2016 Running Thread

ThePrincess

Ladies - question - I'm a runner - always have been did chemo april-sept 2015 and I ran the whole time - did rads nov-dec 21,2015 and also ran. Steadily my pace and endurance has been coming back - holding stead at 9:20 pace for most of feb. We went to colorado to ski march 1 and since I've been back I'm winded (you're not supposed to get winded coming down from altitude!) and my pace is steady 9:40 to 10:00 and it's hard to even make that pace? What the hell?? Any ideas?

panthrah

getting sick? worn out? that seems a bit backwards.

chevygirl54

Just browsing again, haven't been on forever..... I'm trying to run again. Radiation has kicked my butt. Tomorrow I'm actually joining a couch to 5k to get me moving. It's not the running, it's the joint pain, I am having a horrible time with my knee, leg and foot, up and down stairs is painful. I'm actually starting PT on Tuesday to see if it will help. HAPPY RUNNING EVERYONE.

ReneeinOH

Hi everyone, so glad to be joining this thread! My first 1/2 marathon is in 3 weeks (Athens, OH, April 10).

I had joined the running thread after my surgery in 2013, but my hopes of getting back on track were seriously challenged. Before my diagnosis, I had started to embrace running, but just wasn't able to find the energy until last year. Ran in the Bourbon Chase relay race last fall (which was a hoot!), and now stepped up my training. I am hooked and loving it!

goldlining

Welcome back ReneeinOH and chevygirl54! (I am a huge fan of physiotherapy. I've learned so much anatomy from mine! Good luck with the treatments!)

Sorry to read your struggles ThePrincess. I had the same thought as panthrah - sounds like your body is fighting something off. I had a slow return from surgery, over a year to get my pace back even though my body felt fine. I could not explain it as deconditioning from the six weeks of time off, as doctors did, because I was still dragging six, nine, and 12 months later. I'd hit a faster pace sooner after never running in my life. I think there is a lot going on in our bodies under the hood. I run to my heart rate. I don't have a "fast" and "slow" running pace - anything slower than my max heart rate is "walking".

Lunderwood

Welcome to our new and returning members! You are all inspirational with your continued commitment to running after surgery! I hope that your positive energy will help motivate me to return to running again after my surgery. Right now running is one of the best ways that I deal with the anxiety of diagnosis and worries about what the future will bring. As I have adjusted to the effects of the hormone therapy meds somewhat, I have been entering a few local events and have really enjoyed them. This weekend I ran the Rise and Shine 5k in Bonham TX. It was fun - I not only beat the Easter Bunny but was lucky enough to get the Masters spot. (it was a very small run - but it is still a nice surprise for a mid 50's grandma). Have a good week everyone! Happy Spring!

cupcaker

Lunderwood - that's great that you get out every week to run at an event. I have found that finding and focusing on training to do the RunDisney races this year has kept me sane.

My recovery from the BMX has been enlightening. I would have to say that the past 2 weeks have been the hardest, even though my surgery was almost 4 weeks ago now. The heavy duty pain meds in the first 2 weeks helped keep my spirits high and disconnected from the pain, but then I started having bad insomnia, so I realized that I needed to stop the pain meds. So then I spent some lovely days with no sleep at all moving into the 2nd week. That was when the pain was the worst and this past week the pain has been focused on the left side of my chest, and I think it's due to the radiation I had so many years ago, that it's not healing in the same way as the right side.

However, I have managed to walk once a week, and today I pushed myself to do 7.5 miles. The last 2 miles I could have done without, as it was after I had to climb the hill up out of the Rose Bowl that I felt like my feet were going to just burn off completely.

I signed up to do the Hollywood 10K on April 9th so I'm motivated to get out and train. I just wish my darn left side of my chest didn't feel like a constant charlie horse. Tylenol and Ibuprofin don't seem to make a dent in reducing the pain either.

