Tag Archives: Fitness

Getting outside

I finally managed to get outside on the bike on Sunday. I took the Mountain Bike out for a spin on an old railway line in Aberdeen. Nice, safe route without too many (any) hills, that didn’t require any real bike handling skills.

It was another beautiful morning, the final death throes of summer. A great day to get out and get some air into your lungs. Unfortunately it was a bit too nice (or more accurately, I took too long getting ready and was a bit late), as there were lots of people on the railway line. A lovely scenic place to park your car, take a walk, grab an ice-cream or a play on the swings and slides, before heading back. As a result, it was busy.

Hazard… between or around?

I was keen not to end up in a ditch, or to collide with anyone’s favourite child or youngest Chihuahua. I therefore had to stay very alert, particularly given how difficult it is to see whether a dog / child is on a lead from a distance… plenty of scope for unfortunate incidents!

I was not alone. There were plenty of other people on bikes (cyclists, I guess you’d call them) making use of the track, as well as runners, zimmer frame operators, wheelchair passengers, etc. Pretty much any moveable obstruction you can imagine. There was potential for carnage… ironically, every kind of accident other than the proverbial “train crash”.

Who is controlling who? A cyclist’s nightmare!

The casual strollers didn’t seem particularly happy with the cyclists… at least, some of them didn’t seem very happy with me: “Bloody cyclists!”, I could hear them muttering not so quietly as I whizzed past… but I was off! Gone. Somewhere else to be… until I passed them again on my return that is, when we greeted each other with pleasant smiles and a fleeting nod!

What fun!

Someone’s going to get hurt!

The ride itself was fine. I did just under 20km and rode for just over 50 minutes. A casual Sunday morning cycle. I was tempted just to keep going, enjoying the freedom, but I know I need to take it easy. “Don’t do more than you could on your worst day” (Cardiac Rehab Motto). A bit depressing really as I’ve always thought the best days were the most important. Still, I don’t want to set myself back, so moderation rules. Yeah!

Not enough hours in the day

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It’s 20:50, and I’ve just eaten, sat down and put my feet up for the first time today. I appreciate lots of people don’t get a chance to relax at all… caring for others, working late, second job, studying, etc. I’m lucky to get a few minutes to myself, watch the golf, and chill out before I turn in for the day.

Apparently he’s often mistaken for me!

On “normal” days, I’ve got into a routine where exercise is the number one priority for me when I get home from work. A good routine to get into given my recent medical history, but one that is increasingly eating into my day. As I get stronger, I am able to do more exercise.

Today I did a cycle session that took just over an hour. I wasn’t cycling constantly, and I never went over my maximum Heart Rate, but it took time.

I think that during my recuperation I got used to having almost endless amounts of time. A little exercise, a little TV, a little read, a little snooze… and all before lunch. Fantastic!

My gradual return to work similarly gave me a feeling of extra time… strict 8 hour days, working from home after Cardiac Rehab, regular rest… long relaxed evenings incorporating moderate exercise. Just what I needed to help get back on track.

Over the past week or so, things have felt like they’re returning to “normal” at work. I’m working with a couple of clients, not being asked to do too much or pushed too hard (in fact, they’re being incredibly understanding), but I’m working on some interesting stuff. The kind of work I want. The kind that I find difficult to “put down”.

As a result, my work days have extended a little. Not by a huge amount, but back towards a “normal” work day. In combination with an extended work-out, my days are feeling shorter.

(I suspect this is mentally exacerbated by the ever shortening days).

From where I’m sitting, I can’t see a huge number of options to create more time:

Sleep less – Not a particularly viable option for me. I need at least 8 hours sleep a day, ideally more.
Work less – The only thing I can commit to is to be aware of time, and what I’m spending it on. I need to earn money. I also enjoy what I do. There are plenty of people watching out for me to help ensure I don’t go mad!
Do less – Having just rediscovered it, and needing it to help prevent future health issues, I’m not about to start cutting back on exercise. What I do need to do is build up a selection of options that provide a mix of intensities / duration. In time I’ll finish Cardiac Rehab too which will give me some extra time, but I do need to make sure this doesn’t result in every day feeling the same… I’m enjoying the variety the morning sessions gives to my days.
Suck it up and get used to it!

Any other ideas? Suggestions appreciated!

