Cycling buddy leaves me for dead - grrr!

[Globalti]

I've never been particularly athletic, I've always gone climbing and mountaineering but it's possible to do those sports and not be specially fit. After childhood and teenage cycling I got into motorbikes, which are terrible for keeping you fit as you can park even closer to your destination. It wasn't until I was 33 that I rediscovered cycling through mountain biking and got reasonably fit and then 53 when I discovered road riding and got what I would call properly fit. My cycling pal on the other hand has been a roadie since college and all through his working life so has built up a long term strength and resistance to injury. As Colin points out, the harder you push yourself the closer you come to injury and I know that I'm close to that point as I have had mild chronic Baker's cysts behind my knees for three years now, which is a well-known overuse injury in cyclists and runners.

 

[Garz]

Apart from admiring your honesty, I think it's just a case of sucking this one buddy. I think you have room for improvement but it sounds like your friend has either more natural ability or as you say his beginnings have stead him well.

Try to play to your strengths and in the 'off season' (is there one these days?) work on your weaknesses and try again next year!

 

[fossyant]

Ah, a lifelong roadie mate - sorry Globalti, you've got some catching up ! That's probably why.

 

[Globalti]

Thanks for the wise words. Much though I like the bloke and enjoy his company he is precociously intelligent (senior doctor with an Oxford degree) and doesn't like being beaten. I guess egotism goes with the territory if you're very clever; he certainly suffers on the few occasions when I do out-ride him early in the year but the difference is that if I sense he's dropping behind I slacken off because I don't like to rub it in. I know he goes out and trains alone because while out in the car I've seen him out on his bike, going like the clappers and red in the face from the effort!

One consolation is that thanks to my mountain biking years I'm much more confident than him on steep downhills.

 

[Hacienda71]

If he is out on his own training and you aren't and you are faster than him early in the season, then that will be a major reason why he is faster than you. Do some speed interval training doesn't take too long and you may just suprise you riding buddy.

 

[fossyant]

Ah loonie MTB'ers, you'd whoop him on descents. Oh and start strava'ing - it's good interval training.

 

[Gixer Rob]

drugs test required!!!...:-)

 

[italiafirenze]

...He is quite disciplined in that he exercises his arms and shoulders daily and uses a rowing machine regularly. He has been a road cyclist for all his life, he used to cycle commute in London so he has good residual strength and fitness....

He's got years of behind him, you might beat him one day, but he'll beat you the week after and then the week after.

You'll certainly get fit trying to keep up though.

 

[tongskie01]

you might as well consider a lowracer.