Something I don't recall seeing in your posts, Bill, is whether you've actually asked for medical or other professional advice.
I have, from a cardiac consultant, a physiotherapist who specialises in cardiac rehabilitation, and a trainer, who also partly specialises in cardiac maintenance.
They all say that their advice is individual, based on a person's general physical condition, fitness, and strength. As I said earlier, in my case they've all said its the more the better, but with the proviso of not getting to 100% effort for more than a few seconds. That's just to give a little protection to the heart by leaving a bit in reserve.
Taking that advice I've been building up for the past 9 months, since I was allowed back on a bike. I now quite regularly ride up some of the steepest local hills, 15% and 300m climbs, and have ridden up to 55 miles in one go. The next stage will be to get average speeds up, with a target of 15 to 20 mph over 20 miles.
I have no interest in competing again, haven't done so for about 30 years, but want to go on enjoying cycling, and that means being able to travel up and down hills and cover a reasonable distance. I might have a go at a local sportive next year, or even the EE if I'm up to it.
Being fit, mainly from cycling, looks to have served me well when I had the MI. My underlying problem was congenital, and the bypass may overcome it, 'though it can't undo the muscle damage, so with a bit of luck it may keep me away from another heart attack, with regular cycling playing an important helping part.
If you want to train to compete, and doing the training is safe for you, it will keep you fit. Everything I've read or been told about heart attacks and their aftermath says that keeping fit is the best way to avoid further problems, and stay alive.
Even if the training kills you, at least you'll go enjoying youself, which has to be better than sitting around moping and miserable - a sure route to disaster.
If there are other components in your lifestyle which are known risk factors for heart disease it's up to you to decide what to do about them. If you're competing on a bike you're likely to want to not smoke and eat healthily for that rather than medical reasons. You might decide to take the risk and go flat out to win. All of these things involve assessing the risk and making your own decision. As does refusing certain drugs. In the end it's up to you what you do, what your priorities are, and whose advice you seek in making those decisions. I'd only suggest asking and listening to the replies, so you make the best informed decisions possible.
