I've raced my last race.

[Wheeze]

How distressing for you both. Thank goodness she is out of immediate danger. I guess the next thing will be diagnosing what actually happened. None of us knows what tomorrow may bring. Thoughts are with you both.

[Derby Tup]

Thank you, DT. I don't want to think about what might have happened if she had been alone at home, or maybe driving.

I hope your own medical recovery is going well, DT.

I am okay thanks. Got my sixth (out of planned twelve) fortnightly cycle of chemo later this week so very nearly half way there with that

[anthonykay]

Thanks Wheeze and Pete. It all happened rather too fast to be really distressing for me; and I'm sufficiently stupid that even when one of the paramedics announced "You're coming with us [to hospital]", I didn't fully realise the seriousness of the situation (my wife had only been unconscious for about 15 seconds). The danger now is that she won't resist the temptation to get too active during the next few weeks when she is supposed to be resting with her new pacemaker.

The diagnosis is some problem with the signalling between the atrium and ventricles.

[noel]

Scary business AK - although you may not have realised it at the time. I hope your wife recovers well.

[Wheeze]

Hi Anthony, looking for a silver lining, its good news that this was a signalling problem and not something brought on by a heart attack. It should be well controlled by a pacemaker with no more immediate risk to health. Big scare though!

[Stagger]

All the BEST to Mrs Kay.

She needs to build up really gradually.

[molehill]

Blimey, that was a bit scary for you both, lucky you were there and acted. Good luck and hope she is soon back to health.

[Travs]

Best wishes Anthony and family...

[anthonykay]

Thanks everyone, my wife is still feeling a rather tired, and sore from the surgery, but the prognosis is good with the pacemaker. The cardiologist reckons she will be able to start hitting tennis balls (gently!) again after about 6 weeks.

[Wheeze]

So, further experimentation.
Encouraged by the progress of running 6-8 miles within the 140 pulse limit and feeling just fine, I decided to test out the idea of 'bimbling' along in one of my favourite races, the Black Mountains race. 17 miles and 5,200 feet of pretty ridge ridge running and vertiginous grass cliffs. I used to get round in under 3 hours 'back in the day'.
It was glorious day, clear skies and cooling breeze and all went well for the first 8 or 9 miles. Trailing along near the back of the field but comfortable. But then the wheels came off. There was no lack of strength or determination but my physiology just let go. I could not make any meaningful progress without my pulse shooting above 140 and I felt completely shot. Even a break for a snack and a drink did not improve matters so I had to pull out at 11 miles.

So, today, I feel fine. Normally my legs would be trashed after that kind of event but, because I cannot run to the point of muscular exhaustion any more, they are OK today.

My new self imposed limit for any mountain running escapades is now 10 miles!

Anthony, I hope Mrs Kay is doing OK?