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Elise's Fitness Fun

Thoughts confirmed

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USMS Memberelise526
, June 19th, 2009 at 02:17 PM (848 Views)
Had a follow-up with my GP yesterday and my cardiologist at UAB today. Both agreed that the running was a factor in my HDL readings. In fact, the cardiologist stressed that I will need to do exercise into and beyond my menopause years to keep the total cholesterol/HDL ratio at a good level since my LDLs are in a borderline area. (I hope that menopause is at least 10 years away! Tends to run very late in my family so I am probably looking at 15 years from now.) Both were very pleased with the ratio as it is 3.3 right now. GP indicated as long as my LDL was below 160, with my HDL count as high as it is, he was not worried about the LDL level right now. Cardiologist said that levels were not in area that needed any type of medication.

Both docs liked the exercise program I have going. The lab work that came back was ideal. Cardiologist who is also a triathlete obviously liked the fact that I wear an HR monitor when I run. He also is very pleased that I opt to stop and walk when the HR level gets too high (like on my birthday run).

Yesterday, got in 3,000 yards of high intensity swimming. Used the fins a good bit. Particularly enjoyed the last set that was without fins: 6 x 50 on 1:20 - odds are free/fly, evens are free/back. These were power swims. Felt good on all.

This morning, my appointment at UAB (University of Alabama at Birmingham) with cardiologist was at 8:15. UAB is about 70 miles from where I live, but well worth the trip as it has some of the best medical treatment facilities in the country. Five of its treatment specialties rank in the top twenty nationally. Anyway, Birmingham rush hour is a bear, particularly the route I have to travel, so I left my house at 5 AM and got into Birmingham a little after 6 AM. Even then, there was traffic. I hit the downtown YMCA and ran on the treadmill for 5 miles, doing the following:

Warm-up: 2 miles at 9:13 pace
2 miles: alternated 1 minute hard with 2 minutes of easy jog/fast walk. On fast intervals, got faster with each one minute interval. The first was at 7.5 mph. Added .5 mph to each interval until I got up to 9.5 mph on one interval and then went back down .5 mph on each one minute interval until I got to 7.5.
1 mile cool-down at 8:34 pace.

Hope to swim easy this afternoon or early tomorrow morning. After having my thoughts on running confirmed, I hope to get a run in this weekend.

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Updated June 19th, 2009 at 02:27 PM by elise526

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Comments

  1. The Fortress's Avatar
    There's always peri menopause to look forward to.
  2. Bobinator's Avatar
    Menopause isn't all that bad. I think having a positive state of mind helps alot. I constantly remind myself of women my age (or younger) who have already died or have a terrible quality of life due to disease or mental disorders. (cancer, heart disease, diabetes) Although you may experience minor discomfort, sleeplessness, weight gain/loss, depression, and wrinkles it's really not that big of a deal. (Some people I know make it a huge deal of it because I guess they want it to be) My advice is, "focus on the positives and tolerate/down play the negatives."
    That is how I choose to focus on this portion of my life!
  3. elise526's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by The Fortress
    There's always peri menopause to look forward to.
    I guess I could already be there for all I know. Isn't the whole thing a very gradual process?
  4. elise526's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Bobinator
    Menopause isn't all that bad. I think having a positive state of mind helps alot. I constantly remind myself of women my age (or younger) who have already died or have a terrible quality of life due to disease or mental disorders. (cancer, heart disease, diabetes) Although you may experience minor discomfort, sleeplessness, weight gain/loss, depression, and wrinkles it's really not that big of a deal. (Some people I know make it a huge deal of it because I guess they want it to be) My advice is, "focus on the positives and tolerate/down play the negatives."
    That is how I choose to focus on this portion of my life!
    Makes a lot of sense. In some ways I'm looking forward to it so that I don't have to deal with the monthly visitor.

    You are so right. Life is a gift and so is getting older.
  5. The Fortress's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by elise526
    I guess I could already be there for all I know. Isn't the whole thing a very gradual process?
    Don't really know. I think you'd know though. It has just caused me major sleeping issues, which are hard to ignore.
  6. elise526's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by The Fortress
    Don't really know. I think you'd know though. It has just caused me major sleeping issues, which are hard to ignore.
    My sleep is definitely not as good as it was 10 years ago. Of course, in some ways I have more stress and maybe that is part of it.