A Weekend Of Good Numbers

There’s feeling healthy and then there’s proving it with science.  Yesterday I had a routine blood test, mainly a check of my cholesterol levels.  Mine are naturally higher than average due to hereditary factors but I keep them under control with a small dose of a generic statin.  On Saturday my total cholesterol count was 172—anything under 200 is considered desirable.  Triglycerides were 101 (<150) and my “good” cholesterol count was 69 (>40).  That “good” cholesterol count is more closely tied to exercise than the other numbers and mine fluctuates as my activity level increases and decreases.  Blood sugar and all other levels were well within normal ranges.  This morning I weighed myself and checked my blood pressure and resting heart rate.  More good numbers!  My weight is down 11 pounds since the beginning of the year, my blood pressure is a healthy 108/56 and my resting heart rate is a mere 42 beats per minute.  I’m doing alright for a guy who’s going to be 47 next Sunday.

Good health is its own reward, but I’d really like to win the Battle of CamRock on my birthday.  My early success in WORS has been the result of good fitness, good tactics, and courses that have rewarded my roadie background.  You can probably break me if you throw enough singletrack at me, and by reputation CamRock has more of it than most courses.  The pre-ride on Saturday will be my most important preparation.  But it won’t be my only preparation: between now and then the 29er will get a new chain and new rear brake pads, and I will spend more time on singletrack than I would in a typical week.  Last Friday I conquered a couple of things at Glacial Blue Hills that I had never ridden before.  That’s down to greater technical skill and greater confidence.  With limited time today I spent an hour at New Fane, where I’m now riding very comfortably on trails that used to give me fits.  On Saturday I will take as much time as I need to get familiar with CamRock, and hopefully the temperature will be in the high 80s again.  I won’t wilt in the heat.