2016 Running Thread

Bimsickle

ok so that was a bizarre experience.

I just started AC on Thursday, and have had no nausea. Today was the first day without anti nausea meds which was nice as they made me feel hungover.

Spent most of the day lounging around waiting for the weather to turn so I could try to go for a run… just got back, very very windy. No pb, added about a minute to my km from 6-7, but didn't sweat at all… been drinking heaps of water and am now lying down mostly due to the fact that every TV is taken over by sport or cartoons.

Maybe I just took it so easy that I didn't push myself, dunno it was too windy to get any speed up. The no sweating thing is totally weird.

goldlining

Maybe the wind evaporated the sweat? Take it easy!

I had a breeze today, so was not too sweaty on arrival home, but I was sweating all the way through my shower and afterwards! Was 27C but humidex up over 30C.

Fun today: almost home when I spotted a turtle trying to get off the road. Bigger than my hand, trying to climb a curb away from 6 lanes of traffic. Did he really cross all the way across 6 lanes and a centre median (with curbs)? Or did he change his mind and turn back? Anyway, I stopped to help him up and pointed him toward a pond.

panthrah

congrats on saving the turtle!! I saw the virtual runDisney races.. very tempting. this sunday is Tinkerbell.. its still open.. Im twitching. I think Im done with WDW runs for a bit.. that time change is rough!!

all the things I thought I could never do I have done. 5k, 10k, half marathon, 3 day , 60 mile walk, tough mudder ( very proud of this one), runDisney challenges (10k sat then half on sun) , then 5k/10k/half in the same weekend... so the next illogical thought would be.....a full marathon.. which of course would have to be the Disney full . HOWEVER.. Im only in the entertaining the thought phase.

HockeyCat

Panthrah, join me in Tinker Bell!

I didn't do much training this time, but I ran 10 miles on Sunday and felt ok. I'm going to dedicate this race to my friend who passed away a few weeks ago. She was only 38, had stage 4 lung cancer (no smoker), left behind her husband and two young children. I met her at work over 15 years ago. She ran LA Marathon (before I became a runner), and beat all of our co-workers in 90 degree weather. We used to meet up at a park in the morning and ran together before work. I'm still very sad... but I'm going to take her to this race and run with her at Disneyland. I think she would like that.

panthrah

i just double checked and tink is sold out my loss

hockeycat- yes your friend would love it *hugs*

goldlining

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers on the board.

Good luck HockeyCat for a great TinkHalf.

Those itching for something to run tomorrow could look into the Wings For Life World Run (for spinal cord treatment research). In addition to runs at locations around the world, you can download an app and participate virtually. The concept is participants start at 11am UTC, everywhere in the world, i.e., 07:00 Eastern, 04:00 Pacific, noon in England or 9pm in Melbourne Australia etc. Instead of running a fixed distance, you run until you're caught by the catcher car. The winner is the one who gets farthest. (A previous winner ran 55km before being caught!) A half an hour after the start, a catcher car starts chasing, increasing its speed as it goes. If you run at a particular location, there is an actual catcher car and a bus behind it. For the virtual runners, to avoid elementary school flashbacks about the two trains heading towards each other while a bicycle goes alongside, the app does the math to figure when the virtual catcher car catches you. At my pace, I figure about 10K, maybe less, before it catches me, depending on how much I walk. Although it will drag me from a cosy bed, I am contemplating doing it to earn some more calories for my Mother's Day dinner

HockeyCat

Hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day!

