Linda the optimal word there is can. I agree that endurance training can lead to issues with the heart but will endurance training lead to damage. That to my knowledge no one knows. My current take is that there are some of us that for an as yet unidentified reason (likely genes) develop scarring of the heart muscle associated with training. This scarring leads to structural and functional changes primarily in the right ventricle. Some that develop these change will develop ventricle arrhythmia's and will have an increased risk of sudden death. Still a lot of research that needs to be done to prove that any of that is true.
I would also echo JB "ultra endurance events are likely not the healthiest thing we can do to our bodies". And I would throw out that I think allowing your heart to recover following an ultra endurance event is paramount. You need at least 1 week for you heart function to return to normal and some studies suggest that it is up to 4 weeks before that happens. Again there are no studies that support that, at lest not that I've found but I feel that an overuse injury to the heart is a very bad thing.
I have to bump this to the top based upon my preliminary diagnosis. I wonder with the passage of time, how people feel about being given a diagnosis that says, STOP, you aren't just a random number anymore, you are now someone with an identified condition that makes you susceptible to death if you continue what you are doing. You CAN live a life of exercise, just not extreme exercise.
what do you do? keep rolling the dice to "play a game"? or say, i had my day in the sun? it is sad, but i have become a 3X IM which is much more than most become. I stepped up to the plate and i stared the pitcher in the eye, and i played in the big leagues. I am 47, i have three amazing daughters, and actually a pretty good ex-wife. I have a business, i have employees and i want to live to see the things my father didn't (my first daughter is posthumously named after him)
i wonder if thinking about it those that said in this and the other Gleason threads, something to the effect of "I would want to live life to the fullest, it isn't the quantity of life but the quality of life" still mean it? Coach P told me in an email this weekend that he has zero doubt that if Chris had gotten my diagnosis he would not have hesitated to trade his running shoes for street shoes and move on.
I have heard the counsel to do what i can for my fitness and to stay involved, volunteer, get involved in coaching or race organization, or something. I hear all of that, i feel like a child that has had his toy taken from him. I want to ride my bike, i want to ride it far, i want to ride it as fast as i can, but alas, it may kill me to do so... isn't the "mature" thing to do, to stand down, to move to the sidelines, to hold your childrens hands and let them know they are the most important thing in your life?
Hi Scott — I have two children and one grandchild and I can say that watching my granson grow up is one the the most wonderful things that has ever happened to me.
He will be 4 in December and when he says (as he sometimes does) "Grandpa, please come here. I need you" — I can't see how my world could be any better.
Obviously you need to make your own decisions about what to do. All I am trying to say is that IMO you need to include in your thinking an appropriate weight to things in the future that you don't know about at this time.
In my case, I never thought watching my grandson grow up would be so important to me.
As with all your EN peeps, I am thinking of you and sending good vibes in your direction.
There are many divorced fathers that check out on their kids. I bask in mine. I fought to have more time with them from the outset than I was originally given. I have often taken some combination of any 1-3 of them for special unscheduled nights with me. Benna and I have forged a new friendship, so much that we have both heard the rumor floating around town for months is that we are getting back together (we are not). I often when I have nothing happening on a weekend day will be at benna’s house just chilling with the kids. My "one thing" has been that i remember the horrible first night i spent out of my house in an apartment after getting separated. The first night i could not hug and kiss my girls good night. I never felt pain like that again in my life (until now). That pain went on for months, i never knew when it would end. My one thing is knowing that the pain i feel at the end of an IM marathon is going to end in an hour, 45 minutes, 30, etc...
For me, the kids come first. There is no question. This morning on facebook, Tucker McKeever posted a picture of his 6 year old riding in front of him, and the thread is great. I have no doubt that if this were him, his kids would come first, they all do for us!
Scott, I have to agree with Kevin. I wouldn't throw away a cherished lifestyle on the basis of one opinion, but if it's confirmed, then there are more important things. All the best.
And just putting this out there in case some folks are thinking this is a pain in the butt to get checked out. Its NOT...Got a basic physical and blood work done...The doctor was almost puzzled as to why I was there. Spoke for a while on my fitness lifestyle and how I wanted to get my heart checked out. DR scheduled an echocardiogram which took place this morning. About 10 minutes of video capture and measurements followed immediatly by some analysis by the doctor. No big deal...Go get checked out...
PS, Results showed that my heart is of normal function.
Nate: was this a General Practitioner or a Cardiologist? My GP missed this a year ago when i asked him to check me out. The only real thing you need is someone that REALLY knows how to read an EKG, which my GP did not do last year. My Cardiologist didn't like the EKG and went to an echo cardiogram from there.
IMPORTANT - an athletic heart has a slightly enlarged ventricular wall (Septum) so your EKG CAN be thrown off by that, the echo cardiogram will allow them to look at your Septum and measure it, that in the end is the determining factor.
went for my 2nd post diagnosis bpm restricted run today... generating ideas for the next challenge: Building awareness.
