I got a link to this New Yorker article from my friend Stacie, from Louisville. It addresses the exact same concerns I had when I did this post on extreme exercise and heart conditions. The New Yorker Article has quotes from both Dr. James O’Keefe and Dr. John Mandrola, both who I now know personally. These guys are avid athletes and have both personally experienced the results of their beliefs. Both have heart issues and are heart doctors, plus very good athletes. So, they are really the messengers of bad news, even if we don’t want to hear it.

If you read the New Yorker article, it says that every doctor that the author, who also is a cardiologist, interviewed for her article, said “every cardiologist I spoke to who studies this issue is a current or former endurance athlete.” I found that interesting. So, these guys are just like us. They would like exercise to be the fountain of youth that its been touted to be, but for a small minority of us, it is a poison.

And small minority is the key, I hope. It says that doing extreme exercise will up your chances of atrial fibrillation 5 fold, from .3% chance to 1.5%. That is still pretty low. But it’s enough that if you think you have any issues, you should get checked out.

I did. I actually called Dr. O’Keefe and went over to Kansas City and he did a scan of my heart. That was nearly two years ago. I don’t have any plan to change my lifestyle, but am cognizant of the potential issues that could arise.

I think all the doctors that are involved in this controversial topic are trying to do the best they can for their patients. It seems like many of the studies have been done on runners, not so much on cyclists. Eventually, this heart issue vs. extreme exercise is going to be a very hot topic for general health. There are a lot of us that would be perfect test subjects for the studies. Athletes that have been exercising continually since they were teenagers.

Anyway, this wasn’t meant to be a scare post. It is just a heads up for something that we all need to be aware of. There is no downside for looking out for the symptoms of something, no matter how small the percentage is, that could be a life threatening issue.

Here is a video that Dr. O’Keefe did a couple years ago. It explains some of his ideas.

Since it a rest day at the Tour, we should get back to important stuff, one which is getting Jimmy Mac into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame. I nominated Jimmy for the MTBHOF a couple months ago. Now he is a nominee under the journalism category. Here is a link to my nomination.

Jimmy Mac has been a total supporter of mountain biking for decades. He accompanied Roy Knickman and myself to the first MTB Nationals Championships back in 1983. Since then he has been fully immersed. He has been a bigger supporter of the sport, not just the racing, but the pure enjoyment of riding a bicycle off-road, than anyone I’m met.

Mac became editor of MTB Action years ago. The equipment changed and Mac went with it. He once told me that he thought the main reason that racing MTB isn’t so popular now is because the bikes that are fun to ride, the big movement front and rear, aren’t the bikes that you race. It made total sense.

Last week, Mac put in his resignation to MTB Action. I saw this on Facebook – End of an era for me. I’m leaving Mountain Bike Action. The publisher is expanding the magazine’s coverage to motorized mountain bikes and I just can’t go along with his logic. Mountain biking is a human-powered activity. No hard feelings. It has been a great ride. I’m going out on good terms. Gail and I are going to load up Big Red and hit the road in August. If you live in the Pacific Northwest, watch out!

So the guy goes and quits a job, he loves, for principles. And Mac is a motorcycle guy. But he doesn’t think that motorized mountain bikes belong in a bicycle magazine. He deserves to be in the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame just for that!!! He has 165 comments under his post, which goes to show how much he means to many of us.

Like I’ve said above, Jimmy Mac has been a part of the MTB scene nearly since it started. He has supported the sport, through his writing, and his lifestyle for over 30 years. He deserves to be in the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame more than nearly anyone I know. So, if you are a voting member, click here to vote. If you’re not and just like Mac so much, join the MTB Hall of Fame and cast a vote. They moved it to Marin County and could use some support.

Anyway, Mac is one of the good guys. He has supported MTB riding and racing through thick and thin. Voting for him is a no-brainer.

Jimmy Mac