Thanks Goldling! TinkHalf was fun. We had a rough start though.... At the expo, I found that I was placed in the last corral F. WHAT? I'm usually in corral B. Didn't I submit a proof of time when I registered? I looked through my registration confirmation and all the emails from RunDisney, then realized that proof of time submission wasn't available at the time of registration. I was supposed to submit it between September to February, and I totally forgot! I texted my friend/running partner right away, I felt bad that she had to start from the back with me.... Then she texted me back later that she also forgot and was placed in the last corral. LOL. It was a slow start... It got very crowded inside the park that we had to walk more than we usually do. After we left the park, there were more space and we eventually picked up our pace. Since I didn't train enough this time, and we weren't following our regular run/walk pace, it got really hard after 9 miles. As usual, there were so many spectators cheering along the street. They and my running partner kept me going strong. I took one mile at a time. Last year, I ran this race 4 months after I completed my treatments. I wanted to prove that I can run half marathon again. Although my time was much slower than before, I enjoyed running more. This year I dedicated this to my friend who passed away because of lung cancer. When it got harder, I thought of her, and about the time we ran together at the park in our neighborhood. I got pretty emotional toward the end. My running partner held my hands and we ran to the finish line together. I looked up to the sky and thought of her big infectious smiles. She is my Tinker Bell.

Lunderwood

Congratulations HockeyCat what an inspirational story!!! Just the fact that you ran the half makes you a winner! The medal is beautiful too!

goldlining

HockeyCat, what a great story! And you stayed at the Disneyland Hotel too! Great view with the medal. (And nice 5th anniversary medal with the extra colour and all.)

You make a good point - I have registered a few ruDisney that had no proof of time on registration, and I am not sure they consistently ask for it before the due date. An email blast a week before the deadline is a good idea, I think. The DL Paris race also have a requirement for a signed letter from your doctor and a copy of your WDW or DL finish certificate for Castle to Chateau ahead of time, and they have been good at sending email reminders to do it. There was a bit of a "scandal" a few races ago, with people who DID submit proof of time finding that someone else had gone in and changed their times to move them back in the pack. (I think it was MousePlanet's website with the story.) So now when I register I put the proof of time deadline in my calendar and login the day before the due date to make sure it says what I input, even if I input it when the form goes live. I had a friend doing the WDW Half for the first ever half and he did not bother with proof of time, like, "whatever, I will have a good time wherever I am". People don't know appreciate how slow the last corral is, or how dense. You did the honourable thing and made the best of it. I am usually in the middle (D at DL and I at WDW), and muscle my way to the front of the corral (I need all the peer pressure I can get) and I often see people sneaking over the partition when the marshals are distracted. It peeves me a lot. Like, we'd all like to be closer to the front - what makes YOU special? But I try to let it go and stay in my own race.

I did that spinal cord "world run" last Sunday using the app, and made it about 55 minutes before the virtual chase car "caught" me. Later in the afternoon, I logged in to watch the finishers via animated GPS map. The winner was at the Milan race location, and ran for 5 1/2 hours and ran over 88km!!!!!! I went out yesterday for a halfhearted short run just to earn a few more dinner calories on My Fitness Pal, and I felt kind of slow, but discovered my pace was actually better than several recent runs. Maybe I'm finally getting some condition back!

panthrah

and off topic -ish... my stormtrooper armor has been approved!!! soooooooo if im not running the star wars light side half next year.. you better look for me along with the other star wars costumers on the course. ( sorry for the lack of smile in the pic.. it was late and I was tired )

goldlining

Very impressive suit! But right - not so much for running in! I hope you bought that and did not have to sculpt it yourself!!

Everyone having some nice spring outings? I needed a run yesterday to earn the calories for a decent dinner, so out I went at 6pm when it was still 32C. Couldn't muster quite the same pace though. I sweated all the way through my shower and for an hour after! Though I will say it's easier for me to handle the heat and humidity than cold and drizzle. I'll miss this when I go home after the year in the south!

panthrah

nope I made it. ( bought the kits.. cut and sized and sanded etc...." there are people who do 5k walks in them ( bc, autism, etc) but this is for charity work .. not races.. except the star wars half :P

Goldlining.. did you sign up for the Disney Shorts? is that what they are calling it?

viktoryak

Hi,I am new to this tread. . I was always exercising at least 4 times a week. Running occasionally when the weather is good.. I started weekly Taxol + Herceptin every 3 weeks , 2 weeks ago and after first Taxol i felt an urge to run ,to move, to exersise to fight this stupid desire to feel sorry for myself and just stay in bed.. The weather is better now and it is more pleasant to go outdoors and run then go to gym. In 2 weeks I run almost every day about 3-4.5 miles. Once in a while i substitute a run for gym. I hope i feel the same and can continue it through the chemo. I feel it helps me with my depression about the whole cancer thing. Also with calories shredding.

