers so he could regain enough feeling to use his
brakes.

Oh yes, the romantic world of the professional cyclist.

Bronzie said:

Reminds me of the epic ride Andy Hampsten did in the 1988(?) Giro over
the Gavia pass in heavy snow. He had to stop halfway down the descent
to [censored] on his fingers so he could regain enough feeling to use his
brakes.

DW wants to know how he stopped if he couldn't use his brakes.

--
Danny Colyer <URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/>
Reply address is valid, but that on my website is checked more often
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

Danny Colyer said:

DW wants to know how he stopped if he couldn't use his brakes.

It's entirely possible that this is a bit of an urban legend (ie
bollocks) as there is no mention of it in this article:

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=1827

Either that or I am getting confused with Bernard Hinault at the
Liege-Bastogne-Liege in 1980:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/veloarchive/exploits/liege1980.htm

Danny Colyer said:

Bronzie said:

Reminds me of the epic ride Andy Hampsten did in the 1988(?) Giro over
the Gavia pass in heavy snow. He had to stop halfway down the descent
to [censored] on his fingers so he could regain enough feeling to use his
brakes.

DW wants to know how he stopped if he couldn't use his brakes.

Is it possible he could use them as an on-off switch with difficulty,
but wanted to regain enough feeling to have some modulation?

Christopher Harrison said:

Yes -- I take your point... Put it down to youthful exuberance (and,
perhaps, delusions of grandeur)!

With regard to riding in cold weather, I wouldn't consider myself to be
particularly tough in this respect, although I'm a lot more willing to
ride in all weathers now than I was when I first started riding.

The key is to wear the right clothing - a good rain cape if it's wet
(the Assos one is great if you can justify £100 on something like
that), neoprene overshoes when it's colder than 10°C or wet, a decent
themal jacket, thermal gloves, Roubaix bibtights (apologies to
wafflycat for the filthy language). You will find that you can ride
and feel comfortable even when it's well below freezing.

Training after work in the Winter is another matter altogether. I go
out twice a week with a local chaingang in the dark. It's so much
easier to motivate yourself when you know others will be out - we even
have a "Winter Chaingang Points Table" where you get 1 point for each
attendance, double points if it's below 5°C, triple points if it's wet
etc. It all helps to take your mind off the temporary discomfort.

Riding with a club opens all sorts of doors to you though, and the
miles will sail by as you ride along chatting, or when the pace is on,
hanging in there on someone else's wheel. Looking back now, I regret
how long it took me to join a club because I didn't think I'd be good
enough to hang on.

All the best
Bronzie

Danny Colyer said:

Bronzie said:

Reminds me of the epic ride Andy Hampsten did in the 1988(?) Giro over
the Gavia pass in heavy snow. He had to stop halfway down the descent
to [censored] on his fingers so he could regain enough feeling to use his
brakes.

DW wants to know how he stopped if he couldn't use his brakes.

snowdrift? (not a yellow one though)

best wishes
james

I don't really have a problem with the cold -- even the wet. I have
most of the kit, too; in fact, I'm wearing my bibtights (underneath my
"office wear"😉 and overshoes right now!... Like you say, the problem is
motivation when one gets home from work and it's dark, etc. In the
summer it was no problem to go out for an hour or two; but the winter
does something to me -- I think it must be a hibernation instinct 😉
Even my stationary trainer doesn't get a look-in! (Although I do go for
a spin during my lunch-hours, unless it's chucking-it-down.)
Nonetheless, I know how much easier it is to get out there if you're
with others; particularly friends... Joining a club is sounding better
all the time! The reason why I've been reluctant is my "pride" didn't
want me joining at the "bottom of the league" -- similar to yourself, I
suppose.

Bronzie said:

With regard to riding in cold weather, I wouldn't consider myself to be
particularly tough in this respect, although I'm a lot more willing to
ride in all weathers now than I was when I first started riding.

The key is to wear the right clothing - a good rain cape if it's wet
(the Assos one is great if you can justify £100 on something like
that), neoprene overshoes when it's colder than 10°C or wet, a decent
themal jacket, thermal gloves, Roubaix bibtights (apologies to
wafflycat for the filthy language). You will find that you can ride
and feel comfortable even when it's well below freezing.

Training after work in the Winter is another matter altogether. I go
out twice a week with a local chaingang in the dark. It's so much
easier to motivate yourself when you know others will be out - we even
have a "Winter Chaingang Points Table" where you get 1 point for each
attendance, double points if it's below 5°C, triple points if it's wet
etc. It all helps to take your mind off the temporary discomfort.

Riding with a club opens all sorts of doors to you though, and the
miles will sail by as you ride along chatting, or when the pace is on,
hanging in there on someone else's wheel. Looking back now, I regret
how long it took me to join a club because I didn't think I'd be good
enough to hang on.

All the best
Bronzie

In article <[email hidden]>

Christopher Harrison said:

I don't really have a problem with the cold -- even the wet. I have
most of the kit, too; in fact, I'm wearing my bibtights (underneath my
"office wear"😉 and overshoes right now!... Like you say, the problem is
motivation when one gets home from work and it's dark, etc. In the
summer it was no problem to go out for an hour or two; but the winter
does something to me -- I think it must be a hibernation instinct 😉
Even my stationary trainer doesn't get a look-in! (Although I do go for
a spin during my lunch-hours, unless it's chucking-it-down.)
Nonetheless, I know how much easier it is to get out there if you're
with others; particularly friends... Joining a club is sounding better
all the time! The reason why I've been reluctant is my "pride" didn't
want me joining at the "bottom of the league" -- similar to yourself, I
suppose.

If you're any good you can establish your standing by putting in some
good time trials, or even a few hard audaxes (which aren't supposed to
be competitive, but often are). The only way to start road racing is at
the bottom.

Christopher Harrison said:

The reason why I've been reluctant is my "pride" didn't
want me joining at the "bottom of the league" -- similar to yourself, I
suppose.

As Rob says, when you start racing, you will have to be prepared to
take a few kickings. There is always someone faster than you at
whatever level you race (unless you happen to be called Lance Armstrong
............. and even then, he took his kickings along the way to
eventual success).

The main thing is to not get too despondent about it. If you go into a
race thinking "I am going to kick some botty today" and end up being
shelled out after 2 laps, it's easy to lose motivation. Take it from
an expert in this particular field ;-)

Christopher Harrison wrote on 10/11/2006 14:02 +0100:

Quoted message said:

Like you say, the problem is
motivation when one gets home from work and it's dark, etc.

Right, you won't make it. Read Lance Armstrong's book to look at the
sort of motivation you need to get out there and ride despite
everything. Virtually no athlete succeeds without enormous self
motivation and if a dark night puts you off, fuggedit.

Quoted message said:

The reason why I've been reluctant is my "pride" didn't
want me joining at the "bottom of the league" -- similar to yourself, I
suppose.

Well if you are joining at the bottom of the league at 25 its very
unlikely you will make it through to pro-riding.

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci