After the 2023 ACV 401 Bike Challenge Ride, I decided to focus on bringing my fitness back to where it was in February 2023 before all the cardiovascular drift problems started to set in. Given that I had essentially been given a clean bill of (heart) health in the summer, prior to the ride, I attempted to research what could cause a sudden increase in heart rate for relatively mild aerobic exercise. I didn't get very far. The primary contributors to cardiovascular drift include factors that I was already aware of: exercising on hot humid days, lack of hydration and age. Of these, the only one I could really control was hydration and I was deeply steeped in knowledge in that area, given previous marathon disasters and my subsequent research and adjustment of both water and electrolyte intake. I've always been a heavy sweater and suffer greatly in the heat and humidity, so I'm quite familiar with the tactics required to undertake endurance activities in those conditions. However, I could find nothing that could indicate why cardiovascular drift might suddenly increase? I did train pretty hard for the half marathon I undertook in March 2023 - with desires harking back to almost 10 years earlier when I was able to finish in under 2 hours. I figured if I followed the same training program that I undertook back then, that results would magically happen. As a result, I really pushed myself - especially in strength (hills) and speed workouts. I seemed to be perpetually exhausted and never felt that I was getting enough recovery. Once the fitness problems started kicking in, I countered by taking multi day recovery periods to attempt to get back on track, but it was too late. It seems I had somehow put myself in a state where what normally would be fairly light aerobic exercise would quickly raise my heart rate
So, after the 401 ride I decided on a different approach. No more race events for the foreseeable future. No hard training. Get my fitness base back. That meant lots of lower effort, longish rides and runs until I felt very comfortable raising it up by a small amount to the next level. Enjoy the journey as they say
As of February 2024, so far this has been working. My heart rate and cardiovascular drift now seems to be back where it was a year ago - I can exercise for over 2 hours and get nowhere near my max heart rate. At the same time, I've noticed that some of my leg and core strength has returned. This I attribute to that wonderful game that I stopped playing as the lockdown set in - soccer. Very early in 2023 before all these drift problems started, my good friend Roger convinced me to join a team that he was playing on, given that my old masters club had shut down during the pandemic. It had been 4 years since I laced up my boots. I thought about it for quite a bit and then decided to sign up. I certainly missed playing, but I certainly didn't miss the neverending injuries that seem to be a part of old man recreational soccer
Of course, my carefulness managing the CV drift issue prevented my from playing for the first half of the season. When I started up again, besides feeling even more spastic than usual with a ball at my feet, I now realized how out of shape I was for soccer. Yeah it's running, but it's different from just running on the street - lots of odd sideways movements. After the first game I couldn't move for 2 days. I knew this was going to happen when I signed up so not a surprise. It took me about 4 games until my body started to adjust to the stop/start and 'sprint' movements. I remember one game, where I played for 10 minutes and then came off because my hip flexors basically had shut off. Like an angry child they just were refusing to function
But despite the initial injuries, I had forgotten that this was essentially a strength type workout that I was not pursuing in any other activity. I keep telling myself that I need strength training (other than hills) primarily for running - weights and high load, low rep movements. And despite that it has done wonders for some of my running colleagues, I can't seem to discipline myself to do gym type strength training. But after I started soccer again, I noticed, primarily for running, that my core and leg strength were starting to make my runs easier. There's an old saying: "When you're young, you play sports to stay fit, when you're old you stay fit to play sports". But I found that "playing sports" in this case was providing a fitness component that I had missed through the pandemic
The soccer season went okay - I was just getting to the point where I was starting to feel like my old skill challenged self when the season ended. However, this same group plays 7 aside pickup through the winter indoors. This is exactly what I needed. The first few games were hell, espcially since some of these players were in their 30s and 40s. But now after several months of this, I can play for an hour and I'm not exhausted and with fast recovery. It's working
Likewise, I continue to run with my Sunday mostly marathoners run group. In winter, the group maintains their LSD (long slow distance) runs at 16 km. As the winter has progressed, without trying, I have found that my pace has slowly increased - just what I was hoping. Some of my group colleagues will be training for various races, including the Ottawa Race Weekend Marathon in May. I will be following their training program for the Sunday long runs, but I won't be adding the tempo, hills and speedwork elements - or if I do, it will be very carefully and slowly in terms of ramp up - not like last year!
Almonte Ontario just before the freezing rain started
For winter riding, well, it's a combination of smart trainer + Zwift (online cycling virtual reality game) and fat biking. I took advantage of Louis Garneau dumping their excessive fat bike inventory into Costco stores in January at effectively 50% off of the bike shop prices and got myself a new fat bike. This one fits me properly and I have found that I am more confident on my rides on narrow singletrack trails in the Western Greenbelt or other locations around Ottawa. Of course, I upgraded a bunch of parts on the bike to make it more enticing to ride
trail in Ottawa's Western Greenbelt
However, the weather has been somewhat poor for fat biking - lack of snow and warm temperatures causing melting, resulting in hard, icy, sometimes post holed trails. Not riding outdoors as much as I like, so more time on the basement bike. When the family convened at Julie's in Toronto this year for Christmas for a change, and I ran in shorts there on Christmas Eve. Road cyclists were out in force that Sunday. Climate change is real
Barrhaven Food Cupboard as part of the Santa Claus Parade
Sometime early last year, my cycling buddy Jack posted a notice in our bike club newsletter about a charity fundraising event called the 7 Days Ride for Pancreatic Cancer. I was intrigued as the cycling challenge part consisted of 7 consecutive days of at least 160 km per day. So quite different from the 401 Bike Challlenge - more of an overall endurance event but without the crazy 255 km single day ride in the middle. I decided to sponsor Jack and he asked whether I would be interested in participating - I said no for 2023, but I'd think about it for the following year. Over the course of the fall and early winter, I decided that I would like to participate. Part of my incentive was that I knew of several people who were either undergoing treatment or who had lost a loved one to the disease wihin the past few years, including one of the 401 Bike Challenge riders who lost his spouse in early 2023. It would also give me a chance to experience a different ride and meet some new riders and hear their stories. Unlike the 401, the 7 Days Ride changes their route every year. They used to ride around Lake Ontario, but the pandemic squashed that and have subsequently kept to central-eastern Ontario. They also started incorporating some loops within the rides, so that you get to stay at the same hotel for more than one night in a row and also it allows rider who can only manage a 2 or 3 day weekend ride to more easily participate. Other than fundraising, the biggest challenge I see with the 7 Days Ride is that it's early in the riding season - late May. So hopefully I'll be able to get in some long outdoor rides in April and early May so I can be somewhat prepared for 7 days of 160 km!
As far as the ACV 401 Bike Challenge goes this year, my main constraint will be whether I can fundraise for both events. You donors have been so generous the last few years in sponsoring me for the 401 ride and I'm acutely aware of donor fatigue for these fundraising efforts. My plan therefore is to primarily focus on the 7 Days ride and then see if there is still enough donation interest for the 401 ride. Next year might be the reverse. I'll figure that out in the fall. If you feel strongly that you are interested in contributing to the 401 Bike Challenge (kids cancer) in lieu of pancreatic cancer, contact me and let me know as this will help me plan accordingly
I'm excited taking on a new challenge and hoping that my fitness trajectory remains upward. As always, I greatly appreciate your support both in fundraising and encouragement. Here's to you all keeping well, staying healthy and enjoying life to the best you can. Drop me a note so we can catch up on what you've been doing
Take care,
Dan
Help patients battling pancreatic cancer and support my fundraising goal. You can donate to my ride via Dan's donation page on the Pancreatic Cancer Canada website
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