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July 1: Drove to the clinic today for my first Phase II Cardiac Rehab session. Now like I’d said, the doc kind of wanted me to do 3 of these sessions where I’m monitored via this EKG device that has telemetry and sends my signals to these monitors that the assistance exercise phys people in the gym look over. One of the monitors is up in front of all the bikes and treadmills so we, the cardiac rehab people can also see where we’re at. 

So my sister had kind of told me that I’d be shocked at the conditioning of most of the people in this class that I’d be in. And I mean shocked in a way to where I look like a superman compared to the rest of the class, this despite the fact that I’d had like 2-4 more bypasses than some of them. Well, she was right. I was expecting this to be like an exercise class, but of a much gentler nature, but no, these poor folks are at such a low functional level that I’m bloody humbled by how lucky I’m at where I’m at. This was more of a “let’s teach people how to MOVE again class!”

So I checked in and met with Shannon, who I’d met during my stress test. She briefed my on the protocol and such, and got me hooked up to the telemetric EKG device, then told me I could change  into my workout gear in the locker room. Well, I’d brought my cycling kit with me, but when I saw all these people in there in like jeans and basketball shorts and such, I thought I’d look like some kind of clown at the very least in my lycra bibed cycling garb, or a hot-shot at the most with all that fancy shit on. So I told Shannon I though it better for me to just do the workout in my cargo shorts, that way I wouldn’t stand out in the crowd. She laughed and directed me to the stationary bike. Next time I’m just going to bring my gym shorts!

She got me started with an easy WU and then dialed the wattage up to where it elicited a HR that was within my 118-132 zone. It was on the low side for a bit so she increased the wattage several times to get me closer to 130, which I was totally stoked about because I’d though this would be some patty cake workout. And I’ll tell you what - I was working in the moderate to somewhat hard zone for a bit, and it actually felt harder than any of the riding I’d done in the last two days, so that was awesome. 

Now I couldn’t help but to look around the room as I’m doing this bike, cranking away at like 104 rpm, sweating and shifting back and forth in those freaking cargo shorts on this big “old folks saddle”. And it was wild because all around me the folks were just riding at like 50rpm at like 60-70 watts, and the ex. phys folks were kind of trying to keep them motivated to keep the intensity up in their particular HR zone. Some of the folks could not ride the upright stationary and had to instead ride the recumbent bike. And some of these folks were my age and younger!

Got in my prescribed time on the bike and then Shannon directed me to the treadmill to finish the workout. So on the run I had to be like 126-138 HR. Now this was really a smack to my ego when she set the mph to 5.5, which is 11 min/mile pacing. And I was just groaning to myself at how freaking slow that is…BUT since the last time I’d run I cannot tell you when, it felt…well…fast? Ahhhh, did it hurt to. Just felt like total shit, and my HR went up to like 144 from the get go so Shannon had to dial it back to 5.0 mph - a 12 min/mile pace. At that point my ego was on the floor, so I just tried to work on my form and technique to try to bring the HR down. And it worked. Got the HR back to about 139-140, which she was ok with. Right next to me was a Japanese lady who looked a bit younger than me, and she was walking at like 2.5 mph and complaining that it was pretty tough. The ex. phys assistance was next to her trying to kind of coax her through the remainder of her time on the treadmill. 

So I did that for about 20 min, then cooled down. Now by then my legs just felt shredded and my low back was feeling like shit. Told Shannon that if my back hurt the next day i may have to do the whole workout on the bike, which besides was my main mode of working out cardiovascularly. She was totally good with that. By that time I was just soaked with sweat, with my t-shirt wet enough to wring out. 

So that was it, I mean I was shocked at how much more qualitative that workout was than what I though it would be. So this gives me hope that their going to continue to up the intensity as time goes on. Now I did ask Shannon if what we were doing was more to just get my heart used to beating harder and faster again rather than to give me the training effect - improve my cardio-respitory efficiency. And she told me it was for the former, which made sense because it’s tough to get the training effect at like Z2-3. But I have to admit, right now THAT is making me work! Just so amazing how defitted I am right now what with open heart surgery. But, it’s a starting point and by God I’m happier than a clam right now being able to do more and do more harder!

Went home and took Pepper for a hike, and noted that my left medial knee (meniscus I presume) was pretty sore from running and my low back was pretty sore. So I think I’ll 86 that from the next 2 workouts at the clinic. I just don’t want to F up a knee or the low back and then not be able to keep progressing with the rehab. Hell, I’ve been down long enough already without having to deal with yet another issue. So Pepper and I did like an hour of hiking and called it a day, with my having to ice my knee later in the afternoon over at Judy’s. 

I plan on riding Sat, Sun, Mon, and Tues before the next visit to the Clinic, so I think at least my efficiency will be even better. Going to be a GREAT 4th weekend!