Tell me it an't so, or something else to worry about
08-02-15, 08:14 AM
#51
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Inspirational. I've been cycling two years now thinking I was doing well. I just put a power meter on my bike and boy am I depressed! You have my appreciation for your determination and fitness. I have no motivation to race or compete but I can respect it nonetheless.
I've finally gone through every post here I appreciate everyone's input. I've been blessed with good health and take reasonable care of myself. I do admit to leaning on taking nutritional supplements over eating better. Nevertheless after I mentioned to an allergist about a pain near my right lung this spring he cautioned a heart workup. No detectable blockage. (anecdotally a long time female friend was diagnosed with 65% blockage in one of her arteries and her doctor told her to take one Garlinase tablet and 100 mg of COq10 daily. Two years later all the blockage was gone. I started that three years ago and, again for me no blockage. Coincidence, black magic?).
This past spring has been very frustrating because of the lousy, long allergy season. The past two years I could ride outside in hilly terrain 22 miles a day averaging 12mph and hold 117 bpm for the several hours it took. This spring I couldn't even ride outside for the pain in my upper chest to the huge pollen count, and recent ozone level barely breaking 100 bpm before the ache. Only this week I've been able to ride past 110 bpm without discomfort. My Kurt Kinetic is getting a groove in the metal roller because of the usage. I recently joined Training Peaks to help with getting back to my previous level, and this past week bought and installed a power meter. Wrong decision! Now I see I'm even more aerobically challenged than before. I'm considering dropping the subscription. The graphs are pretty, but don't seem to be a benefit for the $20 monthly fee.
This thread is a wake up call because I've begun getting obsessive about training trying to maintain 500 miles a month riding four on, one off and reach the old level I had. As an engineer by education I enjoy noodling over details and figures. I'm not a Type-A; I have no desire to race anyone but as an over-achiever I tend to follow the "if some is good, more is better" mantra and get sucked in continually trying to improve. I'm still in the 115-120 bpm range but the above reading is a valuable caution to not obsess about continual improvement. What to do you think? 4x24 miles at 60-65% MHR and a day off?
Thanks, Rich
I've finally gone through every post here I appreciate everyone's input. I've been blessed with good health and take reasonable care of myself. I do admit to leaning on taking nutritional supplements over eating better. Nevertheless after I mentioned to an allergist about a pain near my right lung this spring he cautioned a heart workup. No detectable blockage. (anecdotally a long time female friend was diagnosed with 65% blockage in one of her arteries and her doctor told her to take one Garlinase tablet and 100 mg of COq10 daily. Two years later all the blockage was gone. I started that three years ago and, again for me no blockage. Coincidence, black magic?).
This past spring has been very frustrating because of the lousy, long allergy season. The past two years I could ride outside in hilly terrain 22 miles a day averaging 12mph and hold 117 bpm for the several hours it took. This spring I couldn't even ride outside for the pain in my upper chest to the huge pollen count, and recent ozone level barely breaking 100 bpm before the ache. Only this week I've been able to ride past 110 bpm without discomfort. My Kurt Kinetic is getting a groove in the metal roller because of the usage. I recently joined Training Peaks to help with getting back to my previous level, and this past week bought and installed a power meter. Wrong decision! Now I see I'm even more aerobically challenged than before. I'm considering dropping the subscription. The graphs are pretty, but don't seem to be a benefit for the $20 monthly fee.
This thread is a wake up call because I've begun getting obsessive about training trying to maintain 500 miles a month riding four on, one off and reach the old level I had. As an engineer by education I enjoy noodling over details and figures. I'm not a Type-A; I have no desire to race anyone but as an over-achiever I tend to follow the "if some is good, more is better" mantra and get sucked in continually trying to improve. I'm still in the 115-120 bpm range but the above reading is a valuable caution to not obsess about continual improvement. What to do you think? 4x24 miles at 60-65% MHR and a day off?
Thanks, Rich
08-02-15, 09:17 AM
#52
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Annandale, VA
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Bikes: Fuji Rubaix 1.0
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I'lll give it a try, thanks.
Rich
Rich
__________________
..life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes. ― Andy Rooney ...enjoy what's left!
..life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes. ― Andy Rooney ...enjoy what's left!
08-08-15, 06:17 AM
#55
Senior Member
God I hope my wife never sees that article. She'll sell my bikes.
Actually, the only thing extreme about my rides is how extremely slow I am.
Actually, the only thing extreme about my rides is how extremely slow I am.
08-08-15, 08:33 AM
#56
Senior Member
I am 70 and have had bypass surgery at age 56. I was fit then, or so I thought. I have had some skipped beats and atrial fib over the years. Rare though. This article is somewhat an epiphany. My training strategy is to stay in zone 1 and 2 with rare trips into zone 3 and even rarer trips into zone four. Having said that, I would rather live an adventurous life that is short than a boring one that is long. My mantra is "everyone dies. Not everyone will have lived".
I am concerned about some of my cycling friends who do ultra marathon cycling as mid 50 year olds. I will pass this article along to those folks.
In the months after my bypass I was getting back into "peak bagging". I was at the 9500 foot level of a 10,000 foot peak. I was alone on a route that most people don't use because it gains so quickly. I had a bout of Atrial fib that lasted 15 minutes. I had to sit and relax and deep breath kind of like yoga. It finally passed and went on to the peak. Scared me though. That was in my late 50's and at 70 now I will not do any high altitude hiking even though I have not had a similar incident. My intent is to slow down a bit but not give up my passions altogether. Fortunately for me my world does not revolve around competitive cycling any more. Still, on group rides I have to keep myself from getting too competitive about it.
I am concerned about some of my cycling friends who do ultra marathon cycling as mid 50 year olds. I will pass this article along to those folks.
In the months after my bypass I was getting back into "peak bagging". I was at the 9500 foot level of a 10,000 foot peak. I was alone on a route that most people don't use because it gains so quickly. I had a bout of Atrial fib that lasted 15 minutes. I had to sit and relax and deep breath kind of like yoga. It finally passed and went on to the peak. Scared me though. That was in my late 50's and at 70 now I will not do any high altitude hiking even though I have not had a similar incident. My intent is to slow down a bit but not give up my passions altogether. Fortunately for me my world does not revolve around competitive cycling any more. Still, on group rides I have to keep myself from getting too competitive about it.
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