The Committee in My Head Sings a Three Part Harmony

Life this past year, since my unanticipated and nearly life ending heart attack August 17, 2009, has been interesting on so many levels. Such life changing moments cause one to reflect on how the simple things in life mean so much, why sunrises hold such promise for the day you've been given, and how the embrace of family and friends can never be taken for granted.

It's been a struggle all year trying to stay fit, frustrating in fact. Two months in cardiac rehab hooked up to heart monitoring kept me safely in the game and aerobically fit. My four cardiac nurses (two pictured here) taught me how to self-monitor my heart functioning so I could continue my cycling while taking the required heart medications. The purpose of the meds was to ensure that the heart had time to heal by both slowing the heart rate and lowering the blood pressure. As an endurance cyclist I already had a pre-MI resting heart rate of 46 bpm and low blood pressure to boot, like 110/78. The heart meds dropped my BP sometimes below 100/60 which made me dizzy. And, I felt fatigued most of the time. I was back on the bike during rehab, but had a restriction on how hard I could exercise my heart. I've always worn a HR monitor while cycling to gauge work output, but now I was employing it as a type of governor to keep my heart rate below 140bpm. Forcing my heart to work harder would have caused it to undergo structural remodeling to meet the work demand placed on it and essentially weakening the heart muscle as it became larger over time. Well after a year of riding under restrictions, I have been taken off the heart meds and permitted to go back to my normal intensity during workouts. It's only been 10 days off the meds, and I feel the difference already. 

Last Sunday I decided to take a mountain bike ride along the East Ridge in Butte, Montana toward Homestake Pass and attempted to do a loop which required about 1400 feet of climbing along the Continental Divide. It was a glorious bluebird day, with plenty of cloudless Montana sky and mild temps in the 50s.

I traversed the ridge line to the southeast steadily climbing to the Continental Divide.

Couldn't help but stop for a photo op on the Divide.

After I made it to the top of Homestake Pass I descended along a connector trail to Blacktail Creek.

From there it was a straight shot back into Butte. It wasn't a particularly long or technical ride, roughly 17 miles with 1400 feet of climbing. But, it served as an affirmation that there is a new beginning for me. I felt stronger than I had just 10 days earlier, and I wasn't having to stop to keep my heart rate down. As a matter of fact my average HR stayed in the 130 range the entire ride. I felt exhilarated!

I'm still going to be cautious. It's only prudent since I had a heart attack a year ago, but now the governor is off. The committee in my head was singing a three part harmony because mind, body, and spirit came together on that day. An epic day for me! One that will remain forever in my mind as a triumph over frustration and uncertainty. The zen across the top tube continues. The next chapter awaits-