Bike sprints, diet and disease

Yesterday did the bike sprint intervals.  Today did the 2.5 mile sprint with hills.   Both hard.  I'm thinking these types of workouts plus strength are probably better than these 25 min hill climbs where my HR is over 170 for 15-16 minutes, over 180 for 2-3 min.  I still push it to the 170s but just for short duration.   Maybe do a hill climb once a month or so.  

Bike sprint intervals  - 4 x 400m w/ 2:30 rest  

max speed: 28.4, 27.5, 28.4, 28.5

Max HR - 173

 

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Bike sprint - 2.5 miles on Laurel Branch Trl

total time - 10:18 (tied PR)

Max HR - 179 

HR over 170 - 5:18 

Avg HR - 165

 

Going for a blood draw again this week.  Kidney function tests and week after, followup with my PCP, and will press him for an angiography.  

Diet and heart disease

My brother's latest determination of celiac artery blockage was called into question by one of his Drs because it was ultrasound based, so he's pressing for a more definitive test, a CT w/ contrast.

His Dr., a DO, is one of these Keto diet guys.  I'm all for low carb low sugar diet but to be extreme about it is not particularly sensible to me.   I get the low carb thing, carb = sugar. These keto bros / carnivores are totally into this idea that you can eat unlimited fat as long as you eat zero carbs and sugar. The fact is that it does work to lose weight, but for some people, this keto diet will cause heart disease if you’re a “responder” to dietary fat.  And you don't know if you are unless you test prolifically.  Not just standard lipid panels, but more advanced tests like lipid fractionation, apolipo ratios, Lp(a), inflammation, imaging like angiography, etc... CACs are good but not enough, same with lipid panels, and it's ridiculous to draw any conclusions from the once per year lipid panel... but better than nothing. Lipid panels are cheap. Just $23 at Ulta.  

The problem with tests like LDL or Lp(a)  - these are a few of many factors that *may* contribute to heart disease / atherosclerosis. The development of CVD is a very complex and individual process, as we can see with the wide range of anecdotal experiences.   Some have established heart disease yet live long lives. Some are affected by disease from lifestyle factors like diet, yet some aren't. Medical science observes general trends among the population, but there are always a lot of outliers on each end of the bell curve.  You can definitely lose weight on carnivore / keto,  usually by replacing carbs/sugar with protein and fat. Much of the confounding and conflicting data on the subject ignores the fact that there is no general rule for all people on affect of dietary fat. Different people are affected differently by dietary cholesterol as the process for atherosclerosis is complex and dependent on many factors -including genetic disposition. Frankly, looking at it any other way is tantamount to pushing an agenda, a hasty generalization, overly simplistic, or plain disingenuous.   Not much long term data on the results of carnivore / keto diets.  

Anecdotally, I've learned I am a dietary 'responder' to animal fat intake as I learned in 2021 on my brief 'egg diet.'   My brother and I are an interesting case study, albeit ... anecdotal.

A lot of this carnivore / keto diet stuff coming from social media influencers - some professionals - seems to follow the trend of the "RFK Jr - MAGA - bro-science - pseudo-masculine - vaccine science deniers" ... long on anecdotal trends and short term results, short on science and long term studies, and certainly not looking out for individual susceptibilities, and tailoring diet to the individuals based on known vulnerabilities.  They certainly push a lot of generalizations, questionable cherry picked "science," and not much info on longevity and long lived cultures - none of which are carnivore / keto.  I also think diet can be adjusted for athletic goals and training, and can vary and be optimized according to physical needs, time of year, activity level, and body type, etc...

Ahhh.... May

Monday, I had an appt with a structural engineer to look at my house and an appt with a tree guy in Sewanee 90 min later.   I rushed out of a faculty senate meeting and ran about a half mile to my car on pavement.  I was 5 min late getting home for the meeting to receive a text telling me he would be 30 min late.  He also made me miss my meeting in Sewanee.   During the run on pavement, I felt I strained my knee but went to the gym later that night and rowed anyway.  Next day Tues, I tried a running workout and couldn't manage it.  Just did some high knees and a few 50s on turf.  Knee felt bad the next day.  So, haven't been doing anything but 'old man stuff' like mowing my lawn, working on my boat.  It's weird.  I can jump, bike, row, run stairs...  just can't sprint.  

