Sex: Male

Occupation: Social worker

Country: England

Height: 183 cms

Bodyweight: 86 kg

Resting pulse: 56 POST-OP/47 PRE-OP

Maximum training pulse: 170s BPM PRE-OP

Heart condition(s): MITRAL VALVE LEAKAGE

Fitness before treatment(s): COMPETITIVE TRIATHLON AND MARATHON RUNNING. RECREATIONAL KAYAKING AND AUDA LONG DISTANCE CYCLING.

Treatment(s): MITRAL VALVE REPAIRED AT PAPWORTH HOSPITAL, NEAR CAMBRIDGE, U.K., ON 14/1/2003.

Cardiac rehabilitation: THREE MONTHS LEAVE FROM WORK TO ALLOW STERNUM ETC. TO RECOVER. FIVE WEEKS/10 SESSIONS OF CARDIAC REHABILITATION WITH PAPWORTH PHYSIOS DURING THAT TIME.

Present training regime: ONCE OR TWICE WEEKLY (LANE) SWIM TRAINING WITH CAMBRIDGE TRAITHLETES. APPROX. 50 CYCLING PER WEEK. UP TO 3 MILES OF EASY JOGGING PER WEEK -THIS IS STILL UNCOMFORTABLE AT THE MOMENT (MAY+2003).TWICE WEEKLY WEIGHTS SESSIONS AT HOME - LIGHT WEIGHTS ON DUMBELLS ONLY. STRETCHING.

Achievements as a Cardiac Athlete: I AM DUE TO COMMENCE A (START-UP) COURSE IN THE LOCAL GYM. THIS IS A 10 SESSION SERVICE PROVIDED FOR CARDIAC PATIENTS UPON REFERRAL BY GP OR PHYSIO. AS AN INTRODUCTION TO POST SURGERY ATHLETICS,I PLAN TO RIDE 6 %60AUDAX%60 LONG DISTANCE CYCLE EVENTS OVER THIS COMING SUMMER. ALL EVENTS ARE 100K +/-

Training tip(s): TAKE IT EASY, BE CONSISTENT AND DON'T GET FRUSTRATED WITH THE AMOUNT OF TIME NEEDED TO RECOVER FROM MAJOR HEART SURGERY. MY OWN RECOVERY WON'T BE COMPLETE UNTIL THE SPRING OF 2004.

Future goal(s): AT BEST,TO BE ABLE TO RUN MARATHONS AND ENTER TRIATHLONS AGAIN. AT WORST, TO AT LEAST BE ABLE TO TRAIN - AM ALREADY WELL ON THE WAY TO ACHIEVING THE LATTER.

Motivator(s): THE HUGE PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL BENEFITS OF TRAINING AND KEEPING FIT.

Thanks to: EVERYONE I HAVE ENCOUNTERED IN THE MEDICAL PROFESSION AND TO MY SPORTING FRIENDS.