Process Over Outcome: Learning to Train Differently in My 60s
One of the challenges of attempting athletic goals in my 60s is that I’ve had to change both my approach and my expectations from when I was cycling a couple of decades ago.
Back then, I focused almost entirely on outcomes. I wanted to climb hills faster, so I would go out and repeatedly ride the same climbs, trying to beat my previous time. It worked — to a point. My second and third Rosarito-Ensenada Bike Ride were distinctly different from my first, when I had to get off the bike and walk some of the steeper hills.
Hills have always been a challenge — especially when, like me, you’re dragging extra weight uphill.
Today, my focus is different. I pay much more attention to the process than the outcome.
That’s not to say I ignore outcomes. I still look at my FTP, my VO2 max, or my average speed on a ride. That’s inevitable. But those numbers are no longer the primary focus. Instead, I concentrate on the day-to-day process that leads to improvement.
Working with Coach Chi from Outdoor Fitness Coaching, we build a plan centered on consistency and gradual adaptation — long, steady rides to build endurance, occasional hard efforts to develop power, and progressive mileage when preparing for an event. Week by week, the distance stretches just enough so that by the time the event arrives, I know I can ride it.
This process — letting the body adapt slowly to increased effort and mileage — is what allows me to complete 50-, 60-, and even 100-mile rides.
But it also means every ride isn’t an all-out effort. Hills aren’t races. They’re opportunities to practice pacing, breathing, and discipline. How I climb a hill — keeping my heart rate under control, staying steady, managing effort — matters more than how fast I get to the top.
That shift in mindset has been one of the biggest lessons of training for longevity.
As Yvon Chouinard once said, “How you climb a mountain is more important than reaching the top.” The purpose isn’t just to finish. The purpose is to keep going.
Process matters.
And at this stage of life, the process isn’t just how I get stronger — it’s how I keep riding for years to come.
Enjoy the ride 🚴🏽♀️
