Men enduring symptoms of low testosterone – such as fatigue and muscle loss – should also see their GP, because blood tests and treatment are available. I think the answer is counterintuitive. The better cyclist you want to be past 50, the more you probably have to drop cycling sessions out and put something else in to compensate. So you probably need to drop a cycling session now and put in a gym session, or a running session, or some other sport to work on bone density and muscle fibre loss. So it's a counterintuitive thing. The more you cycle and the more you seek cycling performance, the more you probably need to cast your net a bit wider in terms of activity base. In the first of a series of articles on training through midlife and beyond, Phil Cavell ponders the nature of ageing and data Midlife Cyclist offers a gold standard road-map for the mature cyclist who aims to train, perform and even race at the highest possible level. Cycling has seen a participation uplift unprecedented in any sport, especially in the 40, 50 and 60-year-old age groups. These athletes are the first statistically significant cohort to maintain, or even begin, genuine athletic performance beyond middle-age. But, just because we can continue to tune the engine into old age, does that mean that we should? And, what do these training efforts do to the aging human chassis? This book answers those questions and offers a guide to those elongating their performance window.

There's a slightly philosophical almost New-Age final chapter about 'mindfulness' which also didn't quite work for me. By the time you hit your 70s, age is doing mischievous things to your body. “This accelerated decline is quite embedded now,” says Cavell. oxidative (sorry, aerobic) training to build endurance where the heart beats below 80% of its capacity - as hunter gatherers we evolved for many thousands of years as an endurance species, and The way we metabolise food also changes due to reduced insulin sensitivity over time, causing weight gain. “We are gaining fat but losing muscle, so we need to change that proposition consciously,” says Cavell.Yes, there is. Many of our clients came to cycling a bit late, from another sport they couldn't do anymore, or from being sedentary. If you are coming to cycling as a middle-aged person, and you've largely been sedentary for the last 30-40 years, this is when you should take a medically-based trajectory. On the other hand, if you're somebody who's always cycled hard or ran hard, and you're just seeking to preserve it, I do think it's a different stream. Neither one's necessarily riskier than the other. But I think the advice is different. If you've been sedentary for all these years, you don't know what your body is or how your body's going to react if you start challenging it quite hard. So rather than challenge it hard and then find out, why not find out and then challenge it hard. Human growth hormone (HGH) – which supports muscle mass and aerobic capacity – also drops, contributing to a decline in muscle mass of 3 to 8 per cent, per decade. Ep. 4: One Woman’s World of Esports with Special Guest Team USAs and World #1 ranked Zwifter Liz Van Houweling You talk to Nigel Stephens, a leading cardiologist and an extremely good masters racer in the book. And to paraphrase him, he broadly says that cycling, even at a high level, will give you improved heart and lung capacity at the risk of broken bones. But that's something that you have to weigh up yourself. Which, I guess, is a pretty good summary of it, isn't it?

Ep. 27: indieVelo’s Dr. George Gilbert on the Innovation That Could Change the Future of Cycling EsportsFemale riders also face big changes. “Perimenopause is becoming menopause, so you’ve got that steep decline in oestrogen, which has effects on muscle strength and bone loss,” says Roberts. I have had the pleasure of knowing Phil for a bit over a decade. We collaborated on hundreds of custom bikes for Cyclefit clients, and during that time he shared volumes of experience with me. When he told me he was writing a book, I was eager to read it. Daily hydration also becomes a much bigger challenge in your 60s. “Muscles carry water, so if you’ve got less muscle, you’re naturally less hydrated,” explains Cavell. A vacuum of definitive science requires a forensic trawl through existing studies, as well as a conversation with someone who will likely be shining a light in the right direction, be they a cardiologist, endocrinologist, pro team

Phil's book can help you be as good today as you always said you were ― Carlton Kirby, Eurosport commentator For me, there was a lot of good news in the book. I’m not just a cyclist. I do resistance training. I run regularly. And I couldn’t help but feel this didn’t need to be a book just for cyclists. Yes, there was a lot of bike-related content, but there is a running book here too, and a book for anyone who is trying to maximize their remaining time above ground. Are you middle-aged? Are you slower than you used to be, more tired? Read this book. It will help you.

Reviews

Cycling is definitely going to feel harder now. But if you can keep cycling, you’re much less likely to suffer from certain diseases. Bone mineral loss is also speeding up. “Cyclists in their 50s who have only ever cycled may be slightly osteopenic (the precursor to osteoporosis),” warns Cavell. If you're going to exercise immoderately after certain ages, is cycling worse or better for you than something like running or swimming, or are there different advantages? Interesting, although with perhaps too much of the medico-technical for my slender intellect to absorb. Angus, a fellow cyclist with strong interest in sport and training mentioned it. The book has lots of discussion and exploration of performance athletes, which is interesting, as much as anything because I have never, ever considered myself to be one and I take no interest in spectator sports. But such humans are undoubtedly extraordinary in their combination of mental attitudes and physiological adaptation. But he does also deal with non-athletes. With a longstanding partner, he runs Cycle Fit, a consultancy in Covent Garden. They have helped many people recover from injuries and have improved the bike setup and performance of many more.

I know many midlife cyclists who do, and I hope you find out, Mr. Cavell. I feel bad that there are things you don’t know about virtual cycling and are missing out on something great. Riders who pedal into older age will enjoy a raft of benefits, from improved cardiovascular fitness to enhanced mental health. Nigel is a friend, a client, and I'm a patient of his. So our relationship is quite multilayered. And he's in the book because one, he is a superb cardiologist and second, he's a superb cyclist. And thirdly, he comes out with the best pithy one-liners I've ever heard. The one you're alluding to, I think, is that we trade cardiovascular and cognitive protection for the occasional orthopaedic incident, which is just beautiful. The heart of the matter is that if you cycle hard or moderately, you're almost certainly going to be cognitively protected and have cardiovascular protection. But you are occasionally going to fall off and hurt something. That's the proposition. Alejandro Valverde, aged 41 and thriving in the pro peloton (Image: Getty) Mr. Cavell asks himself and the reader as he lays the groundwork for the cerebral cornucopia to come, I’ll finish with my usual caveat. I don’t know the author (although I did have a shoe fitting at his company many years ago) and bought The Midlife Cyclist myself. Neither the publisher nor the author know I’ve written this, but maybe I’ll tell them now it’s done.Rachel worked hard to transform her situation and continues with her running and cycling activities. How important is stress/inflammation as we age and train? Is this burden different for men and women? Is it hard to work out whether exercising past 40 is good for you? Everyone assumes that within certain parameters, it is, but we don't actually know, do we? The Midlife Cyclist is my attempt to square the holy triumvate of age, speed and good-health, using the very latest clinical and academic research. Every time you go above this level, you’re having to use enzymes to break down the excess lactate. Dr Baker's coach’s eye view: ‘If you feel good on an endurance ride, go longer, not harder. Going harder is risky. Going longer is safe. It’s the same with intervals — if you feel good, do an extra rep or two, but don’t increase the power.’