Funny thing I've discovered is that performance fabric is the most wonderful thing I could possibly put on to wear. Regular cotton feels horrible against my skin now, I feel like I have a constant sun burn going on. I don't feel bad wearing my athletic gear all the time - I saw a paparazzi photo of a young woman today and she was wearing the exact same compression tights I wore today to walk my 7.5 miles. I feel very on-trend now.

geewhiz

I wear Cxv, compression tights cupcaker... Or some combination of 3 letters?!. They support my bum knee with extra stitching. I love them!!

I am ready to get serious about running again. My December surgery kicked my butt. It's been a slow road back but I AM BACK😎

I ran 5 miles nonstop last week, and what a great feeling. I didn't worry about time. I just relaxed into it and enjoyed it. When I looked at my Garmin and saw the 5 mile mark, I was thrilled.

I am ready to train for a marathon now! Definite bucket list item for m

Lunderwood

Way to go cupcaker and geewhiz! You are both doing great! I am absolutely sure you will be running and working towards those goals in no time. I really love your posts!!!

geewhiz

I wear Cxv, compression tights cupcaker... Or some combination of 3 letters?!. They support my bum knee with extra stitching. I love them!!

I am ready to get serious about running again. My December surgery kicked my butt. It's been a slow road back but I AM BACK😎

I ran 5 miles nonstop last week, and what a great feeling. I didn't worry about time. I just relaxed into it and enjoyed it. When I looked at my Garmin and saw the 5 mile mark, I was thrilled.

I am ready to train for a marathon now! Definite bucket list item for me

panthrah

Cupcaker- its called.. athleisure .. so you are most definitely in style.. especially in la Speaking of Disney.. going there tomorrow.. right after my 6 mo check up

goldlining

I did 24,000 steps at WDW yesterday, three parks. Tired feet! I did 5K on Saturday that had nothing on all of that!

cupcaker, you might check a physio or massage therapist specifically about the "charley horse". As I posted earlier, I have adhesions between the layers from skin through muscles and whatnot down to the bones due to the surgery (and I think going back 20 years to my C-section). And some of those adhesions are more on one side than the other, which puts asymmetrical forces on the rest of me, and it causes pain. Breaking up those adhesions in physio and massage therapy is marvellous, each time freeing me up more and more. I have some of those suction cups on their way to me and I am going to see what I can do "cupping" on my own. I'll keep you posted!

geewhiz congratulations on getting back to 5 miles nonstop! I am in between colds and other problems so going to try to get back into the regular training schedule again. I found the last time I ran farther nonstop than I did the time before so if I can keep up the discipline, I hope to be rewarded with more endurance soon. You give me hope!

Today, the runDisney Wine & Dine Half opened to DVC and passholders, but I am going to pass on that one. It will open to all next week I think. Maybe the week after. They have added a 5K and 10K and a challenge, but this means the Half is no longer a night run. End of an era. I liked the night Half.

geewhiz

I think it's like with anything...there are no constants goldlining...just peaks and valleys that we learn to roll with. I was really worried about my endurance because I lost it so quickly. It scared me and I thought maybe this past year of running had been a fluke for me (I have NEVER run distance before, always a short sprinter). I let some little gremlins in my head talk a little too loudly. But as soon as I told myself I had nothing to prove, just keep putting one foot in front of the other - well, I can tell I will get back to where I was a few months ago.I made myself a chart and training plan yesterday. I hate that the timing makes me train through hot southern summer months. But I don't want to wait!

HockeyCat

cupcaker I'm running Hollywood 10k too! Wanna meet up there? 😊

I got a huge hematoma on my hip from a collision during hockey practice last week... I haven't been able to run since. Only 6 weeks left till Tinker Bell and my longest run so far is 7 miles.. I may not have enough time to build up mileage.

panthrah

Hockeycat- look up kt taping for that and get some arnica ( whole foods) that will help with the hematoma

Lunderwood

So excited! Headed to Austin, TX with my relay team. We start our 200 mile adventure tomorrow morning at 10. Hopefully all will go well. I am not worried so much about the running but have had an increase in level of side effects due to the HT. Don't want to let my team down.

goldlining

Good luck, Lunderwood!!

