OT-Cycling and Your Heart

Carolina Q

Anyone here ride a bike? I've been riding with some regularity for years, but wound up having a double bypass and had two valves replaced about a year and a half ago. Not for lack of exercise, but other stuff happens sometimes. When they did the surgery, I asked if I would still be able to ride the bike. They said, "Be ABLE to?! You HAVE to! Or some other form of good exercise." 

After the surgery, it was hard enough just to walk across the room and stand there brushing my teeth! But things improved, I didn't die and I finally got back on my bike. Everything was going so well and... I got a little lazy. Went to the doc about a month ago for a routine visit and my blood pressure was a bit high. I admitted that I had not been exercising as much as I should have. Doc was not pleased. Said, come back in a month and we'll check again and decide what to do... and get your ass back on the bike!

So I did, religiously. For the past month I've been riding 15-25 miles every day. Went back to the doc today and thankfully, my BP is back to normal! He doesn't want to see me for 6 months! So when I got home, I celebrated... went for a 30 miler this afternoon! All the way to Mass and back. Even threw in some hills. I am exhausted, but I am ALIVE!! Not too bad for an old guy.

Real bikers PEDAL!

theyolksonyou

One day my laziness is gonna catch up to me. 

Congrats on the good report. I'm impressed with your biking prowess. That's a lot of saddletime!

Jeepster47

Congrats Michael ... keep it up.  Like Jason, I should get off my posterior and follow your example.

Carolina Q

theyolksonyou said:

One day my laziness is gonna catch up to me. 

Congrats on the good report. I'm impressed with your biking prowess. That's a lot of saddletime!

Yes. Saddle time. In addition to being exhausted, my butt hurts!

Carolina Q

Jeepster47 said:

Congrats Michael ... keep it up.  Like Jason, I should get off my posterior and follow your example.

Do it!! Both of you! I have two heart valves from a cow!! I have to treat them better than I have been. Apparently, they like being abused. So I need to ride a lot. Beats dying.

I told them I was hoping for pig valves, but when they got in there, they found that the cow fit better.

RRP

Congrats, Michael! I love the riding banter that you and Blair share with us "elsewhere". Keep it up - BOTH of you, guys!

DMW

Carolina Q said:

Jeepster47 said:

Congrats Michael ... keep it up.  Like Jason, I should get off my posterior and follow your example.

Do it!! Both of you! I have two heart valves from a cow!! I have to treat them better than I have been. Apparently, they like being abused. So I need to ride a lot. Beats dying.

I told them I was hoping for pig valves, but when then got in there, they found that the cow fit better.

You have a big heart.

Eggcelsior

Congratulations, Mike. I used to ride extensively but having kids put a stop to that. I am privileged to have some fantastic backroads so I used to do 60-70 miles on weekends and 10 mile jaunts during the week after work. I miss my Cannondale!

Carolina Q

RRP said:

Congrats, Michael! I love the riding banter that you and Blair share with us "elsewhere". Keep it up - BOTH of you, guys!

Ron, I think Blair puts in more miles than I do. But then, he has better weather!

minniemoh

Good for you Michael. I have been a cycling addict for a little over 20 years. My riding has diminished to nearly nothing. I became a family man almost 4 yrs ago (got married and have 3 kids) and I also took a new job. Those extra circumstances have eliminated my "free" time. I still ride when I can but it isn't much these days and every time I get on the bike, I feel as though I've aged 20 years. I keep saying one day I'll get back into it more seriously. 

I'm glad to hear your Doc is keeping you at it!

Miked125

Congrats man! Just  don't over do it and get an injury, nice gradually build up, that's my advice. I am a lot younger but I ride probably 100 and run about 40 miles. 

mgd_egg

Congrats on the good report!  I love cycling as well. I need to give my bike some more attention. Keep on riding!

Carolina Q

Eggcelsior said:

Congratulations, Mike. I used to ride extensively but having kids put a stop to that. I am privileged to have some fantastic backroads so I used to do 60-70 miles on weekends and 10 mile jaunts during the week after work. I miss my Cannondale!

I think 40 is the most I've ever done. At about 20 miles today, I was thinking... there's NO WAY I'll ever do that Century! Not if I feel this tired after 20! 100 miles is a LONG ride!! Sure would love to give it a try though. Maybe I can find one near the end of the summer.

Carolina Q

Miked125 said:

Congrats man! Just  don't over do it and get an injury, nice gradually build up, that's my advice. I am a lot younger but I ride probably 100 and run about 40 miles. 

I used to run a lot. Then, my knees finally said NO! Now, walking or the bike. I WISH I could still run. Used to really love it!

