Chatting with a cardio nurse afterwards it is as mentioned that a cardio rehab programme might help rebuild my confidence. After a walking test - which is exactly it sounds - I was booked on to a six-week course. Today was the second one.
In some ways, I feel a bit of a fraud as the others in the group seem to have undergone more major ops, are older, or in worse shape than me (or all three).
I was chatting to one guy, who looked like an old Essex biker, early 60s, who had a double bypass and was telling me how he started 'leaking' from his chest wound on a post-op holiday flight.
He actually looked in decent nick considering what he'd had done, and said he had been pumping weights before coming to the class, and wanted to get back to work as he was bored.
The others in the group are quite a nice bunch too. They all seem a lot less anxious about things than I am and there's an element of gallows humour about the situation.
During last week's session I took it pretty easy. Maybe a bit too much. This week the physio had me on my own and said he wanted me to work a bit harder.
We were doing a circuit of bike, walking machine, steps, and one of those ski machines, with some resistance and squats in between.
I was by no means flat out but it was the hardest I've worked for a while, and thankfully nothing went pop.
This is what made me feel slightly fraudulent. The class is quite hard to get on I'm told as there are lots of people (mainly men) with heart conditions. As I was powering away on the machines, I was wondering if the others thought I was taking the piss. Especially as I had running leggings on - honestly, they were all I could find clean. Most of my workout gear is for cycling. I haven't been to a gym in years.
However, it has been really helpful to be in a situation where I can restart exercise and feel safe. That's definitely been worthwhile for me. Is it an appropriate use of NHS resources? I hope so. I'd quite like to have decent cardio health going forwards and exercise is an important part of that.
Having said that, I may not do all 6 weeks as I don't think I'll need them. I'm champing at the bit to get back on my bike, but sod's law I've picked up another injury.
I slipped on ice about three weeks ago and have injured my wrist. It was getting better but an exploratory gravel ride on Sunday seems to have rattled it again making it a bit painful at the moment. Maybe a road ride this weekend would be okay - not as much vibration through the wrist?
At any rate, I'm feeling good today.
