Tag: AFib

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Show #630 – May 31, 2023

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Guests: Paul Tolme; Gretchen Reynolds

Not too long ago, we spoke with Paul Tolme, the communications manager of the Cascade Bicycle Club headquartered in Seattle.

I was so taken with some of the programs this 10,000-member club is developing and implementing, that when Paul contacted me about the Pedaling Relief Project, which is reaching a huge milestone, as well as to update me on some of their legislative initiatives, I thought I’d share his news with you. 

Our conversation sort of began before I did the “formal intro” so, I figure we’ll just fade into it… he’s always raring to go!

I always take away such great information from the work Cascade is doing.  You can find out more about the Club, read the blog, sign up for any of their rides and events, or learn about their many and varied programs at Cascade.org.

My second guest is the Washington Post’s award winning author Gretchen Reynolds.

Gretchen writes the “Your Move” column for the Post on Wednesdays.

Today, we’re going to talk about what sometimes happens with athletes who exercise at intense levels over long periods of time. 

In her May 17th article, “When Too Much Exercise Is Bad for Your Heart,” Gretchen talks about a new study of ultra-endurance athletes which showed an unusually high incidence of AFib.

We’ll also discuss the benefits of exercising outdoors in green space. Turns out, it’s the best!

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Show #564 – July 17, 2021

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Guests: Shannon Galpin; Trudie Lobban

My first guest is not new to The Outspoken Cyclist..  She is one of the bravest, most passionate, and ardent activists for women’s rights, Shannon Galpin. (You can join her on Patreon!)

Her message today should strike a chord in the very depths of your psyche as she offers us the unvarnished truth about what is happening to the women of Afghanistan – especially the women’s cycling team.

Back in 2012 and 2013, the Afghan Women’s Cycling Team was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize and Shannon was named National Geographic’s Adventurer of the Year.

Now, Afghanistan is under siege and women especially are at risk, including the women’s cycling team. (You can help the Afghan Women’s Team!)

Shannon, who currently lives in Scotland, returned to the U.S. on a personal matter and I was able to catch up with her a couple of days ago.

Then, we discuss a really important issue that affects a LOT of people and apparently, might affect those who exercise intensely even more than the general population.

On July 12th, the Irish Times published an article titled: “Athletes more likely than non-athletes to have irregular heartbeats”

It seemed counter-intuitive at first; but, 13 studies between 1990 and 2020 that analyzed data from 70,478 participants concluded that “there is a threshold beyond which exposure to increasing levels of exercise is linked to heart issues including atrial fibrillation.”

AA logo – MASTER 2016 LOGO

As I read the article, I thought back to my conversations with Lennard Zinn and his tribulations with Afib as well as all the ads on TV which I thought were overblown in an effort to sell more pharmaceuticals.

 

So, I decided to talk with Trudie Lobban,  THE expert in the field.  Trudie is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Arrhythmia Alliance and she has some sage advice to pass along to us about heart irregularities and how to not only detect them, but what to do about them – including her “knowyourpulse.org” initiative.  (Know Your Pulse Video!)

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Show #260 – August 22, 2015

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Guests: Lennard Zinn; Anna Brones

When we spoke with tech guru, frame builder, and endurance athlete Lennard Zinn, then 55, back in 2013, we were super impressed with the depth and breadth of his knowledge and expertise. In fact, our interview had to be broken into two parts to cover all the details of our conversation.

But what we didn’t talk about on air was the terrifying and life threatening physical issues he was experiencing.

Fast forward to 2015 and the now 57 year old has had to make some serious life choices because of his experiences. These issues were highlighted in a recent Velo News article, “Cycling to Extremes – Are endurance athletes hurting their hearts by repeatedly pushing beyond what is normal?”

The lengthy piece graphically and bluntly details what is happening to endurance athletes like Lennard who seemingly just get leaner, stronger, and faster as they age. But, there may be a silent killer lurking and this evening, Lennard and I delve into not only what happened to him, but what he believes may be a reason to take a serious look at your training, riding, and racing choices as you age.

After our break and some current events, we take a bit of a different and lighter tone as we head on over to Paris, France to speak with Anna Brones about her new book, The Culinary Cyclist. In the handlebar bag size book, Anna shares some of her wonderful recipes, practical ideas, and endearing etiquette with us.