How Cycling Keeps Me Young at 70
How Cycling Keeps Me Young at 70
I’m a little over a month away from my 70th birthday, and while most people are slowing down, I’m getting ready to ride 70 miles—one mile for every year I’ve been alive. Not because I’m the fastest or the strongest, but because cycling still gives me freedom, purpose, and joy.
I’ve already ridden over 5,000 miles this year alone. All summer long, I trained for single-day events—30 miles, 25 miles, 35 miles, 47 miles. My focus was on shorter, faster rides to stay sharp. But after I ride the Day of the Tread in Albuquerque next Sunday (just a 25-mile ride), everything shifts.
My training is about to change. No more chasing speed. It’s time to go long again.
On November 24th—my 70th birthday—I’ll ride 70 miles. It doesn’t have to be fast. It doesn’t have to be pretty. It just has to be honest. Every mile will be a reminder of why I still ride.
Cycling Has Been With Me My Whole Life
I first fell in love with bikes as a kid in the 1960s. Back then, a bicycle meant freedom. You could explore the world without asking permission. In the 1970s, I started riding seriously—and I never stopped.
Decades later, I’m still turning the pedals. Not because I’m clinging to the past, but because cycling keeps giving me new reasons to keep going.
Why I’m Not Too Old to Ride at 70
A lot of people ask: “Aren’t you too old to ride that far?” No. That’s the point.
Cycling doesn’t just keep me fit—it keeps me young.
It gives me freedom.
It keeps my heart strong.
It keeps my joints moving.
It clears my head.
It gives me goals to chase.
It reminds me I’m still capable of hard things.
If you think 70 is the finish line, you’ve been lied to. I’m just getting started.
Want to Know If a 70-Year-Old Can Ride a Bike?
I already answered that in another post where I talk about the fears seniors have and why cycling is still one of the smartest choices you can make at any age.
Should a 70-Year-Old Ride a Bike?
Cycling Still Feels Like Freedom
In another post, I talked about why so many cyclists quit after 60—and why I refuse to. Cycling still gives me joy, peace, and purpose, even after thousands of miles. It’s not about being the best. It’s about how the ride makes you feel.
Why Cyclists Quit After 60 (and Why I Never Will)
70 Miles for 70 Years
So here’s the plan: On November 24th, I’ll wake up, get on my bike, and ride 70 miles. No ego. No stopwatch. Just me, the road, and a lifetime of memories.
Mile 1—gratitude.
Mile 10—peace.
Mile 30—challenge.
Mile 50—persistence.
Mile 70—victory.
I’m not doing this to prove I’m young.
I’m doing this because cycling keeps me young.
If You Think You’re Too Old…
Come find me on my birthday.
I’ll be somewhere between mile 1 and mile 70.
Still riding.
Still smiling.
Still alive.
Age doesn’t decide when you stop.
You do.
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