rsbob 

i garden as well. One acre. These are a mere snippet of what i planted and maintain.

pbass

The times I HAVE focused on the numbers and whatnot, were the times my BP was up! At 61 I get a regular physical, but ultimately, I go by how I feel. I don't look at numbers. I don't even know how much I weigh right now. I eat a super healthy (and hearty - I'm a true hard gainer) diet. I rest when my body says so. I push hard when it's enjoyable. And stop when it's not. I can ride harder and longer than I could at 55. So much of it is mental.

zandoval 

Its odd but I gauge the difficulty and extent of my ride/work out on my recovery time. If I'm still out of breath a couple of hours after my work out then I know I did something wrong. My body too. There is a point where simple soreness turns into injury. We want to avoid the injury.

Maybe we should all pay more attention to our recovery times regardless of age.

There was a time when I could run two miles with a fighting load in less than 16 minutes. I might be able to do that now but not in 16 or even 40 minutes. And I certainly would not be able to go out with my boys and drink beers the same evening.

rsbob 

if you are still out of breath 5 minutes after your workout concludes, there is something abnormal. You may want to see your physician for a work-up

blacknbluebikes 

Medical Arts as opposed to Medical Science.
I've been to enough doctors now to see that if "it" isn't one of about 400 things they see all the time, then they don't know. That's OK, but patients need to recognize it when they see it.
'

bmcer

Took a "mild" MI at age 60 as a wake-up call, and made the appropriate changes to my lifestyle. Quit smoking, quit drinking alcohol, dramatically reduced my intake of animal products, and began cycling again after a 35 year hiatus. It took a few months, but I got to where the 11 mile climb up Mt. Diablo was a regular part of my 100 miles/week. Fast forward 2 1/2 years later... Resting pulse in the low 50's, only EKG change was a slight let axis deviation, echocardiogram showed a slightly greater than normal stroke volume, normal ventricular compliance, and a wee bit of Mital regurg. My lipid and metabolic panels and CBC were textbook normal. I was in the best shape I'd ever been since adolescence and felt great.

Right up to the moment I had a complete cardiac arrest while waiting for my riding partners to show up. No warning at all, no discomfort, no dizziness, no shortness of breath or any odd sensations at all. Just blackness. Don't even remember keeling over. Turned out I'd suffered a complete occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery. I was told that the survival rate for that particular type of MI is about 3%. If it happens in the field, that drops to < 1%.

I was told that the only thing besides incredible luck that allowed me to survive was being in the superb condition I was at the time of the event. The cardiac surgeon that did my subsequent by-pass grafts said that he spent a good deal of time inspecting my myocardium before taking me off bypass, and he told me he could find no gross signs of necrosis or even injury. His advice at the time was to get a follow-up cardiac echo and stress test in 2 months, and if those were normal, to go right back to what I'd been doing. They were and I did, and now I'm 73 and feeling great. Now time is a cruel mistress, so no, I don't climb worth beans any more and I don't spend as much time in excess of 25 mph as I did 7 years ago.

My point is, you can get checked 6 way for Sunday, but all the medical science in the world won't tell you anything but your odds, where you fit into their statistical models. Thing is, it's all just a mathematical construct that has absolutely no bearing on one individual at one of time. Like the rest of life, it's a craps shoot. Do what you can to stack the odds in your favor and have as good a time as you can in the process.

qcpmsame 

With my family history, I was sure a major heat attack would have taken me long before now My dad passed at 49, while mom and I tried our best to use CPR, grandmother (paternal) had major, fatal stroke at 58, uncle had an MI at 41, etc. I have been pretty active most of my life, runner, cyclist, worked strenuously, outside, as a construction engineer. Had 10 years with 16 major surgeries due to spinal injury and ruptured appendix/abdominal scar tissue/fistulas. I got an MESA infection and the antibiotics infusion sessions managed to ruin my kidneys, so returned to regular cycling in 2011, and managed to shed 100+ pounds of dead weight and get all my function lab numbers optimal.

My heart started acting up, could tell it was Afib by the patterns and how the extra valve contraction each cycle would feel. Had to use an Apple Watch IV with ECG function to convince my cardiologist that it was a problem. I got ahold of a copy of "Haywire Heart" Zinn, Mandrola, et al, and read it cover to cover three times to get things straight in my brain (developing Parkinson's Disease didn't help any at all.) I highly recommend finding a good cardiologist that is familiar with both endurance exercise athletes and heart rhythm issues, I fired one that refused to listen to what I was feeling, and went down a path I was certain was not pertinent or correct.

I found a cardiologist that specialized in rhythm abnormalities and that was familiar with active, endurance athletes, and a group that had nurse navigators you could email or call 24/7, with problems or questions. Had cryo-ablation surgery, 4 locations in October 2019, no further episodes since. Back cycling regularly and feeling much better, I took the advice, that I found, in "Haywire Heart", and backed things down a notch or three, less high zone workouts and lower mileage now.

Rowan Hope you are home, with Machka by now. sorry for your set back. You are an example of never quitting and being positive about life. Hope that we can see you guys again, soon. Best wishes from Monica and me.

Bill

Bob Ross

My 82-year-old mother taught me to play pickelball a few months back. Let's just say if your cardiologist defines pickelball as "moderate" exercise he's never seen my Mom play! Holy crap, she wore me out like no fast century ride ever has!

Machka 

Hi Bill ... you are also an example of never quitting and being positive about life.

