I have a hard time getting to the computer now that I have my second kid in middle school. He’s on here more than ever, and it takes the jaws of life to get him to leave. My daughter uses her computer, but shelling out for another computer is just not in the budget these days. Why is it that as soon as I start getting ahead financially, the economy tanks? This has happened before. Is this some kind of conspiracy to keep me from getting ahead?
I’ve been running at night lately. I take a a Beta Blocker, an ACE Inhibitor, a Platelet Inhibitor and an aspirin (an antiplatelet) in the morning. The beta blocker, as I understand it, interferes with my heart’s ability to speed up in response to stresses. This is intended to help prevent a second heart attack. Excuse me, “cardiac event.” I didn’t have a heart attack, I had a cardiac event. Next time I have an event, I want balloons, elephants, celebrities.
Anyway, I take this medication first thing in the morning (I also take a statin at night -- statins work best at night because, again as I understand it, that’s when liver function is its highest). I figure that that’s probably not the best time of day to go for a run, since the medication hasn’t really kicked in, yet. At 5:30, my resting heart rate is around 49 to 52. My exercising heart rate is around 130-145. I’m not sure what those rates would be in the morning. In addition, my wife would rather that I be on the road at a time of day that other people are also out on the road. So, I go out after I get home at 5:30 PM. I’d still like to be going out at 3:00 or 3:30 in the afternoon, but I’m at work until 5 and even if I could arrange to take my lunch then, I would’t have anywhere to shower. I’m still thinking about trying to rearrange my day so that I could run then, and I’ve been dropping subtle hints with my bosses about the best time of day to run.
All this antiplatelet medication has had some interesting effects. I bruise easily -- small bruises have appeared on my arms when I can’t remember anything unusual or traumatic happening -- and I bleed a lot. If I cut myself shaving (and I do that a lot now), I end up with a large scab, no matter what the cut looks like. I used to heal quickly, now things take a bit longer. Of course, that was happening anyway, since I’m now over 50 and that kind of slows down at this age anyway.
I posted an ad on the local running message board for a running partner. So far, no responses. My wife would like there to be someone to call 911 if something should happen to me. I think I’ll add something to my initial ad making it clear that I don’t actually need anyone with any CPR or medical training, just a willingness to call for help.
My running has actually been getting better. Not like it was seven months ago, but I am improving. My times are down around 8:30 pace over the course of 4 to 5 miles. I think that I can improve some more, maybe get back down below 7:00 pace. I think that a large part of the reason I’m not back at 100% is mental. I think I’m slower because I’m careful. When your heart rate monitor is set to give you a warning when your heart rate exceeds 141, it does limit your ability to run fast. I'll have to discuss things with my cardiologist.
On another note, I can tell you one really effective way to lose weight. I don’t recommend it, since it involves being in a coma, but I did lose some weight while I was unconscious.
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