Finished off the year at both colleges and now just enjoying the awesomeness of spring.   Going to delve back into music and start gingerly back on the bike and rower, no running for a while.  Still trying to lose weight.   Tough to do without these big workouts.  Hanging at 146-147.   I had a Thurs party for my students and ate stuff I ever usually do, but not a lot - pizza and chips.  

My brother gave me more bad news that he has more blockages in his celiac and mesentaric arteries, along with a possible beginnings of an aortic aneurysm.  Makes me want to get that angiography even more.  He complains of weight gain but still eats pasta ... blames it on the drugs.  He's over 190 lbs.   (If there was one thing that will put the weight on you, it's pasta).   He's never eaten well (healthy) and I guess he just assumes the damage is done and his drugs will control it.  

I did secure an appt with my PCP to get those tests for kidney function:  eGFR, c-cystatin, and others.   I'll push for an angiography. 

It's so lush and cool in Sewanee.  Only low 60s today.  

Rower

I'm definitely not in as good of shape as I had been.  Workouts have been irregular, and conditioning workouts less.  

On the rower tonight I was only able to do 3 sets of 500m w/ 1min rest.  HR only came down to 170 after 1 min after third rep, so I folded.  

Stretches, drills

Concept 2 rower

3 x 500m w/1 min rest - 2:03, 2:09, 2:11 (avg 2:08)

standing box jumps 30", ham curl, leg extension

HR did a weird thing again, wonder if it's equipment or some heart irregularity.  I topped out at about 181 after 3rd rep and it jumped in one second to 190, so probably equipment anomaly.   

Still too heavy, almost 147 this morning.  Time to start eating right.  Just in time for my Thursday end of yr party.  Right.  

I was reminded that I'm still unable to really run as I felt some pain as I ran to my car yesterday, late for a meeting, across parking lots and grass.  If I'm not warmed up, running hurts.  

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WR

I was just looking at the stats of Sabastian Sawe's earth shattering 1:59:30 marathon in London.  He averaged 68 sec for 104 consecutive 400s.  He ran a 4:12 mile after running 23 miles, he ran a 13:42 5k beginning at mile 21.  99% of humans can't run 100m at that pace.  Incredible human achievement.  Also, Yomif Kegelcha ran 1:59:41 in his first marathon finishing second.  Kiplimo also under the previous WR at 2:00:28.   

https://www.facebook.com/reel/969922565494074

Morning bike sprint, tests

Didn't do much today, just some pullups, and a morning bike sprint on my 2.5 mile course with hills.  Super beautiful here.  Best time of year.

2.5 mile bike sprint - Laurel Branch Trl

PR - 10:18

I went to my final appt with the oncologist that my PCP sent me to.  I did so mainly to get another free set of tests.  He basically said I don't have cancer and so long as I'm getting followup on my cysts, I don't need to see him.  He noted the genetic test had not produced risk factors (nor did the Grail test).  

I had the same tests I had 2 weeks ago and they were worse.  Not surprising because I let my diet go since Roya has left.  Instead of fresh vegetables and salads, been eating more fat like nuts, sunflower butter, chocolate, more sugars like fruit preserves on crackers and Royo bread.   

The good: my liver enzymes were fine, ALT, AST = 17, 20; glucose 86.  The bad:  My CA 19-9 was up 10 points to 64,  my eGFR was down 12 points to 58, my creatinine was borderline high (1.25), and my protein (6.2) and globulin (2.0) were low, chloride was high (108).  My albumin and everything else was normal, as was my CBC.   Dr. told me not to worry about the CA 19-9 unless it sky rockets into the hundreds.  The other seems to point to slow kidney function.  These eGFR readings are on the low side of typical for me however.  AI said my most significant reading is the low eGFR, and that the elevated CA 19-9 could be related to my reduced kidney function.

CMPs are cheap, $23.  CA19-9 are $45.  I'll test again at some point during my travels to ATL.  

Probably would be good to do another 60 hr fast at some point.  

Best time of year because I'm looking at the longest vacation time coming up.  Weather has been great. 