Rowan came home on Tuesday afternoon after 3 days in hospital. On lots of medications for his heart now.
He is allowed to exercise but must not raise his heart rate above 120 bpm for a while.
He is not to ride his bicycle until next week, then he can start doing that again ... slowly.
So he's been for a short walk each day, making sure to keep his heart rate down.

terrymorse 

But does "intensive exercise" really shorten your life?

This Copenhagen study of cyclists found the opposite, that cyclists who rode with "fast intensity" live the longest.

Life expectancy for men:
slow intensity -> 0 years
average intensity -> +2.9 years
fast intensity -> +5.3 years

Life expectancy for women:
slow intensity -> 0 years
average intensity -> +2.2 years
fast intensity -> +3.9 years

hereandnow

Thank you terrymorse! I understand that "nobody knows nothing" with any certainty, but you have provided a wealth of very helpful information throughout this thread. The Copenhagen study cited above provides some especially useful insights.

hereandnow

Thanks, bmcer. I found your story to be tremendously inspirational on many levels.

bmcer

hereandnow,

You're sure welcome.

Speedskater

The Cleveland Clinic's Sports Cardiology department didn't have any problems with me ice speedskating at age 78. Short track ice speedskating is all 1 to 3 minute bursts.

Flip Flop Rider

I'm getting slight pains just reading this

BlazingPedals

I'm 65, and if I haven't at least approached my MHR on a ride, it hasn't been hard enough. MHR being the same number it was when I was 50.

Richard Cranium

Your statement is so silly - it really needs no rebuttal. FWIW - each individual determines their own exercise intensity. Pickle ball or Cycling do not control exercise intensity - the person using the sport to recreate does.

Actually, cycling on a multi-speed bicycle is probably the most "perfect" form of safe-aerobic-exertion, other than a bike trainer.

Sir - your post lacks any merit -and your bias against cycling is unappreciated.

rsbob 

Hey brain, what part of “absolutely love it” don’t you understand?

An internet search shows many pages extolling the benefits of moderate, not strenuous, activity for seniors - so his caution is understandable; even though I break that rule with every ride.

Light or Moderate Exercise Is Best for Seniors

The benefits of exercise are undisputed. What's more, research has shown that moderate exercise can be just as beneficial--even for younger people--as intense exercise. Given that a person can maintain a moderate level of exertion for longer periods of time than intense exertion, arguably the best path is to engage in moderate exercise on a regular basis.

The benefits of moderate exercise continue even after the exercise session has come to an end. Elevated endorphin levels, stronger immune response, and a faster metabolism are all benefits that continue around the clock. What's more, the cardiovascular benefits of moderate exercise rival those of intense bouts of exercise.

Strenuous Exercise Is Best Left to Younger People

Seniors do best to exercise moderately or lightly on a regular basis and avoid overexertion when possible. Studies have shown that there can actually be a higher mortality rate in elderly people who exercise too strenuously.

Artmo 

Beautiful, but would give me a heart attack at the thought of maintaining it!

terrymorse 

Yeah, about those "studies" that conclude “seniors shouldn’t do strenuous exercise, or they’ll explode!!!”.

They're what is kindly called "controversial".

Excerpts from Master Endurance Athletes and Cardiovascular Controversies, Current Sports Medicine Reports, 2020:



And if that evidence doesn't ease your mind, how about a personal story: Robert Marchand, the world hour record holder for the age group 105+.

rsbob 

I was not referencing elite athletes just the average Joe, like the guy who’s post I quoted. Elites are superhuman compared to weekend athletes, or a bit better, and have amazing cardio/vascular condition. A newbie going out and pushing themself to extremes might jeopardize their health. I feel, and you will no likely disagree, that you were being unnecessarily and needlessly rough on someone who enjoys cycling and would rather be safe than sorry. Moderation, in my opinion, is never a bad thing especially when one is new to a sport. To do otherwise might potentially jeopardize one’s health. I have said all I intend to and will not respond further or try to get in the last word because it just isn’t that important. Have a good ride and a good life.

terrymorse 

I do disagree.

I wasn't being "needlessly rough" on the OP, who asked a sensible question.

I was countering -- with references -- your unsupported claim that it's somehow dangerous to engage in intensive exercise.

As the article I referenced above concludes:

skidder

The old saying: "If the doctor doesn't agree with your opinion, find one who does" applies here. I'm about you age, take one med for an arythmia heart condition, and my cardiologist encourages me to keep up the bicycling and other aerobic activities. The medication works great, but sometimes my heart does act up and I just have to stop to rest a bit. I see him yearly for a follow-up, he's done two treadmill test on me over the years, and his evaluation is 'keep it up but work on loosing 15 lbs" (which I consider appropriate advice).

hereandnow

OP here.

Thanks, rsbob, you were replying to an individual (not terrymorse) who apparently didn't read what I wrote on a couple of counts and, well, lol, enough said.

Thanks, terrymorse. The specifics in the March 2020 Current Sports Medicine Reports article you linked were exactly what I was looking for, evidence that at least counterbalances some of what my own cardiologist and two others told me along with some of the findings of the (former intensive exerciser) cardiologist Dr. James O'Keefe (referenced in footnote 7 of the article).

rsbob 

Did 40 miles today wearing a HRM. Ran 85% of the time between 150 and 160. On climbs was hitting mid 170s. Last week hit 184 on a 12% climb. Figure it was a good stress test. If I am going to have an M.I. I’d rather have it on my wheels.

In my 30s I could hit 210-215.