Why Bother? Pt 2

To piggyback on TheClaaw's early thread, and to indulge myself for my 5K post (apologies if I bore those who have heard this before):

Twelve years ago I was suffering from the effects of a deteriorating bicuspid aortic heart valve:  Chronic incapacitating fatigue, shortness of breath, fluid build-up in the lungs that forced me to sleep sitting up, enlargement of the left ventricle, RHR in the 80's, BP in the pre-hypertensive range.  Prognosis was a life expectancy of three years unless I had heart valve replacement surgery.

Had the surgery in December 2000 to get a mechanical aortic valve, with the associated need to be on Coumadin for the rest of my life.  Took twelve months to fully recover (during which time my company went out of business and I lost my job, but that's another story...).

Along the way my cardiologist suggests I give up the weightlifting I had done for years and "get some more aerobic exercise".  Started walking.  Got bored with that, so started jogging.  Dusted off my 30-year-old Schwinn and started riding around the neighborhood. 

Three years post-op with the encouragement of a work colleague I entered my first sprint triathlon at age 50.  Wasn't DFL, but it was close (it helped that some folks got lost on the bike course...).

Fell in love with the sport and pursued it with a passion ever since.  Stumbled across BT in early 2004. 

I love training and the endorphin rush I get from it.  My ego likes the fact that at age 59, I can be out S/B/R when most of my peers are on a couch in front of a TV set.

Fast forward to this morning.  Annual checkup with my cardiologist.  My BP is 124/82.  My RHR is 41.  The enlargement of my left ventricle has reversed itself.  My BMI is over 30, but the doctor notes in the file that "pt exercises daily and has a large muscle mass".   Echocardiogram shows valve gradients and lung pressures are good.  All due in no small part to my triathlon training.   Doc is happy.

But I am still slow and likely always will be.  Barely a sub 2:00/100 swimmer.  Sub 20mph ave on the bike.  12 min/mile runner.  I am always in the bottom 1/3 of my AG.  I will still be BOP when I age up to M60-64 next year.  I'm starting to sense the inevitable effects of age on my joints and on my recovery time.

I'm still working to get faster, and I am, though slowly and gradually.  

But it really doesn't matter.  The best part is just being out there.

Mark

To piggyback on TheClaaw's early thread, and to indulge myself for my 5K post (apologies if I bore those who have heard this before):

Twelve years ago I was suffering from the effects of a deteriorating bicuspid aortic heart valve:  Chronic incapacitating fatigue, shortness of breath, fluid build-up in the lungs that forced me to sleep sitting up, enlargement of the left ventricle, RHR in the 80's, BP in the pre-hypertensive range.  Prognosis was a life expectancy of three years unless I had heart valve replacement surgery.

Had the surgery in December 2000 to get a mechanical aortic valve, with the associated need to be on Coumadin for the rest of my life.  Took twelve months to fully recover (during which time my company went out of business and I lost my job, but that's another story...).

Along the way my cardiologist suggests I give up the weightlifting I had done for years and "get some more aerobic exercise".  Started walking.  Got bored with that, so started jogging.  Dusted off my 30-year-old Schwinn and started riding around the neighborhood. 

Three years post-op with the encouragement of a work colleague I entered my first sprint triathlon at age 50.  Wasn't DFL, but it was close (it helped that some folks got lost on the bike course...).

Fell in love with the sport and pursued it with a passion ever since.  Stumbled across BT in early 2004. 

I love training and the endorphin rush I get from it.  My ego likes the fact that at age 59, I can be out S/B/R when most of my peers are on a couch in front of a TV set.

Fast forward to this morning.  Annual checkup with my cardiologist.  My BP is 124/82.  My RHR is 41.  The enlargement of my left ventricle has reversed itself.  My BMI is over 30, but the doctor notes in the file that "pt exercises daily and has a large muscle mass".   Echocardiogram shows valve gradients and lung pressures are good.  All due in no small part to my triathlon training.   Doc is happy.

But I am still slow and likely always will be.  Barely a sub 2:00/100 swimmer.  Sub 20mph ave on the bike.  12 min/mile runner.  I am always in the bottom 1/3 of my AG.  I will still be BOP when I age up to M60-64 next year.  I'm starting to sense the inevitable effects of age on my joints and on my recovery time.

I'm still working to get faster, and I am, though slowly and gradually.  

But it really doesn't matter.  The best part is just being out there.

Mark

To piggyback on TheClaaw's early thread, and to indulge myself for my 5K post (apologies if I bore those who have heard this before):

Twelve years ago I was suffering from the effects of a deteriorating bicuspid aortic heart valve:  Chronic incapacitating fatigue, shortness of breath, fluid build-up in the lungs that forced me to sleep sitting up, enlargement of the left ventricle, RHR in the 80's, BP in the pre-hypertensive range.  Prognosis was a life expectancy of three years unless I had heart valve replacement surgery.

Had the surgery in December 2000 to get a mechanical aortic valve, with the associated need to be on Coumadin for the rest of my life.  Took twelve months to fully recover (during which time my company went out of business and I lost my job, but that's another story...).

Along the way my cardiologist suggests I give up the weightlifting I had done for years and "get some more aerobic exercise".  Started walking.  Got bored with that, so started jogging.  Dusted off my 30-year-old Schwinn and started riding around the neighborhood. 

Three years post-op with the encouragement of a work colleague I entered my first sprint triathlon at age 50.  Wasn't DFL, but it was close (it helped that some folks got lost on the bike course...).

Fell in love with the sport and pursued it with a passion ever since.  Stumbled across BT in early 2004. 

I love training and the endorphin rush I get from it.  My ego likes the fact that at age 59, I can be out S/B/R when most of my peers are on a couch in front of a TV set.

Fast forward to this morning.  Annual checkup with my cardiologist.  My BP is 124/82.  My RHR is 41.  The enlargement of my left ventricle has reversed itself.  My BMI is over 30, but the doctor notes in the file that "pt exercises daily and has a large muscle mass".   Echocardiogram shows valve gradients and lung pressures are good.  All due in no small part to my triathlon training.   Doc is happy.

But I am still slow and likely always will be.  Barely a sub 2:00/100 swimmer.  Sub 20mph ave on the bike.  12 min/mile runner.  I am always in the bottom 1/3 of my AG.  I will still be BOP when I age up to M60-64 next year.  I'm starting to sense the inevitable effects of age on my joints and on my recovery time.

I'm still working to get faster, and I am, though slowly and gradually.  

But it really doesn't matter.  The best part is just being out there.

Mark

But I am still slow and likely always will be.  Barely a sub 2:00/100 swimmer.  Sub 20mph ave on the bike.  12 min/mile runner.  I am always in the bottom 1/3 of my AG.  I will still be BOP when I age up to M60-64 next year.  I'm starting to sense the inevitable effects of age on my joints and on my recovery time.