Recovery and Renewal

On June 11, 2013, I had my 6th catheter ablation, a seven hour procedure. Since that date I have had no arrhythmia. While it was an out patient procedure, with no meaningful discomfort, I have had one important side effect: my heart rate does not increase appropriately when I exercise. 

That side effect has been wearing off slowly over the past four months, and I am now able to run moderately without discomfort. In early July, I took a treadmill and my heart rate topped out at 140 bpm.  In October, I was up to 160 bmp. That's still a long ways from the 185 bpm I managed back in 2003, but it is improvement nonetheless and I can certainly feel it when I run.

After Western States, I decided to take the rest of the year off from racing to allow my heart -- and soul -- time to recover.  The end of 2013 is now approaching, and I'm starting think about racing again. I just signed up for the Avalon 50 miler on January 11, 2014, and I am looking forward to a brighter year ahead.