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I think its age. Plus, training and racing in the past 30 plus years had changed my view on cycling. Its not just brute strength, but more then 50% of it has to do with training your head to not give in until there's just no more left and still dig deep to get out the last drop of energy to keep going until you puke ( yep, bridge the gap). Oh yeah It isn't fun but we learn to suffer and know how to do it well. I can still get out and hold 17-20 on the flats with some rollies for 20 miles but the race pace training rides are just too much with speed well over 30 mph on some roads and avg speed is 24-25 for the entire 50 mile ride.
Don't know about you, but I can't power climb anymore unless I put in lots of miles. I am talking about, 35- 40miles into the ride, a 1/4 mile uphill, off the saddle climb hurts me each and every time unless I put in 150-200 mile a week then I can go up it with less effort. Riding 80 miles a week jsut doesn't cut it anymore at our age.
I know a couple of dudes in their mid 60s hanging with the whippersnappers. Of course, they no longer have the pure speed when the jump goes but they hang on ok. Those are the older guys that were winning all the local races back when I was a kid when they were in their prime. The answer is to never quit and continue doing it ever if over 50. Time is the issue with most of us. At one time, I was thinking about racing again, Masters. I miss it. Maybe one day? I realized that guys in their 50s are super fast still, those old bastards have the time to train and by now, they know their bodies well, so they take advantage of that from years of experience.
Not sure how long you have been riding, but keep on doing it. Spin easy gears and put in the time and distance, base miles. The speed will come.
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