I used to ride for a paycheck with a resting of 38 and a top of 220. Many years ago.
About 5 years ago I suddenly started having issues with heart rate. It simply would not go above 100. Saw a doc. Did a stress test, found my type 2 heart block was now a total type 3. If you are interested you can look that up.
With a type 3 I had to get a pacemaker which is programmed for 70-160 bpm. I am 65, but I ride a lot (about 9,000 miles last year) and the doc said 160 was OK.
Then I developed afib. So about a year and a half ago I underwent a cardioversion. That worked, as it gets my heart back in rhythm but did not fix the reason I was in afib. Most people don't even know they have afib. Until they have a stroke.
So, because of covid all the surgeries are backed up, the voluntary ones, so tomorrow I get another cardioversion. Then in the fall will have an ablation. The right side of my heart beats OK....the left side, when in afib is about 200 all the time. You can look up ablation, but it's a procedure to reduce that number of nerve endings on the bad side of my heart.
So...if you are feeling strange or getting odd hr readings, see a doctor. Really. I'm not joking.
Get a copy of "The Haywire Heart". You'll learn a lot. Velopress. A lot of big name athletes have heart problems. LIke Ironman Dave Scott. Lennard Zinn. All sorts of endurance athletes. Remember Jim Fixx who keeled over on a run and died?
Most people ignore symptoms. I'm tired, I'll take a week off. Then, suddenly, something really bad happens. Like a stroke or worse when if caught early it is a much simpler fix.
Eddy Merckx and I get to share the same heart issues. So we have that in common.