Another minor milestone (FD +47)

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I feel like I’m making real progress on the exercise front. Some of it is down to exercising. Some of it is down to understanding the kit and exercising better.

Although I’m still a complete novice, I feel like I’m in a position to provide some advice on cycling (at least cycling in my garage):

Cycling Lesson 1: It hurts less if you have the right kit!

The shorts, gloves and shoes all made a substantial difference to last nights “ride”. Why didn’t I think of it earlier!

Yesterday saw the introduction of another training aid too…

I got a tip from a guy at work to try out a Sufferfest video. Specialising in Cycling Training Videos, they have the motto:

“I will beat my ass today to kick yours tomorrow” (IWBMATTKYT for short)

They have a range of “entertaining” videos targeted at the stationary cyclist market. They create training sessions where you follow / copy / compete with professional cyclists performing in competitions (World Championships, Tour De France, etc., listening to fast music, and following instructions “shouted” out via text on the computer screen.

http://vimeo.com/46131597

It might sound strange, but the videos provide some useful pointers for the novice cyclist and also create a major distraction from the clock. In my limited experience, the biggest challenge with inside cycling is clock watching. Every minute seems to last forever!

For me the intention is clearly not to have a Sufferfest, in fact not to suffer at all! That’s not really what my exercise is about right now. For me I’m treating it more as a Recoverfest (Trade Mark pending!).

Irrespective of what the on-screen cyclist does, or the instructions I’m given, the Heart Monitor is the most critical piece of equipment for me. Keeping below my 118 bpm threshold is essential.

In time, I’m looking forward to testing / pushing the boundaries, but I have to keep reminding myself that I’m still only in week 3 of Cardiac Rehabilitation. Much as it would be nice to kick Bradley Wiggins’ ass in a Time Trial (albeit virtual), my goal has to be to put in the miles, to get myself fit and strong, to lay the foundation for the future.

Anyway, the video worked for me. I would highly recommend checking out The Sufferfest if you’ve not discovered them already.

Breaking news…

All the exercise and hard work has resulted in another minor milestone for me at Cardiac Rehabilitation today…

drum roll…

wait for it…

I was allowed to jog on the treadmill!!!

I’ve got another 5 weeks of Rehab to go. I’m hoping I might be able to fly by the end of it!

Someone’s going to get hurt!

The wrong trousers

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Wallace scores well on the trouser scale!

When was the last time you took up an activity, a hobby or a past-time that required you to buy some new trousers?

I think this might be a solid, independent, international measure of how adventurous you are; measured in “trousers”, calculated as the average number of pairs of trousers you’ve purchased for a new, specific purpose over the past 10 years*.

If you’re anything like me, you will score low on the trouser scale. I can actually only think of a single addition to my collection in recent years – some long shorts bought to enable a brief tennis career in Bahrain (0.1t).

That was before today… today I took a leap forward with the arrival of some cycling attire (0.2t).

I realise I’m slightly naïve as far as cycling technology is concerned, but I hadn’t appreciated how painful and complicated cycling can be…

A disaster waiting to happen!

The complications are everywhere… gear ratios, pedal torque, wattage, ride height, on-board computers, tyre pressures, cadence, training regimes, etc. etc. etc. I definitely wouldn’t describe it as “plug and play”. More a plug, fiddle, check the plug, fiddle some more, adjust, and eventually, if you’re lucky you get to play… and that’s where the pain starts!

I am recovering from a Heart Attack. I am not yet even close to being able to think about being ready for the level of exertion serious cyclists might “enjoy” on a regular basis. Instead, I am trying to build a level of base fitness from which I can start to build in due course, keeping my heart-rate below my upper limit of 118 bpm at all times!

No! So far, for me the pain hasn’t come from burning thighs or lungs screaming out for air. For me, the pain has come from my hands, my feet and my derrière… and it’s really not very comfortable!

No… not quite yet!

So far I have not been able to sit on the bike for more than 20 minutes without taking a break. My hands hurt from leaning on them, my (borrowed) shoes are half a size too small, cramping my bug toes, and my behind, just hurts. Well, sometimes it hurts, sometimes it goes numb… I’m not sure which is more disconcerting!

