Thanks, Peloton
Bryce
Last year Mary Beth and I used our tax refund to purchase a Peloton Bike. With the exception of travel, its been my favorite purchase in our time together. I’m not big on the touchy, feely rides but fell in love with power zone rides after my friend, Will, recommended I join the Power Zone Pack and a group challenge.
Power zone training is a perfect fit for a data/numbers guy like myself. It uses data to understand your current fitness level and allows you to track your progress over time. Directions are given in zones rather than specific cadence/resistance, and a zone’s output is relative to you and your fitness level. As the instructors say, it’s personal training at scale.
Feeling Fatigued
Five to six weeks ago I started seeing “stars” and felt like I was going to pass out whenever I would stand up. The episodes lasted an uncomfortable amount of time but only 5ish seconds. I thought perhaps I was have blood pressure issues and maybe the stresses of the pandemic were getting to me. Working from home the past three months was taking it’s toll, my activity level was down, diet wasn’t the best, I was attending a lot of Zoom happy hours, and I hadn’t ridden in couple weeks. I decided to make better choices and signed up the upcoming PZP challenge.
Over the next week my diet improved, stopped drinking, and started taking Gus on long walks at lunch to add steps to my day. The “stars’ disappeared but I continued to be fatigued and started feeling dizzy while walking Gus; almost like altitude sickness when you’re Colorado. I was a little concerned but thought, “it takes more than a week to become healthier.” At this point I hopped on the Peloton for the first time a two weeks and did a 30 min PZ endurance ride with Olivia. It’s an easy ride with great music but it crushed me. The initial spin ups zapped my legs and I rode the rest of the ride in zones 1 and 2. “Not a big deal Bryce, you’ve been lazy the past couple weeks. This is just a warm up for the challenge.” A couple days later I did a 30 min PZE ride with Matt and was crushed again; I couldn’t maintain zone 3 output. “Dangit. I have retake the FTP test because my fitness level has definitely changed.”
I was making healthier decisions, but my legs had zero power. The PZP challenge was starting up and I needed to retake the FTP test. I hate the FTP test. During the ride Matt talks about how you should be gradually pulling your average output up. Mine was gradually declining; much like a bunny slope you learn to ski on. Somewhere between 5-10 minutes I tap out. “Can’t do it.” I’m disappointed in myself and hop back on. “Finish it and earn your zones.” Every minute of the ride was a disappointment but I finished. My total output was 45% lower than my previous test and below my initial output when we first bought the bike My brain couldn’t reconcile the decline. It just didn’t compute. A couple days later I ride the first of the new challenge, a 45 min PZE, with my newly earned zones and it wipes me out. I complete the ride, but I’m in bed the rest of the evening. “Something is wrong.”
Let’s get Physical
I make an appointment with my PCP for a physical the next day and explain my symptoms – fatigue, unexplained zone declines, light sensitivity, etc. Thursday afternoon the bloodwork comes back and my PCP calls to tell me my hemoglobin is 6.8 and below 8 is considered extremely low. “Sweet. I’m anemic.” Neutrophils, white blood cells that fight off bacteria, are also extremely low. “Tight. My immune system is compromised.” Lastly, my platelets are low but not completely terrible. The next day I go to the hospital and receive two units of blood and feel so much better. My bloodwork improves, but I’m still anemic and immune compromised.
Mary Beth and I go visit a hematologist for additional testing. After several appointments, bloodwork, a smear, and bone marrow biopsy, I was diagnosed with B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. “Not tight.”
But Seriously, Thanks, Peloton
This may seem silly, but I’m really grateful for Peloton. I do a great job of rationalizing away things. I‘m confident I could have continued feeling crappy for who knows how long and chalking it up to pandemic stress, work stress, eating processed food, Zoom happy hours, not sleeping well, etc. Seeing the drop in my FTP output scared me more than any symptom I was experiencing. Yeah, I have Leukemia. Peloton can’t cure me but it’s put me in a great position to fight. I’m in much better shape than I was pre-Peloton and most patients are typically much sicker when diagnosed according to my doctor. So thank you Peloton and the Power Zone Pack. I look forward to the day when I can grab a couple bananas and hop on a 90 min PZE ride.
It took two weeks from the initial PCP visit to arrive at a diagnosis, and I’ll be admitted to UAMS on Tuesday for a month or so of induction chemo. Along the way I intend on using this blog to update family, friends, and co-workers.