Lunderwood

I survived the relay! My team finished in 25hrs and 42 minutes. We set a relay record for the masters mixed division! The running wasn't so bad as I only ran about 24 miles total but being awake for 36+ hours was tough. Very tired but happy today. (I wonder what my oncologist will think tomorrow when I tell him what I did over the weekend)

ReneeinOH

That's amazing Lunderwood! Way to go!

goldlining

Lunderwood that is amazing! Make sure you wear the medal to the onc's!

PaulaAmy

Lunderwood, I am a runner too. When I was diagnosed I cried cos I thought my running days were over but 2 years in with Mets, I still manage to get out on the road and just entered a 10 km. Well done to you. You have inspired me with your story.

Best of luck

PaulaAmy

Running keeps me sane

goldlining

Welcome PaulaAmy!

I think sometimes we think we're crazy for running and do crazy things to make it possible to go out running, but at the same time, if not for running, we really would be crazy!

HockeyCat

Hi ladies,

Pathrah, thank you for the tip. KT taping on hip was too advanced.... I need extra hands for that. LOL... It stickwith RICE, gentle massage and stretch. I couldn't run for 2 weeks, but did elliptical instead. I was finally able to run last Thursday, then ran Hollywood 10k yesterday! Living in LA, I usually don't have to worry about the weather. But it was raining since Friday.... Luckily It stopped right before the race. I did 3-1 run/walk, finished in 1:06! I love this medal.

Cupcaker, how did it go?

goldlining

Good luck panthrah and scrunchthecat as you arrive in Orlando for the Dark Side weekend!

panthrah, you'll be getting both the Coast to Coast and the Kessel challenge, won't you?

Rainy looking couple of days, but Sunday looks great.

scrunchthecat

Thanks, goldlining! Sadly, I had to bail from The Dark Side. I had a conference last weekend, which bumped my treatment to this week, which is tomorrow. I hope to do a Disney run soon. Good luck, panthra!

Lunderwood

I sure wish I could run some of the California runs - they sound so fun! Maybe next year I will be far enough along in this journey to actually plan. Right now its mainly a week to week decision based on how I am feeling. This morning I ran a very small 5k (Running with the Bulldogs) sponsored by a local high school. It was great fun. Almost everyone was in high school, middle school or a coach. I was the oldest woman running but I held my own with the kids. Afterward the cross country girls took pics of me with the team. (I think they liked that at 4'11" I am the same height as the younger ones). Next week I go back to my MS for another checkup. I hope that my tumor has shrunk enough that we can set a surgery date. (probably late June) but I am so ready to move on!

Runner70

hi everyone,

I posted earlier and it disappeared so I'm not sure where it ended up! I was training for a marathon when I got diagnosed in January. The day before my lumpectomy I ran 16 miles. Shortly after, I realized I couldn't keep up with training so I switched to the half marathon that is next weekend. I've completed 2 chemos and I've steadily watched my endurance drop to the point now I have to do walk run intervals and I can't even run a mile anymore. I'm frustrated by body won't do what it used to. Now I'm worried I can't even finish! I know it's just the chemo but next I have radiation which is going to be tough too. How long after this is all over will I start being able to run like the old me? Today I ran/walked 8 miles and afterward broke down in tears because I'm just so exhausted and short of breath after running.

goldlining

Welcome Runner70 - what is your upcoming half? We'll put it in the header.

Don't worry about your pace now - just enjoy being out there. Run to how it feels, not the pace (number) you're used to. I run to my heart rate and my pace has been all over the place. I had only mastectomy and DIEP (and revision), no chemo, but the anaesthesia took a toll on my pace for years. I feel like I am starting over. However, running is the place where I have control. I decide when to stop, go, left, right. It isn't something that is happening to me against my will. (Ironically, I love the organized run events specifically because I have no decisions to make and can just follow the lady in front, but hey, I don't have to be logical.)

Trigirl13

hi- newly dx'ed and just finished 3rd cycle of AC. Been running pretty steadily and other than fatigue in hills, it's been pretty ok. However, the last week have brought on foot chafing and some blisters...anyone have foot/blister issues...and what did you do?

Half marathon on 4/24 and u really want to do it