Maintenance
A while ago I wrote about how my level of fitness was received by a couple of freinds. It’s still in the back of my mind.
As you get older you lose fitness, muscle mass and bone density.
In Jan 2022 I took part in a study at Kent University: The effect of ageing on measures of mitochondrial capacity, physiological complexity and muscle function. As part of this I did a VO2max test: the maximum amount of oxygen that an individual can utilise during intense or maximal exercise.
It was interesting and rewarding. The results gave me a very good score for my age. For more info follow the link.
Since the test I have increased the amount of exercise I do, taking up running in Dec 2023. I didn’t initially do this to get fitter, it was more convenient for what was going on in my life at the time. After a while it became less uncomfortable and I started to enjoy it. An additional benefit being improved bone density, something that cycling does not achieve.
My mental and physical health receives a boost and hopefully it will increase the time into old age that I can remain active. Meaning I can be independent for longer. And be less likely to have health concerns.
As I wrote in a previous blog; some days it would be very easy to stop. But I get satisfaction from being active.
Inititally I watched a lot of youtube videos and read many blogs about training. I quickly admitted to myself that I’d never follow them. It just seemed that they would suck the enjoyment out of the activity, and also it all seemed more regimented than I wanted. I’m not a pro preparing for the next big race. It’s not my livelihood.
This is what I do.
Monday to Thursday: Three sets of sixty pressups and the same number of situps. I call them cardio sessions.
I run four miles before work until Thursday when I join a mate at lunch time.
Then five miles on the exercise bike after work.
Friday: Two cardio sessions because I ride to the office in London. A round trip of about forty miles.
When the weather is too cold and icy I walk and use public transport. So that’s about eight miles.
Saturday: Two cardio sessions and a longer ride, either alone or with my club. The distances range from fifty to eightly miles. As the weather worsens they’ll be shorter.
Sunday: I ride to a cafe to meet a friend for coffee and cake. That’s twenty miles, plus some cardio.
Once or twice a week I’ll walk to Coughlans, my local bakery, to pickup a loaf of their delicious bread. It adds three miles to my tally.
The weekly average is around 16 hours.
I don’t own a car so I either ride, walk, or use public transport. The decision which to use is based on what I have to carry, the route and whether there is secure parking for the bike.
How does the VO2max score I had in 2022 (51) compare to now? I use Garmin devices to record activities etc. It gives two scores: the first is 54, the second is a cycling specific score of 65. On average VO2max declines roughly 1% per year. My recent score, as tested scientifically, is 68.7. I’m incredibly pleased with this; I had hoped to get close to my old score not exceed it by a wide margin. A few thoughts to explain why it went up rather than down: it’s a tough test so the first time I did it I may not have pushed hard enough, I’ve been running for a year; higher intensity exercise builds this score. I mentioned in the post about breaking my hip that the x-rays highlighted that I had long lungs. Part of the info I now have suggests a lung capacity equal to the average six footer, which aids oxygen utilisation.
Should I have days where I do much less? I get around 7 hours sleep a night which seems to be enough. As is always the case when I write about me. It’s not a suggestion that you do the same. At the moment it works, and keeps me happy and content.
Will I change anything?
I don’t think so. I don’t feel my age, if that helps to explain my activity level. The many benefits outway the few possible downsides.