Only way to go is up!

After weeks of treatment, my chest pains are less frequent, but I’m still tired and winded walking up stairs. I struggle with getting older and heavier. Exercise reduces stress and helps with weight loss, but I’m tired most days and don’t feel like working out. I try, but I fail. Riding a bike is my best workout option because it alleviates the pain in my left ankle when I walk. I enjoy riding, but it’s becoming increasingly challenging each year, especially with headwinds. The ride is 18 miles one way with an overall climb of about 550 feet.

Now that the Old Cedar Bridge is open, my ride to work should be just under 13 miles one way, five miles less. However, it has an additional 200 feet of climb (for a total of about 750 feet). It may not seem like much, but it’s tough when you’re fat and in your 50s. Even with my 5-year-old Bionx PL250, it was a hard ride that left me exhausted and the battery dead!

I bought a Surly Long Haul Trucker and upgraded it with the 2017 Bionx D500 DV. The D500 has twice the power, range, and torque of the 24-volt PL250 battery. It adds 16.1 pounds to the bike, so I needed to use half the battery, and it occasionally overheated the motor. The most challenging hill is 0.4 miles long, climbs 175 feet, and has a continuous slope of 7 to 8 percent. The D500 DV has four times the nominal and twice the maximum torque of the PL250. Although it adds three more pounds, the Long Haul Trucker is about the same weight as the Cannondale Quick 5. Will it make the hill less taxing? We will see the results once the weather cooperates and I get on the bike.

I look forward to exercising and hope it gets me back on track to a happier and less stressful life. If you are interested, a comprehensive D500 review can be found here, or you can view the video below: https://electricbikereview.com/bionx/d-500/.

   OLD VS NEW SPECS    

	PL250	D500
Watts	250	500
Est Range (miles)	40	80
Battery Volts	26	48
Batter Amps	9.6	11.6
Total Wh	248	555
Torque Nom.	7	25
Torque Max	25	50
Weight (lbs)	16.1	19.2
Low Assist (%)	25	35
Max Assist (%)	200	300

                     Range Comparison                   

	PL250 New       (rated)	PL250 Me (new)	PL250        (me 5 years)	D500    rated
Level 1	40 Miles	40 Miles	26 Miles	84 Miles
Level 2	30 Miles	30 Miles	17 Miles	58 Mile
Level 3	20 Miles	20 Miles	9 Miles	38 Miles
Level 4	10 Miles	10 Miles	5 Miles	26 Miles

                                 D500 Range Chart                                   

We will see the results once the weather cooperates and I get on the bike.  I look forward to exercising and hope it gets me back on track to a happier and less stressful life.

Carry on my friends, carry on!

Comments from my original blog - I merged the blogs.

wildknits wrote - Sounds like a good start! My LBS owner's wife uses an electric-assist bike to climb the hills in Duluth. It would turn a daunting commute into a much more pleasurable ride.   Glad you are starting to feel a little better. Slow, steady progress will win this race.  Monday, February 20, 2017 at 8:13:00 PM CST

Life could be short?

I had an echocardiogram and consultation, and I learned that stress is killing me. Despite being financially secure and having the freedom to enjoy activities I once dreamed of, my 70-hour work weeks and lack of breaks make it impossible. Work stress severely impacts my health, and my vitals are near life-threatening. I must systematically reframe my work and stress or die. This doesn’t mean quitting, but I must approach work differently. The key change is finding successful ways to remove stress. I’ve read that controlling stress and anxiety could make me more effective at my job.

I have internal issues. I carry immense responsibility for my team, which causes tremendous stress. I need to solve every problem and focus intensely. Thinking and working harder could overcome any obstacle. However, continuously increasing my intensity was harming my health. Medical professionals say it’s almost fatal.

I need to initiate the process and make the necessary changes. I’m exhausted and require awareness, intelligence, problem-solving skills, and effectiveness to know where to begin. One issue is the workload. Beyond my workload, dwelling on risks and potential adverse outcomes creates reasonable fear patterns. I’ve become accustomed to accepting this fear, losing sight of the primary issue. I work harder.

Raised by ambitious people who view life as high-stakes projects, I’ve adopted this dangerous thought process. I need to rewrite it. I should view stressful situations as opportunities for love and creativity. It sounds touchy-feely, but it’s concrete and scientific. The creative mind is opposite to the fearful mind. The innovative spirit is expansive and parallel, while the fearful mind is reductive and linear. Being mindful enough to shift anxiety into a relaxed, creative mode yields better results.

Moreover, things will surely improve if I change my mind that way.

Carry on my friends, carry on!

Comments from my original blog - I merged the blogs.

wildknits

That’s tough news, but not surprising given your past posts. It’s easy to say “reduce stress,” but were concrete ideas given to help you achieve that? For example, work restrictions (a 40-hour workweek, as per the doctor’s orders), therapy referrals, medication/relaxation tips, etc.? Does your workplace support working less, self-care, and a healthy work-life balance? Would you leave the job if you knew it was harming you financially? Friday, February 3, 2017 at 11:05:21 PM CST

LDP

It is a balance. I have matching pension that I need another 4.5 years to get, and that is huge. I also can get health coverage fully paid by me at the group rate if I wait. So I want to keep that as it will make the rest of my years so much easier. Sunday, February 5, 2017 at 11:12:09 AM CST

wildknits

I understand the need to keep working for insurance and benefits, especially when you are so close to the maximum benefit. Hopefully, you can find a way to achieve a more reasonable work-life balance, as your health is very important. Tuesday, February 7, 2017 at 10:01:46 PM CST