tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11239428.post5656170493350915324..comments2024-03-13T02:16:49.832-07:00Comments on Diary of an average triathlete: Are Triathlons Deadly?Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821164461194210117noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11239428.post-85478064246421084912009-04-01T12:20:00.000-07:002009-04-01T12:20:00.000-07:00I only live once... so I am going to be as healthy...I only live once... so I am going to be as healthy and toe as many starting lines as I can.<BR/><BR/>I like you take on the article.Gotta Run.....https://www.blogger.com/profile/03647983887882662002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11239428.post-19147658225123321252009-04-01T00:57:00.000-07:002009-04-01T00:57:00.000-07:00Very interesting stuff! Thanks for sharing!Very interesting stuff! Thanks for sharing!Marcihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09476841866817839265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11239428.post-80785103620484639892009-03-31T20:13:00.000-07:002009-03-31T20:13:00.000-07:00I had a "coronary event" in late '04 and ended up ...I had a "coronary event" in late '04 and ended up getting an angiograph in the 3rd hospital. The enzyme test was negative, but the trace was markedly different than a 10-day old stress EKG trace, so not an imagined event nor panic attack. (I also have a right bundle-branch block)<BR/><BR/>The Dr told me I had the heart of a 20-yr old, no plaque in my heart, aorta, or lungs, but I still had chest pain and high blood pressure.<BR/><BR/>Kaiser was spending millions telling people on TV how much they wanted people to be well and live healthy lifestyles, but when I asked them month after month if it was safe for me to return to the gym they said I was on my own and they wouldn't sign me off for that. <BR/><BR/>I finally changed gyms, lied my butt off and went back, because if you don't, at some point the whole coronary disease thing becomes a giant self-fulfilling prophesy. It seriously pissed me off that I had to take all of the risk by myself, make the decision on my own with little info to go on, and bear any health or financial outcome on my own. I did it anyway, because in the end you can choose life, or you can chose death. There is no try.<BR/><BR/>I put up with chest pains for 2 more years until I started taking 400mg of Co Q10 a day in late '06 and my chest pains went away. On the treadmill in the gym I could take my heart up to 162bpm, about 15bpm higher than before. I don't think you can fake that kind of result. From that day forward I have continued to push myself slowly but persistently to higher fitness levels. Last year about this time I stated cycling again after almost 25 years off. It's the best health decision I've ever made. I no longer have chest pains, and stopped taking Co Q-10 8 months ago.<BR/><BR/>I will be the first to admit that I enjoy riding and "racing". I am competitive. It's who I am. If, God forbid, my heart blows up and I end up dead I'm happy with that trade-off. I'm not risking my life (or others) street racing or eating chicken wings and ribs in front of a giant TV while I grow a huge ass. I am living. <BR/><BR/>Tens of thousands of people die each year in car accidents and people just shrug. Millions die of sedentary life-style diseases, now the most prevalent form of disease in the western world, and that is seen as perfectly acceptable. I refuse to explode my liver with statins or throttle my heart with Beta blockers - preferring instead to put it to work doing what it was intended to do - fuel intense exercise. Instead, I spend the same money on a bike and events and live a healthy and vital life I love.<BR/><BR/>If the choice is between managing disease until an inevitable death from drug-destroyed organs because the drug companies need to sell you a pill each day to create reliable profits, (Ever since the pill turned out to be a huge cash-cow the drug companies have been obsessed with finding crap you HAVE to take each day so their stream of profits is endless. They are every bit as insidious and despicable as the tobacco companies, because while paying lip-service to health their true interest is in destroying health so they can manage disease) and living "dangerously" in health and vitality, there is no question in my mind which is the better choice. It is a choice I am happy to reaffirm each day as I mount up and RIDE!!!Grey Beardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02238917041257429804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11239428.post-78631932244130472232009-03-31T14:32:00.000-07:002009-03-31T14:32:00.000-07:00I have read that article as well. Very interesting...I have read that article as well. Very interesting. I too agree with you and Dr. Martinez.teacherwomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15791382386588836461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11239428.post-84767997376111279962009-03-31T14:29:00.000-07:002009-03-31T14:29:00.000-07:00I think you and Dr. Martinez are right on the mone...I think you and Dr. Martinez are right on the money with this. No matter what, I will hold to the fact this it is healthier to be an endurance athlete than to not be one and all these misquoted studies in the press do is prevent people from potentially changing their lives for the better.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02378547566593756176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11239428.post-15367885083810523152009-03-31T14:22:00.000-07:002009-03-31T14:22:00.000-07:00Interesting topic and I like your analysis. On one...Interesting topic and I like your analysis. On one of my first tris, a guy who looked just like me died on the swim. My wife thought it was me until they cut his wetsuit off. All I thought was, "why are they bringing in an ambulance" and "hope they don't wreck my time over this." Going to hell for sure.Backpackerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10454729887928862202noreply@blogger.com