As a kid I remember that I could see myself being 30-something but 40 seemed pretty old, almost like life was pretty much over at that point.
I laugh looking back on it now because one day I woke up and, at 43, I’m the “old guy”. And while life is far from being over, at the same time I have to admit to myself that things certainly aren’t the same.
By the time we hit 40 a lot of us have some wear and tear going on. Maybe it is from a previous injury or maybe it’s just time catching up with us but either way, finding a way to improve our strength and power on the trail without aggravating injuries in the process is important.
For a lot of us the priority also shifts from “ride fast at all costs” to being able to “ride for a lifetime”. The strategies that helped fuel our inner-madman (or madwoman) in our 20’s and 30’s just aren’t sustainable if you want to ride into your 50’s, 60’s and beyond.
This means that you need to modify your approach to training as you move into the 40+ year old category. But the reality is that most training programs for mountain bikers aren’t created with unique group in mind and instead focus on riders who only want to improve their racing performance or Strava times.
There is a difference between training to improve performance in the short term and training to stay healthy and durable for a lifetime. Sure, you can improve your performance as well but the focus has to be different as you get older.
Luckily, through my own experience I’ve found that there some important things you can do to keep riding strong while staying healthy and durable. I’ve learned a lot of these lessons the hard way, making mistakes that left me sore, tired and broken...mistakes I hope I can help you avoid.
