HAVING FUN AS A SENIOR CYCLIST

     If you clicked on this thinking it described idyllic, gentle cycling in bucolic, scenic settings you've come to the wrong place.  For that you should check out Bicycle Journeys with Jerry or Gotta Go! Cycling Vacations in Fantastic Locations.  No, this is primarily about going fast in age-category races.
     We do what we can to fight off the effects of aging but there is no denying that young folks are faster and stronger.  Yes, USA Cycling has a 35+ Masters Division, but for us old guys that is laughable.  I'm talking about 50 and up.  Which is why I like Senior Games.  They have five-year age categories.  There are a few other races where the organizers have ten-year categories, like 50+ and 60+ and that at least narrows the field to a more manageable size.  But unless you are super strong, if you are in the upper age range you are just in it for the exercise.  The exceptions that I know off the top of my head are Fred Schmid of Waco, Durward Higgins of Chattanooga,  Deb Barton of College Station and Linda Margraf of Fort Worth.  This post isn't about them.
     Generally speaking, and especially after 65, you are competitive the first two years of your age group, maybe competitive in the third year, and hopeful in the last two years.  Being in your last year brings joy that you are getting older and that next year you move up to a new category.  Senior Games Nationals are every two years, so if you manage to qualify (top four) at, for instance, age 74, then you will be the youngest (75-79) when you race Nationals. That worked well for me in the time trial. USAC Nationals is every year and there isn't any qualifier.  I guess they figure if you have the courage to show up, then you won't embarrass yourself.  This is my first year to attend.  I was unaware that they had five-year categories until too late last year.
     The title suggests having fun.  Anytime you are on the bike you should be having fun, but training and racing are a different "fun" than just tooling around.  In previous posts I've expressed my chagrin at finishing last in a road race.  And I repeat, there is no shame in being last, someone is for every race.  But for me it was a wake-up call that something was wrong and changes needed to be made.  Therefore, for the last two years there has been less of one type of fun and more of the other.  I'm almost to where I think I should be.  Ah, but that's the rub.
     As a result of my success at being stronger and faster (plus getting older), my definition of "fun" has widened.  Whereas before I eschewed criteriums because their age grouping stopped at 60+, thus leaving me to be pulled from the race before I even worked up a sweat (a serious waste of money), I'm now thinking maybe I can hang around until at least halfway through.  Or find races that are a little more lenient.  Mountain biking and Cyclocross have also crossed my mind.  Gravel grinding is a distinct possibility.
     I haven't given up cycling vacations.  They are an integral part of staying in shape, especially if mountains are involved.  In one previous post I demonstrated (somewhat facetiously) that guys who raced and took cycling vacations placed higher in their races than those who did not.  So stay tuned as to what sort of trouble I can get myself into.