Eggcelsior

Mike, there is a century down here in Maryland that is pretty easy(relatively) since it is completely flat. It's in October.

http://www.seagullcentury.org

wbradking

I had an OK Giant in college which I rode during the summers when I had time on my hands and one of my first major purchases right after I got married was a Litespeed Tuscany.  If you think convincing your wife that a $1,000 grill is a necessity, try explaining why you want to buy a bike that is more than your car is worth!  Anyway, that was in 1999 and I still ride that same bike today.   I love that bike.  Of course back then I was able to put 20 miles a day and 75-100 miles on the weekend but kids came, a job change with a lot of traveling and that is a recipe for not getting out as often as I want to. I even did about 5 or 6 centuries. These days I'm getting out about twice a week but would still love to do another century.  There's a great one on Labor Day in Clarksville, TN not too far away from where I live.  Nice and flat!

If you don't have one, I would highly suggest one of the Garmin cycling GPS units.  Tracks all of your vitals and allows you to upload to their web site for analysis and other cool features.  I like using the virtual partner function which lets you ride against yourself from a previous effort.  You can see how you progress during the season.

Keep up the good work @Carolina Q !

Carolina Q

Eggcelsior said:

Mike, there is a century down here in Maryland that is pretty easy(relatively) since it is completely flat. It's in October.

http://www.seagullcentury.org

Thanks. Even if it was all downhill, 100 miles is tough!

Too bad stuff down that way never matches when I'm down there. I'm usually there around the Fourth of July. The DP fest is in June. I'm usually down there for Thanksgiving. This ride is in October.

I'll see how the summer riding goes though.

Focker

Agree with the last sentence, ride on my friend!  
Keep moving is a good motto.  We are ancestral "organic movers", scavengers, hunters.  Some great tips here by my guy Dr Chris Kresser....    

http://chriskresser.com/how-sitting-too-much-is-making-us-sick-and-fat-and-what-to-do-about-it/

No longer sit at the nurses' station to chart and now stand, and choose the stairs over the elevator.   

Brother(36) has been a crane operator for about a year and has gained 40lbs, they refer to it as the "Alcoa 50".  Peeps come in that had physical jobs, and go to a sedentary one.  His back went out from sitting in the crane last week, so bad he went to the ED, sucks.  Prediabetes and hyperlipedemia during a physical too.   

Fortunate to have a job that requires 10000 steps and moderate to heavy lifting on a 13 hr shift without a break.  I'd take my plantar fasciitis, and a lami/microdiscectomy over stents, MI, valve repl, or CABG any day.   

Could lose weight if it weren't for the Budweiser stress relieving techniques, and choosing to eat what I want, when I want.  38 years has been a good run. Sensing it will soon be time for a change before the prehypertension, hyperlipidemia, and prediabetes begins.   

Chicklet

Yay for you!!!  I also cycle.  I took several months off during the winter months d/t school but I just started back and currently training for an Olympic distance triathlon.  I am feeling pretty good with my 15 miles right now and working on getting to 20 in three weeks.  

I do LOVE to ride.  I'm just slow and probably need a new fitting!  

I'm also an ER nurse and so happy to hear you came out on top!  Rarely do we see "healthy" people in for heart stuff.  Know how hard it is to do CPR on a 350 pounder?  

Pedal ON! 
meredith

Scott805

I use to ride a 10 speed years ago but my back gave out from bending over on the bike.  About two (2) years ago I was coming out of the liquor store that is next to a bike shop and this older fella went riding by on a bike and he was practically sitting up straight!  The next Saturday I went to the bike shop and asked for a bike for a guy with a bad back.  They sold me a 21 speed Jamas hybrid bike.  2,500 miles later I am loving it!  My back doesn't hurt and my knees feel great.  Usually try to ride 10 to 15 miles 3 days per week and then 20 to 30 miles on Saturday and Sunday.  Started training for a century ride last month, but it has rained almost everyday here.  There is so much technology for your bike to track your heart rate, cadence, etc.  Too much fun!

Doc_Eggerton

 Used to be a century rider, then arthritis in the neck made it too painful to ride over 30 minutes.  Bought a Catrike and went on a 30 mile ride the first time out.  I now have over 5K miles on it.

BTW, had a partial diskectomy and a plate fusion on the neck, so I probably could ride a diamond frame again, but I like the trike.

http://www.catrike.com/

BRush00

Congrats @Carolina Q!!  Fantastic news, and good luck on a speedy recovery.  You're absolutely right - gotta keep ourselves moving. 

@Doc-Eggerton - oh I HATE those things.  I can't see them from my Jeep, as they sit too low.... I've almost run over a couple now!  My $0.02, the've certainly got their place (to each their own), but it's definitly not on the road.

Walt2015

Hellyes! Great story and congrats!  

Doc_Eggerton

BRush00 said:

Congrats @Carolina Q!!  Fantastic news, and good luck on a speedy recovery.  You're absolutely right - gotta keep ourselves moving. 

@Doc-Eggerton - oh I HATE those things.  I can't see them from my Jeep, as they sit too low.... I've almost run over a couple now!  My $0.02, the've certainly got their place (to each their own), but it's definitly not on the road.

