icyclist 

As I have for eight previous times since 2000, I planned to ride the Chico (California) Wildflower Century this past Sunday. However, I had a fairly seroius heart attack – 100% blockage of the left coronary ("widow maker") artery, a little under two months ago. That heart attack seemed to put the ride out of reach.

As I started to ride again, I decided I should travel to Chico, anyway. It's my college town, and I have an inordinate fondness for the place. At first, I thought I could ride the alternate "Flatflower 15" miles ride, then upped that to the "Flatflower 30" miler.

Finally, I decided I cold complete the "Mildflower" version of the Wildflower, about 60 miles. While I didn't have a lot of training days, I knew I had enough miles under my belt to give the ride a try, and not give myself another heart attack.

I've got several photographs and a fuller story about the ride on my blog, here. And I wrote about something that happened after the ride might interest the 50+ crowd.

In fact, I'm confident I could have completed the century, too, although it would have taken me a long time to do that, and I don't think I would have enjoyed the experience (or at least my rear end wouldn't have had much fun).

The Mildflower proved a nice challenge. It was a beautiful day for the ride, which led up and down the southern edge of the Cascade Range, and over the flatlands of the Great Central Valley. The air was clear enough to see Mt. Shasta, 14,000+ feet above sea level, sticking up over the horizon, 100 miles to the north.

While I may have pushed myself a little beyond what I should have, I seem none the worse for wear.

By the way, I see another good write-up of the ride on this forum, here.

NealH

Well done! Congrats for taking a sensible approach, relegating fear to the back seat and completing the event. A metric is plenty of distance to ride. I try to avoid full centuries because they tend to drain me. After 62 miles or so I'm ready for a break, and lunch.

B. Carfree

That was a nice story in your blog. Great photos too. It was only a few years ago that my wife finally tossed the last dregs of a mid-'80s Wildflower shirt (big yellow "pass with care" on the back). We rode that ride many times, but she never did manage to stay on the course for an entire ride. Chico Velo has always been a great club.

rdtompki

+1 on your blog. fabulous pictures and writeup.

stapfam

12 years ago I had a triple bypass and that was 3 months after the heart attck. In the meantime I had no riding and for a month after the bypass I could not even sit on a bike. Just leaning forward to the bars caused chest pains. Mate of mine came round and changed the stem to a short high rise- fitted riser bars yo bring the bars up and back and then took me for a ride. 1/2 mile and it did cause some discomfort. Then every couple of days he came round and took me for a ride. He got me up to around 10 miles and then we did a 30mile organised ride. Took it slow---Very slow but managed it.

Then 12 weeks after the bypass I did an organised 40 miler that took in a couple of hills. My mate couldn't do it so did it on my own but let a couple of riders round me know about the bypass and they looked out for me. Those hills were not usual for us round here- Starting at 3 to 5% and about 3 miles long--Then the last 200yards or so were 20 to 25%. And there were two of them.Finished the ride but to be honest- If I knew how hard the ride was going to be- I would have trained for it.

I may have done that ride slowly and not put too much effort in and that was what helped me towards a quick recovery. Stayed on gentle rides- gradually increased the milage- and then the effort and made a full recovery within a year.

The heart problem is now in the past--But your body will not be.Get the legs strength back- get the shoulders working and get the lungs working. Then your head will tell you when the 100 miler is to be done--Give it till the end of summer.

Pat

Good job. Out of the frying pan and into the flowers.