Please be careful when you're testing the limits!

I've just turned 77. 'Mild' HA 20 years ago left me with two stents and a changed attitude towards my conditioning, or what passed for such at the time. I see my cardiologist once a year (not the same one who installed the stents then prescribed a statin) who keeps telling me to keep up with whatever it is I'm doing.

With my returning to recreational bicycling in 2023 I've gained some new perspectives on minding what my body's trying to tell me, in no small part because I discovered this Forum (thanks all of you!) as from the benefits of tech that just didn't exist BITD.

That '220-age' seems to work well enough for me also. I set my MHR to 150, can comfortably maintain 140-145 BPM on my trainer w/o having to gasp for every breath. Out riding outside I instead limit myself to 130-135 mostly because of the greater risks from falling at any significant speed when there might not be anyone around to help if I'm unable to continue.

The HR info my Apple Watch provides (a series 7, purchased during the pandemic to monitor blood 02 levels) isn't easily accessed while riding. Instead I use a Wahoo TrackR chest device that feeds data I can monitor from my iPhone (perhaps my Garmin 840? I'm still trying to suss out exactly how I like it configured for outdoor use) which is a lot more convenient. Data from both devices seem to be remarkably consistent over time used.

One other metric I've learned to watch closely is resting heart rate. My watch gives me numbers that have been consistent with my level of conditioning as well as when I've been sidelined by some physical ailment. When I haven't been using my trainer or riding outdoors that RHB # can be up in the mid-60's and it's at those times I know I'm not feeling my very best. Adding regular physical activity that gets my HR up into the 120-130+ range I can see that RHB come down over time. Just recently it's come back to mid- to high-40's, something I hadn't seen since last summer & fall.

At my age I think that's A Good Thing, compared to a 30-something local bicycle legend's 36; he rides a lot more in a week what I'm grateful I can manage in a month!