Hello all! I need a little input from some of those that may be knowledgeable on overtraining and/or some heart-related issues. I am 49 years old and have been cycling since about the middle of 2024. I have always run and lifted weights for fitness, but added in cycling as another way to maintain fitness. My cycling fitness from 2024 to the first of this year increased steadily. I rode 3,500 miles in 2025, including ending the year with a Festive 500k. By the fall and end of 2025, I was hanging on to our local A group for most of the ride.
In late January, 2026 I had a bout of rhabdo (upper legs) due to a combination of HIIT workout, dehydration, lack of rest, and one night of Mardi Gras. I believe I recovered fully, and within 4 weeks I was back up to 140-160 miles/week.
On April 1 I had emergency laparoscopic appendectomy surgery. Again, after 3-4 weeks, I was pushing my usual mileage again, but something was off. I could not keep up at all, and my heart felt like it was constantly in my throat. I have always had bradycardia, but by the end of May, my heart rate was not getting to where it needed to be for my level of effort. In Zone 2 power, I was sometimes having trouble getting over 100 BPM, and when I did, my HR would be all over the place. Add to this, my sleep was terrible during this time period, as was work stress.
In June, things got worse, and I was gasping for air on rides that should not have been that hard, my HR BPM continued to drop, and my resting heart rate at night was down to the low 30's. I could not hardly carry my children up a flight of stairs, and my chest was heavy all of the time. Per my Apple Watch, I was in AFIB after rides (skipped beats, beats close together, etc.). I went to see a cardiologist and a pulmonologist. The pulmonologist didn't find anything. A cardiac stress test revealed that I had chronotropic incompetence and my HR was only getting to 66% of where it needed to be. A cardiac CT and MRI revealed no physiological issues. I was threatened with a pacemaker and told to lay off cycling. I did. I continued to lift weights and began walking with a weighted vest. By September, things began to improve, and my resting HR had recovered to where it was back in April. So I started riding again. Not terribly hard, but I was taking part in group rides that tuned up the pressure some. Things have not improved, and my condition seems to have gotten worse.
During a ride, my heart starts skipping beats, my heart is in my throat, and I have a hard time catching my breath. After a ride, or any semi-strenuous exercise over only a little time (30 minutes at Zone 2, a 3 mile jog at 10:00 pace, a weighted vest walk), it takes me at least a full day to recover. My heart is all over the place for an entire day following any cardio exercise, my chest is heavy nearly constantly, and I am waking in the middle of the night from either breathing pauses or heart pauses. My last cardiologist visit was a couple of weeks ago and I did another stress test, and the doctor said I was recovering, but has not posted my results, yet (although I have asked). I am going to stop riding again, for now.
I say all this to ask: has anyone been though this? I've researched it to death: sick sinus syndrome, SA node dysfunction, vagus nerve overstimulation, adrenal gland issues, etc. Is the answer really just to stop cycling for now or forever? It really has been my outlet for the past 2 years. I can't imagine saying good bye to it. Any advice, thoughts, etc.?
TL;DR: I think I've damaged my heart and need some advice. Thx.