Age Matters? 年齡問題

如果你問我最崇拜的自行車選手是誰,我可以告訴你不是Armstrong (雖說他的抗癌精神可佳),也不是其他環法得主。我敬重的選手是年過半百還在競賽場的Longo (先前提過)。連這位當時84歲的蔡老太太也是讓我敬佩不已。

在去年12月收到NJ Rando寄來的認證卡,裡面附上RBA Leory的話:

Bicycling Randonneurs take fitness and exercise beyond normal limits, but other aspects improve the way we work and think. I credit my active physical life with being able, at an age of almost 85, with the ability to do almost anything I wish to do while seeing many others, my age, having major restrictions to physical freedom and enjoyments. It is quite noticeable and sad.

So, Bicycling does more than get you somewhere. I’ll be seeing you [註 1] — down the road!

Leroy M Varga

84歲的NJ RBA Leory (左邊) 在終點檢查認證卡

可以看得出他84歲嗎?Leory在2003年 (75歲) 及在2007年 (80歲) 還去參加PBP,兩次都是RUSA裡最年老的參加者。雖說這兩次並沒有完成,但其精神仍然值得敬佩。(他至少完成過三場,87, 91, 95 at 68歲; 看看他對PBP的建議)

雖說騎PBP跟用什麼車騎沒有關係,跟你的腿力比較有關。這樣說來,年齡越大越沒有利,不是嗎?

這沒錯,只是年齡的問題是可以克服。在競賽場上很難,但在Randonneuring機會不小。畢竟光是有腿力是不夠的,心理層面也是很重要。

以台灣參加2011PBP的為例:

低於80小時有三位。前兩位是30歲出頭,第三位則是50歲曾先生以78H50完成。50歲組群完成有四位 (另外有一位過時),完成率44.4%並不低。如果考慮到年齡問題,我覺得他們的表現比30歲組的更好,也更讓人欽佩。

那60歲組呢?當然還是有機會,看看Leory就知道 (60幾歲兩次)。2011 PBP年紀最大完成者,Friedhelm LIXEnFELD (德國人;男80歲) 與Marie-hélène VILETTE (法國人;女68歲) 都獲頒特別獎。

But HOW to make it? Well, 我不知道,要問他們。

我只知道,即將邁入中年的我也不年輕,體能普普,在2008年加入休閒騎前是不做任何運動。這麼遜的我還是有機會:

我要感謝我大二的室友,因為你們的”不再陪我走路去清大夜市”的督促;
也要感謝被臨時拖下水的自行車社長來教我騎腳踏車;
還要對停在大禮堂旁邊那輛汽車車主說聲抱歉,我好像擦到你的車;
這些種種讓我在N年後有機會騎完PBP。

最後,聽聽這個Matilda。Don’t mind the age. Just join the group and have fun.

補充:

[註 1] “I’ll be seeing you” 是首有名的歌曲 (Jazz),也常出現在電影裡。

另外,隨手做做這星座PBP完成率。會覺得訝異嗎?我從不會低估處女座的能力

這是賽場上”退休”車手Jan Heine的感言

> I find that one of the nice part of randonneuring is that we all are
> “amateurs” in the best sense of the word – normal people with real
> jobs, real families, and real interests beyond cycling.
>
> When I was racing, it was interesting that the higher I got in the
> racing ranks, the less interesting I found the people with whom I
> spent my weekends. That was the main reason why I “retired.”
>
> Among randonneurs, there never is a lack for interesting conversation.
>
> None of us can train “optimally.” Making the best of the limited time
> most of us have is one of the (positive) challenges of our sport,
> just like navigating with a cue sheet and planning one’s food for a
> long, unsupported ride.
>
> To me, those things are the main differences to RAAM and similar
> events, where it’s all about athletic performance, and an entire
> support crew is there to take care of all the other elements –
> elements that I enjoy in a randonneur brevet.
>
> Jan Heine

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