Training is not enough… preparing for training was required… hence my new trousers. I have dug deep into my pockets to invest in gloves, shoes and the shiny new padded trews. Hopefully the new additions will transform my cycling experience to whole new level… of comfort!!!

So the increase in my trouser count is less a result of my adventurousness and more a matter of medical necessity. I should point out that so far I haven’t even left the comfort of my own garage. Heaven only knows what I’ll encounter when I hit the open road!!!

* Multiple pairs of trousers for the same purpose count as one.

It’s never too soon

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No-one ever thinks they will get impacted by Heart Disease. We live in blissful ignorance until one day, if they’re lucky, they get a “warning”, a “wake up call”.

Many aren’t that lucky.

In 2010, over 45,000 people under the age of 75 died of Heart Disease in the UK.

That’s certainly how it was for me. I was bullet-proof. Until I wasn’t.

Once a week, the Cardiac Rehabilitation sessions have an hour of education. I consider this the “Community Service” session, where I do the time for the crimes I’ve committed in the past. The same crimes as many people, but I got caught!

This morning we talked about the anatomy of the heart. We covered much of the same ground when I was in hospital (see “You are what you eat“). I’ve had 5 weeks to think about what I could or should have asked… our questions and concerns were on a completely different level back then.

What I learnt today…

The reason why atheroma builds up in some arteries and not others is not known
The build up can start early (in your teenage years)
Once it’s there, there’s nothing that can be done to reverse the build-up of atheroma
It can only get worse, not better (drugs can help reduce the associated risk, but don’t reverse the build-up either)
The only way of assessing the build-up is by performing an angiogram which itself carries a risk of 1 death in 1,000 from Heart Attack or Stroke
Prevention is the best strategy
It’s too late for me to adopt this strategy (but I knew that already!)

What’s happened to me could happen to anyone. It’s never too soon to become aware. Never too soon to take evasive action.

I know it doesn’t seem real, particularly if you’re young, fit and healthy. It won’t. Until it is. And then it’s too late.

Try something new

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Personally, I’m still waiting for the magic!

Apparently “trying something new” is good for you… keeping you young at heart, pushing back the boundaries of boredom, interested and interesting.

I don’t think the “Live a little… have a heart attack!” T-Shirts will fly off the shelves, but there’s certainly been quite a lot new in my life over the past few weeks. You wouldn’t expect to find many of the things I’ve been introduced to on anyone’s “101 things to do before you die” list, but they’ve certainly set things in an unexpected and different direction,

Today was somewhat of an exception as there was an element of planning involved… I collected a Turbo Trainer and introduced a bike into my exercise regime.

The humble beginnings of a beautiful relationship with a bicycle

I continue to exercise regularly. Having returned to work, and working my way back towards full days, I have cut back to one exercise session a day. My staple exercise is still walking, but I’m slowly expanding my repertoire. Cardiac Rehabilitation has introduced me to a range of exercises. As I get stronger, I can (very slowly!) expand my horizons.

The whole exercise thing is strange for me though…

I was fit in my youth. I did a lot of sport. I trained 5 days a week for athletics, travelling miles to train, compete and get fixed (at the physio). I reached quite a high standard. We trained properly. It was fun but serious (to us at least).

Before I left University I got lazy as far as physical exercise was concerned. There’s been the occasional burst of activity since (a tennis season in Bahrain, 5-a-side Football, a Squash ladder), but nothing sustained… few and far between.

Coming back to it now is bizarre. Mentally I’m still where I was when I was a fit 18 year old. Physically I’m a complete mess… weak and unfit… and that was before the Heart Attack!

I’m going to have to very slowly build my fitness back up. Balancing the desire to do more, with the need to look after my heart. One step at a time.

I’m still looking for a long term challenge… cycling is a tempting option: a weekend in the Alps with the boys, part of the peloton for a couple of days.

At the moment however I wouldn’t even be able to make it home if I headed out on a bike (our house is at the top of a hill). So today I started putting in the hours (well half an hour at least). Stationary. In the garage. Plodding (if it’s possible to plod on a bike!)

The road to our house is not quite as tough as this!

I would estimate I need to do a couple of thousand miles of conditioning before I’m ready to hit the open road… only 1,998 to go!!! 🙂

Standing up and Sitting down (FD + 31)

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We are encouraged not to “blur” at Cardiac Rehabilitation as it can result in over-exertion

It turns out that standing up and sitting down on a chair repeatedly over even a relatively short period of time can be tiring.

