Originally Posted by Machka
The jury is still out on the effect cycling is having on my heart ...... and I know quite a few endurance athletes (marathon runners and ultra-distance cyclists) who have died of heart failure in their 50s and 60s in the middle of training rides/runs, etc. ..... so I couldn't say for sure that cycling is, indeed, good for my heart.
The thing it does do for me is to keep my weight down, my cholesterol level down, and my blood pressure down ......... plus it is something I really enjoy, so if I'm going to keel over in the middle of a ride, at some point, from heart failure at least I'll go doing something I love!
And I'll go without regrets!
I used to worry about getting killed suddenly on my bicycle. No longer. I would die happy. That may sound morbid, but it's more like a zen fatalism that lets me accept the risks involved. Which doesn't seem too different to me than Machka's take on riding with a heart condition. And I'd guess that in all liklihood instead of killing her it will extend her life and mitigate the negative impact of her condition. I suppose that's what we all hope and pray of course.