Send your prayers and best wishes

It's incidents like this that make me question the obsessive focus on competition (of many different varieties) that seems to pervade much of masters swimming. Isn't the experience of enjoying our favorite sport and the comaraderie of other like-minded folks enough? That is a fair point. I had a discussion about this story with someone who said that not exercising vigourously might have let him have a heart attack sooner in life. Just a thought from a non masters swimmer.

I've thought this same thing. I could barely crawl out of the pool at my last meet after an event. After reading this thread, I realize I may be overdue for my annual physical. Last time I was checked, my blood pressure and cholesterol were fine. But who knows for sure without a check up ... Think I'm overdue for a mammogram too. I better get thee to a non-orthopod doc real soon ... I hope Ron will be fine. 5 of my friends and co-workers have been diagnosed with *** cancer this year. Definately get that mammogram done!!

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

Although I do not know him, I am glad to hear Ron is doing well. Sounds like a true fighter. In regards to ekg's and such, I have a suggestion - heart scan. Ekg's don't show as much as people think they do. Heart scans show the best. I know this because my dad, at 64 with no blood pressure problems, no high cholesterol and an active triathlete had triple bypass. I also recommend a heart rate monitor for anyone and everyone. My dad was running one day and noticed a heavy feeling in his legs. His heart rate monitor showed him that his hear rate wasn't it's normal during a run (he downloads it to a program to track the stats). He went in for a stress test and failed, failed a catheterization and had triple bypass that same day. He has no family history of heart problems but the blockage is considered genetic. His cardiologist recommended heart scans for both my sister (an active triathlete in Atlanta) and myself. My dad is active again (even tore his quad tendon mountain biking 4 months after the triple bypass) and is back into triathlons. His ordeal taught me that it can happen to anyone, even those without the usual signs. Let's all stay heart healthy! Alison

Competing is good for the heart until you have a heart attack from it. Gotcha.

I think swimming is good for your heart but for somebody who already has CAD or is generally at high risk for cardiac events, I doubt many cardiologist's are going to suggest racing any time soon. I suspect that if you train correctly then swimming a race will not likely be your demise but I think it is something that should be discussed between a patient and his/her physician.

Actually living is good for your heart until you have a heart attack from it, if you want to expand. We're talking "normal" people here, not cardiac patients. I doubt anyone with heart disease would do anything without talking it over with his doctor. Finally, everytime someone dies at a marathon or even swimming, all these arguments pro and against exercise appear in the media, giving the sedentary life style people some ammunition. And the obese. Better to die swimming or hiking or running the darn marathon than in your sleep with excess weight and snoring away...billy fanstone

Unfortunately, there are many people who think they are normal but are quite far from it. Many think that regular exercise and not being obese assures them of avoiding stroke or MI...unfortunately this is not the case. Even at my young age, 32, I make a point to see a doctor and get checked out at least once every two years. An hour lost at the doctors office is cheap compared to brain matter or cardiac muscle lost.

So if one is not competing one is a turnip?

In case anyone reading has contact with Ron or his family, please send my wishes for a speedy recovery. I was co captain of his first ASU men's swim team in 1975. Michael Heather