The 1 hour time trial, simply known as “The Hour”, is one of the most prestigious of all cycling timed events due in part to the intensity, endurance, and strength necessary to complete it. Dr. Peter Megdal arrived for practice at the Bicentennial Velodrome in Aguascalientes, Mexico on September 16th, one week prior to breaking the record. The facility is over 6,000 feet above sea level meaning the thin air helps riders go a little faster, but also reduces the oxygen available for muscle power. During his first attempt, he ran into saddle issues and decided to try again the following day. On September 25, 2018, Dr. Peter Megdal rode 46.52 kilometers in 60 minutes, just under 29 mph, and broke the current American record for the 1 hour time trial in the C5 para-cycling category.
Possibly the most amazing part about Megdal’s accomplishment is that he was diagnosed in September 2014 with heart disease and had surgery; however, because of accessibility, only one of the four arteries with atherosclerosis was stented. Since his surgery, Megdal has trained, eaten a low-fat vegan diet, and taken high dose cholesterol drugs to reverse atherosclerosis in the other arteries and increase blood flow to a point he had not seen since his 20’s. Megdal says, “Research suggested that I had a greater chance of getting worse than better. Knowing it would take more than conventional medicine to make me better, I used my training as a scientist to seek the best clinical data to guide me in my rehabilitation.”
Dr. Megdal has formed his own nonprofit organization, Reversing My Heart Disease, Inc., that focuses on helping others with heart disease to restore their health through a combination of diet, exercise, drug, and other resources. The organization also aims to provide funds to universities, research institutions, and hospitals that are researching cures and treatments to help with heart disease.
