'I just can't stop': Cyclist dies after confessing he was addicted to riding
12-01-22, 01:00 PM
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'I just can't stop': Cyclist dies after confessing he was addicted to riding
The critical danger of exercise addiction has been thrown into the spotlight following the tragic death of British cyclist Mark Bentley.
Bentley, a 54-year-old business journalist based in Frankfurt, Germany, spoke to Cycling Weekly in early September and confessed that he felt addicted to riding his bike despite experiencing symptoms of heart problems. Three days later, on 10 September, he suffered a fatal cardiac arrest.
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Interviewed for a CW feature on the subject of exercise addiction, the Briton explained how he had been having chest pain while riding and that his exercise habits were getting in the way of other priorities in his life.
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Bentley - who averaged more than 2,000km of cycling per month, much of it on indoors on a turbo trainer - spoke to CW as part of the magazine’s 'Let’s Talk About' series, which focuses on rarely discussed health issues affecting cyclists.
“Both my girlfriend and my mother tell me I’m obsessed," Bentley told CW. "If I’m not riding, I’m talking about it or watching cycling. It never ends... I’m aware it’s addictive, but it’s my hobby so why not do it in my spare time? At least this addiction isn’t harmful. Cycling is healthy.”
Bentley, a 54-year-old business journalist based in Frankfurt, Germany, spoke to Cycling Weekly in early September and confessed that he felt addicted to riding his bike despite experiencing symptoms of heart problems. Three days later, on 10 September, he suffered a fatal cardiac arrest.
.
Interviewed for a CW feature on the subject of exercise addiction, the Briton explained how he had been having chest pain while riding and that his exercise habits were getting in the way of other priorities in his life.
...
Bentley - who averaged more than 2,000km of cycling per month, much of it on indoors on a turbo trainer - spoke to CW as part of the magazine’s 'Let’s Talk About' series, which focuses on rarely discussed health issues affecting cyclists.
“Both my girlfriend and my mother tell me I’m obsessed," Bentley told CW. "If I’m not riding, I’m talking about it or watching cycling. It never ends... I’m aware it’s addictive, but it’s my hobby so why not do it in my spare time? At least this addiction isn’t harmful. Cycling is healthy.”
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12-01-22, 01:03 PM
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Nothing in excess is healthy.
12-01-22, 01:17 PM
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My wife was getting chest pain when riding. After some tests, she had heart valve replacement and is fine.
It is not the obsession, it is the reluctance to seek medical care/diagnosis when an issue arises.
It is unfortunate that the cyclist died, but a trip to a cardiologist would have been the correct approach. It may have been that he had a defect that could not have been reversed and he would have had to give up obsession, or continue knowing the probable outcome.
John
It is not the obsession, it is the reluctance to seek medical care/diagnosis when an issue arises.
It is unfortunate that the cyclist died, but a trip to a cardiologist would have been the correct approach. It may have been that he had a defect that could not have been reversed and he would have had to give up obsession, or continue knowing the probable outcome.
John
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12-01-22, 02:50 PM
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It's weird, a lot of friends and family have developed heart issues in the last couple years when they had none before, all relatively young (30s to 50s). It is I need prudent not to ignore the signs and get checked out. Definitely at least don't keep exercising!
12-01-22, 03:07 PM
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I guess "Man in his 50's dies after failing to seek medical attention for chest pain" is a less clickbait worthy article title...
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12-01-22, 03:15 PM
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He averaged "more than 2,000km of cycling per month, much of it on indoors on a turbo trainer."
I'm surprised he didn't die of boredom.
I'm surprised he didn't die of boredom.
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12-01-22, 03:22 PM
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12-01-22, 03:24 PM
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12-01-22, 03:46 PM
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Ignoring chest pains is a pretty stupid thing to do.
*edited to correct math error.
Last edited by livedarklions; 12-02-22 at 12:45 PM.
12-01-22, 03:49 PM
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And on your theme of "snark aside": I have an in-law relative who, I suspect, has long suffered from exercise bulimia. Obsessive exercising is sometimes (not always) a sign of some emotional issue.
12-01-22, 03:58 PM
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I suspect you're correct on that. The cycling may have caused the problem to manifest earlier, but there was likely an underlying problem.
And on your theme of "snark aside": I have an in-law relative who, I suspect, has long suffered from exercise bulimia. Obsessive exercising is sometimes (not always) a sign of some emotional issue.
And on your theme of "snark aside": I have an in-law relative who, I suspect, has long suffered from exercise bulimia. Obsessive exercising is sometimes (not always) a sign of some emotional issue.
True, if you couple an eating disorder with large amounts of exercise, you can definitely create a heart problem.
My math was wrong, though, he was averaging about 40 miles a day.
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12-01-22, 04:22 PM
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Hey, I believe it. After all, Johnny Cash shot a man in Reno -- just to watch him die.
https://www.google.com/search?q=fols...id:xd14cBeAfU4
https://www.google.com/search?q=fols...id:xd14cBeAfU4
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12-01-22, 06:25 PM
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Hey, I believe it. After all, Johnny Cash shot a man in Reno -- just to watch him die.
https://www.google.com/search?q=fols...id:xd14cBeAfU4
https://www.google.com/search?q=fols...id:xd14cBeAfU4
Untreated cardiac dysrhythmia... fatal. Riding 40 miles a day? A vacation.
12-01-22, 06:29 PM
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all that riding probably let him live longer than he would have
12-01-22, 06:32 PM
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Hey, I believe it. After all, Johnny Cash shot a man in Reno -- just to watch him die.
https://www.google.com/search?q=fols...id:xd14cBeAfU4
https://www.google.com/search?q=fols...id:xd14cBeAfU4
El Paso -- https://www.google.com/search?q=mart...id:k5k6R4Z1BC8
12-01-22, 07:50 PM
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Cash is good but I prefer Marty Robins and a different kind of ride that was a cause of death
El Paso -- https://www.google.com/search?q=mart...id:k5k6R4Z1BC8
El Paso -- https://www.google.com/search?q=mart...id:k5k6R4Z1BC8
12-01-22, 08:19 PM
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12-01-22, 08:22 PM
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12-01-22, 08:23 PM
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Snark aside, he was averaging about 24.4 miles per day. I seriously doubt the riding was what killed him.
Ignoring chest pains is a pretty stupid thing to do.
Isn't it more like 40 miles per day? Doesn't contradict your point though. What killed him was his reluctance to pay attention to his heart, not the cycling "addiction"
Although, I'd have to say it must have been a huge addiction to compulsively ride that much indoors regardless of whether it's 24 or 41 miles. Yeah, I might understand it for a serious competitor trying to maximize fitness for competition or some other event. But just because someone likes riding?
12-01-22, 09:08 PM
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12-01-22, 09:14 PM
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12-01-22, 09:54 PM
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Hey, I believe it. After all, Johnny Cash shot a man in Reno -- just to watch him die.
https://www.google.com/search?q=fols...id:xd14cBeAfU4
https://www.google.com/search?q=fols...id:xd14cBeAfU4
12-01-22, 10:07 PM
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You guys think he was on an indoor trainer just staring at the floor? It's easy to forget your exercising if you watch TV or listen to music or read. I usually hit the rower while watching a baseball game and put in quite a few kilometers without realizing it.
