Ok this probably appears to be a very stupid question, but I have to ask it.
I am a 56 year old male that was diagnosed 16 months ago with an aortic aneurysm measuring 4.5, it remains unchanged. I had raced Ironman at a fairly competitive level up until being diagnosed. My background over the past 40 plus years has always been endurance based sports. My cardiologist has limited my working out to 1 hour a day and not to exceed a 130 BPM. Over the past year I have done a few longer rides (5 - 6 hours) with my wife at a reasonable speed, my HR averaged 100 BPM and I felt great. So I was thinking what sport potentially could be conducive to maintaining a very low HR but for sustained duration and I thought RAAM had merit.
Competitive sports have always been a huge part of my life. I have tried to find hobbies and other activities I can do to offset the inability to participate in endurance sports and I am at a loss. I understand the risks that an aortic aneurysm poises, but life sure feels very empty without sport. I don't have a death wish, but really feel the need to live life as I know it.
If I can participate in long distances riding and maintain a very low HR and BP and my aneurysm goes unchanged during my slow build to doing the qualifying event in September and subsequently the RAMM event in 2018. Is this a suicide mission?
I would be interested to hear from any medical professional, anyone in a similar situation or anyone that wishes to add their thoughts.
Thanks!
I am a 56 year old male that was diagnosed 16 months ago with an aortic aneurysm measuring 4.5, it remains unchanged. I had raced Ironman at a fairly competitive level up until being diagnosed. My background over the past 40 plus years has always been endurance based sports. My cardiologist has limited my working out to 1 hour a day and not to exceed a 130 BPM. Over the past year I have done a few longer rides (5 - 6 hours) with my wife at a reasonable speed, my HR averaged 100 BPM and I felt great. So I was thinking what sport potentially could be conducive to maintaining a very low HR but for sustained duration and I thought RAAM had merit.
Competitive sports have always been a huge part of my life. I have tried to find hobbies and other activities I can do to offset the inability to participate in endurance sports and I am at a loss. I understand the risks that an aortic aneurysm poises, but life sure feels very empty without sport. I don't have a death wish, but really feel the need to live life as I know it.
If I can participate in long distances riding and maintain a very low HR and BP and my aneurysm goes unchanged during my slow build to doing the qualifying event in September and subsequently the RAMM event in 2018. Is this a suicide mission?
I would be interested to hear from any medical professional, anyone in a similar situation or anyone that wishes to add their thoughts.
Thanks!