Bike: Heart Health

Ben Pritchard  1982-2007

This picture was taken minutes before Ben Collapsed and died of heart failure while riding a lap at The Hardcore 24, June 16th, 2007.  His last words to his teammates were "See you in under one hour".  

Park Ave Bike will be closed Monday, June 18th, while we deal with this tragedy. Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, June 20th at: Anthony Funeral Chapel, 2305 Monroe Avenue Rochester, NY 14618

And also this story out of Idaho:

A Caldwell man participating in a 100-mile mountain bike tour to Idaho City died Saturday after suffering a heart attack during the event.
Nicholai Alvin Raganit, 34, died Saturday afternoon during the 10th annual Boise to Idaho City Mountain Tour, after apparently suffering a heart attack while cycling on Grimes Creek Road, according to Boise County Sheriff’s reports and riders.

“(Nicholai) loved to bike,” his brother Larry Raganit said Monday. “He had been on several rides, several events … This has taken everyone by surprise. We are all just trying to figure out why this happened.

An autopsy was performed this morning, but the incident was reported as a heart attack and investigators are treating it that way, Boise County Sheriff Bill Braddock said today. Autopsy results were not yet available this afternoon.

“That was pretty hard news … it was a shocker,” said Darren Lightfield, who managed the bike tour Saturday. “Nicholai was a cycling advocate and helped out with (cycling) groups in town. It looks like his death had nothing to do with biking. We are going to miss him.”

Larry Raganit said his brother was in shape and didn’t have any medical conditions or a family history which would have made him susceptible to a heart attack.

“We are very saddened by his death,” Larry Raganit said. “Nick died doing what he loved.”

The non-competitive ride is a annual fundraiser for the Southwest Idaho Mountain Biking Association, Lightfield said. The ride was split over two days — about 45 miles of double-track dirt and some paved roads, rated moderate to easy, between Boise and Idaho City.

The section of road where Raganit died is mostly flat, according to reports. Paramedics from Idaho City were able to get to the scene in a matter of minutes, Lightfield said.

Larry Raganit said Nicholai, a certified public accountant, loved the outdoors and mountain biking, and spent a lot of time instructing young cyclists on how to use proper cycling etiquette on the road and trails.

Nicholai Raganit was single and did not have any kids. He enjoyed the outdoors so much he got a part-time job at REI in Boise and hung out with other biking enthusiasts.

“He was all about safety. He even kept a list of emergency numbers in his backpack and had a GPS on his bike,” Larry Raganit said. “This is a great loss for the cycling community. He was always giving back to the sport that he loved.”

Funeral services are pending at Dakan Funeral Chapel in Caldwell.

 Pray for the families of these young men. Fit. Young. Men. These seperate events combined have shaken me. When I'm racing, I'm always mindful of the descent, the rock garden, traffic, even deadfall from overhanging trees. Seldom is the thought that I'm going to get it from the inside as I slowly wind my way up some hill. It almost seems like the body is committing treason for an athlete to die of a heart attack, after all that training, given all that cardiovascualr fitness.

 Look at the smile on his face. Saying 'He went out doing something he loved' seems small consolation.