People Grow Older but Birthday’s Stay the Same
How Randy’s Remedy helped me keep up with the younger generations and cycle 350 miles for climate justice.
My son and daughter-in-law, Brendon and Janneke Strause, invited me to join them on the Climate Ride. This little adventure included 5 days of camping and cycling, from Santa Cruz to Edna Valley, 13 miles east of San Luis Obispo. This adventure had us cycling approximately 350 miles and 17,000 feet of elevation. It is worth commenting that the northern coast of California, specifically the Big Sur area, is one of the most spectacular sites to experience.
Let me share a few facts about myself first. I am a 67 years old woman and a regular recreational cyclist. I’m not competitive but I do cycle regularly and, when I was training for this ride, cycled approximately 100 miles per week. All and all I consider myself to have good endurance albeit slow on the hills!
So let’s fast forward to the first day and provide some data:
- Approximately 120 cyclists raised money for climate change and sustainability. This enable them to cycle for the Climate Ride.
- There were 16 staff from the Climate Ride organization that provided support, from food and bike maintenance to camps and showers.
- The majority of riders were between 25 and 55 years old, belonging to Gen X (40–54 years old) and Gen Y (25–39 years old), or Millennial generations.
- There were approximately 10 Baby Boomers, those individuals between 55 and 75 years old (the oldest was 71 years of age).
My daughter-in-law was the Executive Director of Bike Santa Cruz County so I joined their team. There were 9 members, all between 28 years and 42 years (primarily Millennials) and then the “mom” — me! In many ways, Randy’s Club was represented by myself along with Brendon and Janneke. The three of us rode our bikes down California’s central coast with 120 other cyclists raising awareness for climate change. We saw some of the world’s most beautiful coastline by bike and shared our time with individuals who care deeply about sustainability and the health of our planet.
The first lesson I learned was to ‘ride my pace’. This was especially critical when faced with a long, steep hill. Face it, a 30 year old who hasn’t cycled at all can beat a 67 year old who has cycled. It is basic physiology! This meant that I spent a great deal of time on my own, slowly pedaling up the hills of the central California coastline. Periodically someone would cruise up to me and we would chat for a while, and then off they would go up the hill. Through these conversations, I was able to learn a lot about the individual. The millennials, although similar in age, tend to vary when it comes to their current culture. Some were wrestling with new careers and settling down while others already had a home and a family. This cultural difference resulted in a significant contrast in priorities and needs. These conversations were fascinating and definitely distracted me from the daily grind of pedal turning up and down the hills.
The second lesson I learned was to hydrate and fuel. This was important not only while on the bike but throughout the day, 24 hours a day. Rule of thumb is always to drink before thirsty and eat before hungry. In order to do this, I carried two water bottles on my bike, one filled with maltodextrose and the other filled with electrolytes. Maltodextrose is the synonymous with glucose, the hydrolysis of maltose. Think of it as ‘powdered pasta’! Electrolytes are minerals that have an electric charge and help balance water in our body. So basically I was carrying sugar water and salt water. Believe it or not, this was very beneficial and I never became dehydrated or developed hyponatremia, where the level of sodium in the blood is too low. Water and lunch stops were set up and amply stocked with food, water, snacks, and electrolyte supplements. However, hydrating prior to leaving in the morning and before going to sleep at night is also critical. You want to make sure your muscles are strong and steady. Each gram of glycogen, the protein stored in our muscles, is associated with 3 grams of water. So eating and drinking took place throughout the day.
The third and final lesson I learned was to stretch. The first day was a 65-mile day from Santa Cruz to Monterey. It was a beautiful ride, full of rolling hills and long, sunny coastlines. Our excitement resulted in endorphins which kept our legs moving. The end of that first day found me exhausted and longing to lie down in my sleeping bag and not move. This, however, is not a good idea. Muscles can tighten up quickly and cramp. Thankfully, my son brought along Randy’s Remedy Extra Strength Lotion. I used it on my knees and shoulders as did many others. The relief was felt almost immediately. It was wonderful to offer Randy’s Remedy Lotion to other cycling friends and see their smiles and, of course, requests for more each day. The naturally occurring cannabinoids found in Randy’s Remedy products act as anti-inflammatory agents and can relieve the swelling and aches that come with prolonged use, such as long, strenuous days of cycling.
Age is not merely a biological function of the number of years one has lived or of the physiological changes the body goes through during the life course. It is also a product of the social norms and expectations that apply to each stage of life. Age represents the wealth of life experiences that shape who we become. People often say that staying healthy and active and enjoying the company not only of your own peers but of individuals both younger and older, improves the quality of life as we age. I truly believe this. I use Randy’s Remedy Daily and Randy’s Remedy Lotion every morning and feel much younger than my 67 years (and many of the Climate Rider’s would agree!).
Enjoy life to the last drop!
Linda Strause
#climateride, #bikesantacruzcounty, #randysclub