 

busy end of semester, 30s, 100s, hiking

Been too busy to update much.  Lot's of activities going on on the Sewanee campus.  Last Friday, I went to the gym and expected to do some rowing, but instead I did about 5x 30m indoor sprints, each one felt better.  Was fun.  Last one was close to full effort.  

Stretches, drills

5 x 30 sprints

box jumps - 30" standing, 40" 3 step runup

Tues, managed to even do a brief hike before I had to work, and a few 100m on turf after the hike.

2 mile hike - Firey Gizzard trail

stretches, drills

100m on turf - 16.8

2 x 100m on turf w/ 30 sec rest - 15.44, 16.29

144.8 lbs after workout. 

It was actually hard since I hadn't run much in a while.  I was actually slightly sore from the short sprints.   Still not 100% pain free, won't be upping it from 1x a week running.  

Tomorrow I have 3 student recitals to hear, Monday is last faculty senate meeting, Tues Sewanee guitar finals, Wed last day of school MTSU including 2 Masters comp exams and my Mus Apprec class exam, then last faculty meeting and party for the the students on Thurs... and I am DONE for the summer.  

Will likely bring the boat here next week and do a big bike climb from the river next weekend at Raccoon Mtn.  Roya starts her new job that following Mon in Chattanooga.   

Lot of stuff going on as I have a building and clean up thing going in Murfreesboro after the tree destroyed my garage and sunroom.  Meeting with contractors, adjustors, etc... They finally removed the down trees.  

Such beautiful weather in Sewanee.  This place is just a 19 min drive and 1 mile walk from my house... the forest primeval with rhododendron, and wild orchids.  Love this time of year.

Hiking and biking - bike climb, tree fall

Wed did a major hike in Savage Gulf, very beautiful wild flowers and waterfalls ...  a 'forest primeval'.  (Photos below). Hills, boulder fields, and a clean stone creek bed to rest on for a while.  It was only 5.5 miles from the trail head to the falls and back but I 'felt it' afterwards.  A little soreness in the knees, 2 days after my running workout.  However feeling pretty good this weekend.  

General news:  my life was complicated by a minor catastrophe at my Murfreesboro log house.  Thursday's storm dropped a tree over and though my carport, crushing my tenant's truck and the large enclosed porch area, with some branches penetrating the roof of my house over the tenant's apartment.  It's at least $50k damage, probably much more, likely need a new roof including trusses, new carport, new porch, etc...  $12,500 just to remove the 3 trees involved off the house and property.  But... that's why we pay insurance.  The roof needed to be replaced anyway.  It could likely be built back better than it was.  Fortunately, the log house structure itself was not damaged!  That is the main thing.  A log house with 200 yr old hand hewn logs is not replaceable.  But, it's a major hassle.  I have to make the 70 min one-way trip to Murfreesboro and back 5x in the next 10 days.  At least it missed my boat.  (photos below).

On Thurs and Friday I did the 2.5 mile sprint on my road, 11:04 and 10:50.  Fastest one I really put out, pushing HR over 180, although that may have been anomalous (188 max).  

Sat, I watched the local track meet and took break to do the Roark's cove bike climb.  I think it was a season PR.  Actually second fastest post op.  HR data was nominal, mid 180's peak at the end but 1:20 after summiting, it shot up to the 190s on my monitor, so that must have been erroneous.  I tried to check it by pulse and it was in fact wrong, unless it was a delayed reading.  Should probably get a more reliable monitor.   Maybe a Polar? 

Roark's Cove bike Climb

total time - 22:12

Anyway, will hit the gym tonight, was going to run hills tomorrow but that will have to wait til Tues due to my house issue.  

My Grail cancer screening was negative, fortunately.   

Cold snap this Sunday morning, 41º last night, fire going on the porch.   Tonight, going to the gym to row.  

 

Tree falls on my house - 4/16/26

50s, hills

 Great day, variable clouds, mid 70ºs, dry.  We need some rain.   Did a little running today.  Felt ok, still not 100% pain free but pretty close.  Did some 50s on turf.  Somewhere between high knees and full stride.

Stretches, drills, bands

2 x 50m high knees

4 x 50m w/ 30 sec rest

2 x 100m hill runs - 21.5, 21.3

Felt OK, didn't want to push it too hard.  Definitely improvement.  No after effects, pain or swelling.  

144.5 lbs after workout.