You'd see mine.  I have two white and two red Dinotte strobes on them.  I have had people tell me they thought an ambulance was up ahead.  If a rider follows the proper traffic pattern, not riding wrong way, using turn lanes, etc. there is no reason they should be any less visible than a motorcycle, or for that matter pedestrians.

Only problem I've had with cagers is when they were drunk or thought it would be funny or manly to brush me.

http://dinottelighting.com/

BRush00

Doc_Eggerton said:

 

You'd see mine.  I have two white and two red Dinotte strobes on them.  I have had people tell me they thought an ambulance was up ahead.  If a rider follows the proper traffic pattern, not riding wrong way, using turn lanes, etc. there is no reason they should be any less visible than a motorcycle, or for that matter pedestrians.

Only problem I've had with cagers is when they were drunk or thought it would be funny or manly to brush me.

http://dinottelighting.com/

The strobes sound like a great idea.  i haven't yet seen anybody with them on here.

The big problem I've seen in my neck of the woods, is that they're just too low to the ground.  MUCH lower than any motorcycle I've ever seen.

I was sitting at a stop light on Tuesday on the way into work, and one whipped right past my passenger side door in the shoulder - all I saw go by at first was his stupid little orange flag that stuck off the back end.

And oh god - really?  Cagers actually think it's amusing to brush/hit you?  Do they not realize that they're physically assaulting somebody with a deadly weapon?  That's some pretty scary low crap right there.

Doc_Eggerton

BRush00 said:

Doc_Eggerton said:

 

You'd see mine.  I have two white and two red Dinotte strobes on them.  I have had people tell me they thought an ambulance was up ahead.  If a rider follows the proper traffic pattern, not riding wrong way, using turn lanes, etc. there is no reason they should be any less visible than a motorcycle, or for that matter pedestrians.

Only problem I've had with cagers is when they were drunk or thought it would be funny or manly to brush me.

http://dinottelighting.com/

The strobes sound like a great idea.  i haven't yet seen anybody with them on here.

The big problem I've seen in my neck of the woods, is that they're just too low to the ground.  MUCH lower than any motorcycle I've ever seen.

I was sitting at a stop light on Tuesday on the way into work, and one whipped right past my passenger side door in the shoulder - all I saw go by at first was his stupid little orange flag that stuck off the back end.

And oh god - really?  Cagers actually think it's amusing to brush/hit you?  Do they not realize that they're physically assaulting somebody with a deadly weapon?  That's some pretty scary low crap right there.

The biggist problem for any cyclist is when they do not follow the regular traffic patterns.  When they do that they place themselfs where you aren't looking for traffic.  Wrong way riding is idiotic for that reason, you approach intersections from a direction no driver is looking.  WWR also forces an convergence between the cycle and the car.  Riding in the pattern allows cars to keep moving and to select when it is safe to pass.  By no means to I condone riders that take over the lane for no reason.

 In your circumstance I would have stopped behind you and waited for the light to change before moving.  The only blind spot to worry about is if you started to back up, so I stop far enough back to be able to ride of the side of the road if necessary.  I got backed into by a beverage truck one time on a motorcycle because I did not leave enough room to move.

fishlessman

almost got one the other day with my cage.....the one that got away if your riding in a parking lot, please take up the whole lane, guy swerved when i backed up 3 feet and stopped where i could see oncoming traffic, almost took out my rear quarter

Laxin16

Awesome and congrats on the recovery! I'm an active cyclist and ride about 100-150 miles a week (Indoor and outdoor). I'm training for a 100 mile race in August. Finally burning off that fatty,stick to your ribs, pulled pork and prime rib i've consumed over the past year of owning the BGE. 

Keep up the good work. 

bo31210

Keep riding @Carolina Q      My motto is the Bike is my Gym LOL     Started riding in college and after a decade long lay off got back on it when I turned 40 and was 60 lbs overweight and smoked like a factory (and not meat).   10 years later in the best shape of my life and last year completed the Bike Ride Across Georgia (375 mile weeklong ride).    

Everyone else, please look out for us on the road!    

Focker

Wanted to throw a shout out to any Midwestern eggers for the second annual Bacoonride Too.  The folks at RAGBRAI, Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival, and Iowa Bicycle Coalition in Des Moines teamed up for an epic event last year, was a blast even riding through severe storms approaching Jamaica.  Good times, can hardly wait for Tina and Nick's Berkwood Farms bacon corn dogs in the Perry area!  

http://bacoonride.com/

Austin Egghead

Keep up the good work Michael.  I have not touched any of my bikes in almost a year and I can feel it when I go up the stairs.  I have been concentrating on getting my shoulder back to 100% .  We did dust off the rollers.  Kreisler is still in business and I am going to order a new band. Been thinking of selling the Serota but will always keep the Cooper.   Blair sure got himself a sweet bike.