The Walker With Heart

I was called Iron Man by someone this weekend, mainly for the heart thing... To repeat something I've said before I've no intention of trying to do an Iron Man Tri - I may be mad, but... just but... However, despite not being a dead ringer for Robert Downey Jr, not bring the correct personality type (as mentioned in an ACHA blog )  nor having a multi-billion budget, let alone a Pepper Potts to organise my life I would occasionally like a systems check from a Jarvis... So, Jarvis - systems check Yes Sir, top to bottom or bottom to top? Let's start at the bottom... Feet, within acceptable tolerances. Ankles, left strong.  Right, residual weakness, may I suggest that you maintain the strapping Recommendation noted - and accepted. Calves - less strong than earlier in the year, Sir That'll be two months off Jarvis... Yes Sir, just ensuring you are factoring this into your calculations Sir. Thank you Jarvis Knees, surprisingly good for a man of your age ...

In less than a month I'll be going back to where it all started... Both the running and the long distance walking. The Great North Run is one of those starting points that I would recommend to anyone, and yes one year they tried to suggest I shouldn't do it because of my heart condition, but they backed down when I reminded them I'd done it seven times... Hadrian's Wall was first walked before it was a national trail, back in the days when the only stamps you were likely to get were from angry farmers as you cut through their fields. Both, conveniently, are located in Newcastle (at least the start of the walk). So, 13.1 miles to run Followed by 84 miles of National Trail... in 4 days... That'll be 21 miles, 22 miles, 27 miles and then with a nice almost symmetry 14 miles. I'm sure I'll find the extra 3 miles to make it to the 100 miles. A ton in 5 days... As the gang who walked it with me a few years back will know Hadrian's Wall isn'...

That moves every two years… The Eurohearts conferences exist in the hearts and souls of those who have been there, they occupy that special place between family and lovers and resonate with the hopes and fears of all of us. Toughhearts 2014 in Baar, Switzerland was the latest of these fixed points, a week long opportunity to be amongst people who share something that normally makes us different, our heart conditions and the rest of the issues that these things bring.   We go from being unusual to being common, and that is a good thing every once in a while. Toughheart 2014 was as innovative a conference as I can remember – a constantly updated website, a conference cocktail (one of many alcohol free ones designed especially for the hearty bar), a conference song and opportunities to discuss the tough things in our lives with some of those who have to tell us the tough things – the cardiologists themselves. We got to tour Edwards’ Life Science’s heart valve plant, se...