You can't keep an ex-mayor down.

Last Wednesday, an aide to R.T. Rybak said that the former Minneapolis mayor has said all he needs to say about his recent heart attack.

Then, last Thursday, Rybak blogged 650 words on the topic.

In his post, Rybak said he'd suffered no permanent heart damage and was feeling better than he had in years, and in fact may have suffered more heart damage at his junior prom.

That's not surprising, considering that he'd had the cardiology equivalent of a Roto-Rooter job on several arteries, with multiple angioplasties and stents.

Rybak said he's doing cardiac rehab on a treadmill at Hennepin County Medical Center, but put in three full days at his new gig heading Generation Next's focus on the achievement gap.

Former Mayor R.T. Rybak, in a 1974 yearbook photo from Breck School, said his heart likely took more of a beating at his junior prom.

He said he'll soon be back to a maniacal workout schedule, but not in time to ski this year's City of Lakes Loppet. He'll be at its Luminary Loppet, which is more of a social event, he said, but didn't say whether he'll be on skis.

An excerpt from his blog post:

"Pat Reusse cracked me up when he said something like: 'If R.T. Rybak has a heart attack, I may as well put on 40 pounds and drink a jumbo Coke.' I've heard a lot people saying they didn't understand how someone who had a really healthy life could have a heart attack. Well, my doctors explained basically that I had a heart attack because of genetics (my Dad had a couple), but I had no damage because of my lifestyle. If I would have been leading a different lifestyle I may not be here. So I'm keeping up the lifestyle and doing some things (including a couple pills) to address the genetics."

So his takeaway is that he'll keep on sweating — but treat the condition.

Steve Brandt • 612-673-4438

Twitter: @brandtstrib