I'm 63 and now cleared by my Drs. for swimming (not running or biking) after some major medical problems. Vascular and cardiovascular side effects from treatment come into play as I begin building endurance in the pool.
I'm fortunate to have the best coach (and the busiest) in the country to work with. As important as what my coach will do to bring me along, will be the help of a sports oriented Cardiologist.
Does anyone safely compete at a high level with ongoing guidance and input of a Cardiologist with satisfactory results? By satisfactory I mean age group competitive.
Are there reliable wrist heart monitors on the market? I haven't been in a pool in so long, I wasn't aware that the swimming community is made up of such great people - they're so much more laid back and sociable than marathoners.
Sorry if this topic has been discussed elsewhere. I'm still getting familiar with all that's available - it's intimidating.
Thanks,
Steve
Former Member
Great comments/observations - thanks! I'll use this info as I continue shopping for a sport oriented Cardiologist.
Steve, I am looking to use a HRM to watch BPM until I have a full understanding of my problem. Over the decades, I have been winging it re: things health related (dozens of serious marathons, some 65k miles on the roads). It always worked, but then I had a resting pulse of 40 and VO2max over 70. Now after treatment for inoperable stage IV throat cancer, all my scans refer to calcified coronary arteries and clogged carotid arteries. Last week after a hard workout, I had constant chest pains the following day, but no post training discomfort since then after backing off last Friday, Monday and Weds. I'm anxious to see what today will bring in the pool.
Is the Finis' Aqua Pulse available yet? Thanks, Steve
I think the last pool I was in was the L.A. Athletic Club's in maybe 1979. I ran 1,000s of miles around that track and am still dizzy. That's my pool on weekdays. It's the pool that most closely meets the seven-minute rule: if the pool is more than seven minutes from my office, I'm not likely to get there.
For those who don't know the name: Parry O'Brien was one of the greatest Olympic-level shot-putters of all time, developing the technique that revolutionized the event. He died in a master's meet in Santa Clarita in 2007. I never met him, as my first masters' swim was half a year after the meet in which he suffered a fatal heart attack.
Solar, I love my mountain bike, but they're many reasons why it gathers dust for now. Cold intolerance (under 65 degrees) is one, but mostly why biking's impractical is I get lost and bump in to things. Head and Neck Cancer treatment fried my brain so bad, I measure moderately to severely cognitively impaired. I am a danger to myself and others on trails. Maybe some day I'll be back in the saddle.
RUNNER'S HIGH (or Swimmer's High) is what I am hoping to experience in the pool. Drs. want me to take Retalin, or Paxil or other Alzheimer's type drugs to deal with my Chemobrain. I'm pretty certain releasing endorphins into my brain is better medicine than more drugs and their potential side effects. Maybe later I can add biking to my daily routine.
Is there a comparison to make between Runner's High and Swimmer's High?
James Lucas - Does the LAAC still have their month long October Marathon? Do any old timers like Miki Gorman still run on the track? Steve
If chest straps slip in the water, you could try replacing all or part of the elastic with gripper elastic:
www.seattlefabrics.com/elastic.htmlwww.seattlefabrics.com/Gripper Elastic_small.jpg Gripper Elastic
"Elastic designed with bikers and skiers in mind. Gripper Elastic has a rubber compound added to it to stop bike shorts and the cuffs of skiwear from slipping. Available in black."
