February Update

I had a good visit with Dr. McKernan on Wednesday the 6th. I think I finally have a comprehensive understanding of my condition. In summary:

· My condition is atrial fibrillation associated with Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (LVH), otherwise known as “athlete’s heart.”
· The do nothing option – as opposed to drug therapy or having an ablation procedure – is acceptable to the doctor. The decision for further treatment is up to me and will be based upon my tolerance for the symptoms. For now my only treatment is a daily aspirin.
· My training regimen is also up to me. There aren’t any restrictions, per se, but the doctor encouraged me to avoid ultra distance training for a while. She clearly believes that detraining can have a reversing effect on the arrhythmia, as detraining will allow my heart wall to get thinner.

This is, indeed, very good news. My imagination was getting the best of me and I started to believe many other more precarious scenarios in my head. A firm diagnosis with a clear understanding has allowed me, once again, to start looking ahead – although a little more cautiously than with my “All Systems Go!” fever…

I’m now two weeks into a low volume training plan that will take me to a goal of completing a sprint distance race in late May. My hope is that I will be able to put together a quality program targeting a Half IM in early September. It will take all of that time to regain the cycling fitness lost from two months of zero riding. For now, though, I’m trying to take exercise one day at a time.

Looking over the last several months I can see how I ended up “cooking” myself. After Ironman I lost my nutritional discipline. That was probably OK for my recovery period, but in early October I started training in earnest again. I was training HARD on the bike – at intensity levels far surpassing anything I had done over the past two years. I convinced myself that a low volume/high intensity training regimen didn’t demand the same nutritional discipline as heavy long course training. I was wrong! My body was starved of electrolytes among other essentials. It rebelled and forced me into a December detraining program of walking & yoga.

With the stress of uncertainty lifted and a return to the discipline of healthy eating and daily intake of vitamins, electrolytes, and protein shakes I’ve been remarkably free of arrhythmia. It’s like I’ve found a newborn state of equilibrium. This is all very reassuring. Stay tuned for more… and thanks for the many words of encouragement!