Originally Posted by
mprelaw
Fixx was obese and a two pack a day smoker for quite a few years before he took up running in his mid-30s. His autopsy disclosed three arteries with substantial blockage, from 70% to 95%. He also had a genetic history (father died of a heart attack at age 43), and an enlarged heart, which his autopsy also disclosed. Not the best example for people who cite the "dangers" of strenuous aerobic activity.
As some of you may know, I recently had a mild heart attack at age 49. I've already heard through the grape vine of people making comments like "see, all that bicycle riding and losing all that weight didn't do him a bit of good". On the contrary, it may have save my life. I didn't do myself any favors in my younger years. My diet was atrocious, I was very overweight, and though I was strong my cardiovascular fitness left a lot to be desired. Add to that a big family history on both sides of both men and women who suffered heart attacks and died of cardiovascular disease at an early age. I'm lucky that my heart attack was very mild with "no significant damage" and my recovery was fast and appears complete. I may still die from heart disease someday, but it won't be because I rode my bicycle too much.