Today at the Arizona state meet legend Ron Johnson after setting a new American Record in the 200 breastroke suffered a severe heart attack in the warm down pool. Thankfully the lifeguards and masters swimmer/physician Kurt Dickson and others we're able to start immediate life support until paramedics arrived and rushed him to the hospital
As of 5pm this evening all I know is that Ron had had regained consciousness, appeared to have not suffered brain damage and was breathing on his own...however he did have 5-6 clogged arteries and was going into immediate open heart surgery.....please send your prayers and thoughts this evening for his recovery....
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Former Member
For the record, competing is good for the heart! More so in swimming; low impact, horizontal, uses all muscles and so forth. Swimming a fast 100 isn't going to kill you. That is why you train. If you don't train nature takes care of you and you swim slower because you can't swim faster. The usual lack of air at the end of a swim is part muscles and more excess carbon dioxide trying to get out. I've done a lot, I mean plenty, of running with a Polar heart rate monitor, and I've done a lot of biking with it also. I have also used the heart rate monitor in the pool but don't anymore because unless you are doing strong repeats or swimming fly (for me that is) the heart rate doesn't go near the danger zone. The chances of swimming to complete exhaustion and doing any damage, before you swim easier because of exhaustion, is small. I have been swimming 1,000 meters at an open water lake event about six times a year for the last couple of years and my time has stayed in the 17 minute range in good days, bad days, sunny days, rainy days...I am totally predictable. We all are. I have gained two seconds or less in my 50 meter free in the last two years since I returned to swimming. billy fanstone
For the record, competing is good for the heart! More so in swimming; low impact, horizontal, uses all muscles and so forth. Swimming a fast 100 isn't going to kill you. That is why you train. If you don't train nature takes care of you and you swim slower because you can't swim faster. The usual lack of air at the end of a swim is part muscles and more excess carbon dioxide trying to get out. I've done a lot, I mean plenty, of running with a Polar heart rate monitor, and I've done a lot of biking with it also. I have also used the heart rate monitor in the pool but don't anymore because unless you are doing strong repeats or swimming fly (for me that is) the heart rate doesn't go near the danger zone. The chances of swimming to complete exhaustion and doing any damage, before you swim easier because of exhaustion, is small. I have been swimming 1,000 meters at an open water lake event about six times a year for the last couple of years and my time has stayed in the 17 minute range in good days, bad days, sunny days, rainy days...I am totally predictable. We all are. I have gained two seconds or less in my 50 meter free in the last two years since I returned to swimming. billy fanstone
