The Heart of the Matter

I actually started this post in December to talk about my heart issues that I was still experiencing from earlier in the year. Either timing or for reasons that I really don't understand I never got around to posting it. Here is a little recap for some of you that are just joining us. I decided to start blogging about this last year when I starting experiencing chest pains and palpations about a month or so before Buffalo Springs 70.3. I went through a few tests that found that I was in good shape, and the only problem that was found was that my genetically awesome ability to produce cholesterol was doing well at a total of 243 (should be below 200).

I have kept having the same heart issues for the last year. I have been able to pin point some triggers, but there are still times where I just have issues. Even the last race I started experiencing chest pain around the 5th hour, but I have now trained with this for so long that I know what is my normal issue.

The doc even had me do a holter test for 24hrs to see if anything was detectible, but it happens so random that everything came back clear.


So he has added a med that I should take if I experience an issue, but as I was feeling the scrip the pharmacist told me that considering the condition I am in (lowish HR) I might experience times where I pass out. If I take this it will have to be bad!!! If you see me acting like the video below of the great Redd Foxx don't worry it's normal.

Now to add to this nonsense of not really finding out if anything is wrong with my heart. I badly strained a ligament on the back of my knee right after the Tall Texan race. So I have been having to take it easier and swim a lot. I did have to pull out of the Willie McCool race, but it was great getting to volunteer and ride around with one of the very passionate race directors Nick Cordes (Great race by the way). Surprisingly, I am staying calm about all of this, and Tim will let me know when the time comes that we might have to talk about pulling out of the HITS race in Marble Falls. Below is the video that Tim sent me to explain his philosophy on how to handle this injury.

As usual when I am not training at my normal levels before races I start feeling out of whack. Part of it is that I like how my body feels when it is being pushed, and then part of it is my time I get to spend with my faith or talk to my Dad. It is a time I need that keeps me balanced, and even though I have a day off today to help with healing. Things don't don't feel right. I know that even if it wasn't this it would be something else, and I am not doing this for the next race or even this season. I am doing this to fight for my health for the next 20-30 years, and hopefully inspire others.

I know If I wasn't doing what I am doing I would reach a point where I might not have the ability to fight. These years we have aren't free. So tomorrow will be a new day, and I will be ready to fight.


See you on the flip side,
Keebler