This week I was given the sad news that one of my school class mates passed away. This happens a few times per year and it does make you reflect on how fragile life is and we need to be aware of what our bodies are telling us.
This friend of mine lived for sports and he suffered a heart attack whilst doing the Argus Cycle Tour which is a cycle race from Cape Town around the Cape Point and back around the other side of the mountain to the starting point. Roughly 110km's or so and you need to ask yourself honestly if it is something we can do as these days we are much older. I have done this event before when I was still at school, but would probably not do it these days. I think because it is a ride you could do normally, but you are pushing yourself against the clock and putting the body under strain that you would not normally do.
I think there is a big difference between being fit and then being healthy because fitness does not always equate to being healthy. The marketing we see with active looking healthy people is in some ways to blame and many people think by being fit means they are healthy and fail to see that this is not necessarily true. This is why having a medical once per year is important even if you are a fitness freak and think you are perfectly fine. Unless you are tested you have no idea what the underlying conditions could be happening inside your body and many of these are preventable or at least treatable which would make you think twice about doing certain things.
I am healthy because I have my check ups and know my weaknesses like cholesterol and without medication would be a heart attack candidate. One of the guys commented on our school year chat group that the unfit ones are doing quite well because they are not fit enough to contemplate such adventures, but they are at least healthy. I tend to agree with this as you know your limits and are not still thinking you are young enough to just jump on a bike and complete a race of this distance. It has taken me a few years to change my mind set as 5 years ago I would have done something this stupid without training.
It is strange as the ones who are no longer with us are the people you would never expect these things to happen to them as physically on the outside they look like perfect specimens. Did they go for check ups annually or did they presume they were healthy?
As a group now we have asked those that have not had a medical check up in years to make the time and go and do so as soon as possible. As a group we are down to around 72 which with some being uncontactable is less than half our year. This year is the 40th reunion so yes we are not old and not young and I do not see myself as old even though I get called oom/uncle as a sign of respect from the younger generation. The older you get the bar is raised to what you consider being old and you are still not identifying yourself as being old. I think that is kind of normal thinking and will still happen when I am 70 because you never really identify yourself as being old.