It's not unusual for doctors to ask "what's up?" when listening to endurance athletes' hearts. I typically have a resting heart rate in the mid 40s or low 50s between tasks at work. Molly, who has been a competitive marathon runner for decades often has a heart rate in the 30s. My average blood pressure over the past ten years has been 113/73. Doctors sometimes worry about a low heart rate until you explain that you've been running or swimming or cycling regularly more than 2 1/2 hours a week, i.e., actually doing what's recommended for everyone. Then they see your low resting heart rate as a sign of a strong healthy heart that pumps lots of blood with each beat.
I needed an ECG the other day and got an odd compliment from the technician: "Wow! That's just a perfect picket fence! Never see them like that!"
There's nothing magical or lucky about this. It's just one of the things you're training your body to do. Regular aerobic activity has so many benefits in terms of physical and mental health as well as longevity. Your goal may be riding a century. But the collateral benefits are huge!
Wishing you a perfect picket fence,
Ted
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