Nate: was this a General Practitioner or a Cardiologist? My GP missed this a year ago when i asked him to check me out. The only real thing you need is someone that REALLY knows how to read an EKG, which my GP did not do last year. My Cardiologist didn't like the EKG and went to an echo cardiogram from there.
IMPORTANT - an athletic heart has a slightly enlarged ventricular wall (Septum) so your EKG CAN be thrown off by that, the echo cardiogram will allow them to look at your Septum and measure it, that in the end is the determining factor.
went for my 2nd post diagnosis bpm restricted run today... generating ideas for the next challenge: Building awareness.
Scott, some how I've missed this discussion. Sorry to hear of your cardiac issues and hope that you are doing well. I would also agree with others in getting a second opinion. Look around and find the best cardiologist in the region and go see them. If they agree then you are right to stand down. OUR HOBBY IS NOT WORTH DYING FOR.Certainly watching your daughters grow up, presenting them at there weddings and holding your grand kids are much more important events in life than completing another Ironman race. I wish you well and hope that you have a long and fruitful life whether that includes competitive endurance events or not.
not sure that makes sense Nate, the echo is a more involved procedure (it is a sonogram of the heart) the EKG is when they just hook up the leads to you and get a couple of minutes of your heart function recorded.
When I got the original check up the doctor had me come back when his Echo Techniction was going to be in the office. I think this is what he has access to so this is what I got. If I were visiting a doctor in a larger practice maybe there would have been an EKG machine. So I think as a result I skipped the EKG and got signed up for the Echo procedure. I believe as you stated the Echo is more advanced than the EKG because you get to see the heart functioning and take measurements. Let's just hope the insurance company doesn't get upset becasue I got the Echo vice the EKG...
Al, i read that with great interest, i would also have everyone explore the blog that Al found the article on. I have spoken with and corresponded with Dr. Creswell, the writer, a number of times in the last week and a half, an endurance athlete himself and clearly incredibly knowledgeable on the topic at hand.
Comments
I would also echo JB "ultra endurance events are likely not the healthiest thing we can do to our bodies". And I would throw out that I think allowing your heart to recover following an ultra endurance event is paramount. You need at least 1 week for you heart function to return to normal and some studies suggest that it is up to 4 weeks before that happens. Again there are no studies that support that, at lest not that I've found but I feel that an overuse injury to the heart is a very bad thing.
http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/01/06/902877/ian-twohig.html
You just never know!
what do you do? keep rolling the dice to "play a game"? or say, i had my day in the sun? it is sad, but i have become a 3X IM which is much more than most become. I stepped up to the plate and i stared the pitcher in the eye, and i played in the big leagues. I am 47, i have three amazing daughters, and actually a pretty good ex-wife. I have a business, i have employees and i want to live to see the things my father didn't (my first daughter is posthumously named after him)
i wonder if thinking about it those that said in this and the other Gleason threads, something to the effect of "I would want to live life to the fullest, it isn't the quantity of life but the quality of life" still mean it? Coach P told me in an email this weekend that he has zero doubt that if Chris had gotten my diagnosis he would not have hesitated to trade his running shoes for street shoes and move on.
I have heard the counsel to do what i can for my fitness and to stay involved, volunteer, get involved in coaching or race organization, or something. I hear all of that, i feel like a child that has had his toy taken from him. I want to ride my bike, i want to ride it far, i want to ride it as fast as i can, but alas, it may kill me to do so... isn't the "mature" thing to do, to stand down, to move to the sidelines, to hold your childrens hands and let them know they are the most important thing in your life?
He will be 4 in December and when he says (as he sometimes does) "Grandpa, please come here. I need you" — I can't see how my world could be any better.
Obviously you need to make your own decisions about what to do. All I am trying to say is that IMO you need to include in your thinking an appropriate weight to things in the future that you don't know about at this time.
In my case, I never thought watching my grandson grow up would be so important to me.
As with all your EN peeps, I am thinking of you and sending good vibes in your direction.
For me, the kids come first. There is no question. This morning on facebook, Tucker McKeever posted a picture of his 6 year old riding in front of him, and the thread is great. I have no doubt that if this were him, his kids would come first, they all do for us!
PS, Results showed that my heart is of normal function.
IMPORTANT - an athletic heart has a slightly enlarged ventricular wall (Septum) so your EKG CAN be thrown off by that, the echo cardiogram will allow them to look at your Septum and measure it, that in the end is the determining factor.
went for my 2nd post diagnosis bpm restricted run today... generating ideas for the next challenge: Building awareness.
IMPORTANT - an athletic heart has a slightly enlarged ventricular wall (Septum) so your EKG CAN be thrown off by that, the echo cardiogram will allow them to look at your Septum and measure it, that in the end is the determining factor.
went for my 2nd post diagnosis bpm restricted run today... generating ideas for the next challenge: Building awareness.
Let's just hope the insurance company doesn't get upset becasue I got the Echo vice the EKG...
In light of this discussion I thought that this article on the late ultra runner Micah True was interesting and another reminder for all of us.
http://www.endurancecorner.com/Larry_Creswell/triathlon_death
(IE won't let me create a weblink for whatever reason)