Yesterday turned out to be a an introduction and assessment day at Cardiac Rehabilitation. A bit of an anti-climax to be honest, but not a disaster. The “proper” sessions started this morning.

So… I discovered that walking on a treadmill is fine, cycling on an exercise bike is a breeze, cross-trainer (minus arms) is comfortable, but standing up and sitting down (poor man’s squats, I guess) hurt. Not a scary, Cardiac Rehab, “somebody get a doctor” kind of hurt, but my legs clearly weren’t used to that kind of exertion. They hurt then and ache now.

[Try it yourself. Sit on a normal dining-type chair and stand upright, sit and stand, sit and stand. Repeat continuously for 3 minutes. If you struggle, perhaps you need to get some more exercise too!]

It was a different exercise experience for me. I guess I’m starting from a different place. I’m not just a little bit unfit. I have had a Heart Attack. I don’t really want another one. So this needs to be about taking the exercise seriously, but not doing too much serious exercise: Warm up. Work out (moderate exertion). Cool down. And relax.

I now have a maximum Heart Rate. I’m not sure I’ve ever had one before. If I have, I’ve certainly never owned a device to monitor it. I do now. I’ve got a shiny new watch that tells me everything I need to know (unfortunately only while exercising). My magic number is 118! [220 minus 42 (age) minus 30 (drug factor) multiplied by 80% if you’re interested.]

I tend to keep my shirt on… it reduces stress all round!

I was the only person with a (personal) heart monitoring device (no-one commented, but I did get a few looks). Everyone else relied on the kit provided – which involved a single measure mid-way through the exercise programme. I guess there’s a risk that I take this a bit too seriously, but I don’t think it’s over the top to want to know if you’re approaching your maximum heart rate, is it? (I maxed out at 112 bpm, incidentally).

Anyway, 1 session and 715 calories down…
15 and lots more to go!

Top down and Bottom up

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People lose weight in different ways; Some lose it in fits and starts, getting seemingly random outputs from consistent inputs; Some struggle to lose any, no matter what they try; While others only seem to need to think about going on a diet for the weight to fall away. I’m sure these change over time too: “past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance”.

Someone else’s feet!

For me, it appears that I’m losing weight from the top down and the bottom up. To date my “health kick” (this should be “lifestyle change”, but let’s take it one step at a time”) has not extended beyond thinking about what I put in my mouth and walking (up to 2 miles, twice a day).

I think these small changes have started to deliver some results: my legs have definitely “shaped up” a bit as a result of the regular exercise, and while shaving off my facial hair last night I discovered evidence of a long forgotten jaw bone.

The upside of losing weight in your face is that it’s relatively easy to show external signs of progress. The downside is that it’s easy to declare success too early, before the hard work has been done. (Not this time!)

As a result, I was greeted on several occasions today (my first day back in the office) with:

“You look much healthier than you did before!”
“Yes,” I was tempted to respond, “but the last time you saw me I was a heart attack waiting to happen!”

So, independent verification that things are headed in the right direction!

Someone else’s body!

The next task is to move forward with the fitness regime… I wouldn’t say I was particularly toned right now. In fact, the combination of losing weight from the top down and bottom up, together with years of giving up diets too soon, has resulted in all the pies gathering around my midriff, in combination with my Umpa Lumpa feet (Always wear sunscreen) I’m really not an attractive sight!

Rehabilitation starts tomorrow. I’m not exactly sure what to expect, but I’m really looking forward to it!

A good day! (FD +22)

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I have some days when I wake up in the morning with a feeling of excited anticipation for the day ahead. Today wasn’t one of those days.

The feeling has, however, grown as the day has gone on. My immediate reaction was that I’ve overdone it, I’m exhausted, but I’m happy to confirm that this is not the case!

It’s amazing what a bit of targeted pottering can do to raise the spirits! Today was my first official day of “preparing to return to work”. Given Wimbledon has finished and it’s a rest day in Le Tour, it could hardly have been planned better!

I’m up to over 30 mins on my twice daily walks now. I have found a circuit that takes between 14 mins (fast, hard) and 15.5 mins (steady, comfortable). Today was a comfortable day. The sun put in an early appearance too. I was home and hosed early. A great way to kick the day off.

