WHEN THE HEART BECOMES THE SHARK

Phil Cavell prided himself on understanding how to thrive as a midlife cyclist, until he failed to spot the shark circling him - a heart condition hiding in plain sight

- WORDS PHIL CAVELL PHOTOS RICHARD BUTCHER/FUTURE PUBLISHING

For cyclists the most dangerous shark in the world isn't the Great White but a lesser-known, entirely metaphorical species, one that quietly circles us in middle age: the risk of heart problems. Only about 40 people suffered unprovoked shark-attacks in 2024, whereas thousands of riders were “bitten” by this figurative predator. The word unprovoked matters: just as surfers can be taken by surprise, many cyclists feel perfectly fit and calm before a heart incident suddenly strikes.

Like an overconfident surfer riding a tube, I was blissfully unaware of the danger encircling me. I had assumed I was better apprised of the risks, as the author of a book, The Midlife Cyclist, all about how to survive and thrive as an older rider. I have cycled for as long as I can remember, and competed for decades in road racing, time trialling, and off road. I knew my body well - or so I thought until, at the end of 2024, I began to feel far more fatigued than normal. At 62 years old, I had been working long hours, and my commute to the railway station, usually half an hour, was now taking nearly 40 minutes. Cycling had become a joyless slog.

Climbing the stairs at work left me breathless, and I felt faint if I stood up too quickly. Eventually I accepted these symptoms as warning signs and, upon mentioning them to my wife, soon found a cuff on my arm and sensor on my finger.

“Your pulse is 26 and blood-pressure is 85/50,” my wife said with a frown. The next morning I was sent for tests - bloods, BP, pulse and ECG - before being sent home to wait for the results.