The rest of the day was spent connecting…

Life in a bubble (with connecting tube)

Communication was difficult immediately after the Heart Attack… not the easiest thing to drop into casual conversation (“Oh, and by the way, I’ve just had a Heart Attack”), and not something that you can leave out (“No, everything’s fine. Honest!”). So, the easiest approach is to avoid the conversations. People who need to will find out in time, one way or another. As a result, it’s very easy to live in your own little bubble. Comfortable but isolated.

For a short time this helps. You get rest, not tired out by visitors. Protected from the stresses and strains of every day life.

Eventually you need to re-connect, catch up, make contact. This is not as easy as it sounds. The longer you’ve been in the bubble, the more difficult it is. The world moves fast (or at least it feels like it does when you’re not moving with it!). Today was my day to grab the bull by the horns…

The day included a (very) brief client meeting and a “news” release on the website to announce my imminent return (so much easier than having to announce that I was sick!). Both were small things, but felt big to me.

Website Photo by Daughter #2
[Not sure how long the facial hair will last!]

The highlight of the day was re-connecting with a couple of really good friends*. Being men, I am confident that now we have spoken about my Heart Attack, there is no further need to discuss it. More than anything, I think this has helped me feel like the worst is behind me (and, fortunately, that really wasn’t that bad either).

Oh… and I’m hopefully going fishing tomorrow! 🙂

***

*Pete – I know I need to call you, sorry!

Independence Day (FD + 17)

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P: “What time are you off to the gym?”
L: “About 9. Why?”
P: “Just wondering when to do my walk this morning.”
L: “Why don’t you wait for the girls and go with one of them?”
P: “What time do you think they’ll be up?”
[There is no reasonable response to this question. Teenagers. Week one of school holiday. Late nights. etc.]
Silence…

P: “I could always go on my own.”
Silence…

A few minutes later…

P: “OK. I think I’ll go for my walk.”
L: “On your own?”
P: “Yes.”
L: “OK. Have you got your phone?”
P: “Yes.”

And with that, I regained a little bit of my independence.

Little things can make a big difference… I am able to leave the house on my own; a rite of passage I thought I’d bagged when I first nipped to the local newsagent for a treat, or the corner shop for a forgotten essential, back in the day (“Mum, I’ll be back in five minutes!”). I’d guess that I was about 8 years old when I first did this, but it feels a bit young.

Things were different back then… Mars Bars were the size of bricks (certainly more than a chap could eat in one sitting) and you could pick up a couple of packets of Hamlet Cigars for the builders while you were there!

A Mars Bar and a Brick circa 1980

Anyway, the point is, some things have to be re-gained, re-learnt or re-earned. I guess a lot of growing up, a lot of learning, is about being able to take things for granted… walking, reading, writing, mental arithmetic, riding a bike, driving a car, etc. You should take these things for granted but for one reason or another some people can’t.

I’m OK walking. For the first couple of days after leaving hospital I was tentative. My chest wasn’t sore, but it was a bit tight. I definitely wasn’t 100%. I’m still not 100%, but I’m moving in the right direction.

Gentle, controlled exercise is the name of the game for me. I’m building up strength to start my Phase 3 Rehabilitation (incorporating tailored gym routines, education, etc.). The target is to get to walking 30 minutes twice a day by the time I start these sessions (just 2 more weeks).

We don’t believe in “No pain, no gain!” “Pain” is not a target state for me at the moment. I carry a magic spray that will come to my rescue if I do feel chest pain at any stage, but I really don’t want to go there!

That said, we live on the side of a hill. It’s not possible to walk more that 5 yards from our front door without encountering a slope. Doing a 20+ minute walk incorporates many slopes… as long as I don’t feel pain, get out of breath or “over do” it, I’m fine. So slopes introduce some variety and a (little) challenge.

I felt a strange sensation last night…

My legs ached slightly. Just a little. It wasn’t a scary ache. An “I’ve done a little bit of exercise today”-type ache. It’s the first time I’ve felt it since my Heart Attack. It felt good. I know I can’t push myself, but it’s the first sign that my “little” walks are doing anything more than getting the old ticker pumping.

Until recently, I’d always taken it for granted that my heart wasn’t my weakest link. I look forward to earning that back too!