I am wondering if there any other runners in my area-North New Jersey to connect.

Gully

Hockycat, What a great medal! Very nice.

Pan, I love the stormtrooper armour!

Well ladies I completed my 15K at Sugarloaf mountain yesterday. I could have really used that stormtrooper outfit it was 47 degrees and raining! But I can't complain too much. I managed to place 10th in my age group out of 47 ladies with a time of 1:23:35 with 8:57 pace a personal best for me! One step closer to that marathon distance. Now on to train for the half.

Ladies in chemo, Wow you are a tough group. I had a hard time doing long walks! Its been three years for me and I started back into running by biking and running short 2-3 mile runs at like a 10:30-11:00 pace. You all should be back up to "speed" in no time! Last year, 2 years out, I completed my first half and then another a few months later, best time of 2:05. This year my goal is a sub 2 hour half. If I make that on to the marathon I think just to make it by 4.5 hours. We will see. Knowing you are running during chemo will give me a "no excuses" mental boost.

Onward ladies you rock!!!

goldlining

I did indeed sign up for the whole Disney "running shorts". The first (Yellow Shoes) is underway now, May 15-31. I actually did a 5K (walk) yesterday after running 5K on the 14th, but I have until June 1, so my plan is to run 5K in Italy on Sunday or Monday. The second is the Red Pants, is June 5-18, and I will be in Shanghai from 12-17 (at Disneyland for the grand opening!) so will run at some point there. The third is the White Glove, June 19-30. That will have to be Orlando, unless something exciting comes up! There is a bonus medal for doing all three, but I am not sure if I have seen a picture of it.

Welcome viktoryak! I think we've all looked at running as mood medicine. I think of it as something we can control when so much around us is uncontrollable. It's paradoxical - I like that I decide when to go, when to stop, how fast, how far, but I also like in a run event that I don't have to make any decisions at all for three hours - I just follow the ladies in front of me. And the paradox is okay! I had no rads or chemo but I did a lot of surgery, and found having these scheduled run events just before procedures gave me something to look forward to rather than dreading an upcoming procedure and runs after the procedure helped pull me out of bed to recover. I was new to running when I got the BC diagnosis so it's been so tightly entwined the whole way.

Congratulations Gully - that is fantastic time!! You go!

ELD

Hello all - at the encouragement of my oncologist's nurse I am posting my running experience during my surgeries & treatment for Stage 1 / HER2+ BC. She wanted me to share with others how I got thru chemo & surgeries. I was diagnosed Sept 29th last year.... 2 weeks after running a fall marathon and of course feeling great. I'm an experienced long distance runner and it's an important part of my life! I do work, am a Mom to a 7 yo, and my family is very supportive of my running.

I'm part of the ATEMPT trial but received the standard of care of Taxol / Herceptin for 12 weeks as part of the control group. Chemo started 1/4 and ended 3/30. I had a bilateral mastectomy Nov 17 with delayed reconstruction.... so that I could continue training and run the Boston Marathon on 4/18/16 (I qualified for Boston and registered for it the week before I received my BC diagnosis).

I was very concerned about neuropathy from the Taxol as that would be devastating as a runner. I worked with a nutritionist and I was *religious* about using 10g of glutamine 3x a day, chelated Vit B6 2x a day(be careful of dosage with B6), and added high amounts of potassium with a banana and a bottle of coconut water every day (I drink Harmless Harvest: not from concentrate, no added sugars, low calorie way to get potassium). My diet was already healthy but we upped my protein intake. I had no neuropathy at all: but just after I finished chemo I had severe nail bed pain, pretty severe skin reactions etc.

Awesome news reading all of the posts of the runners on this board. And I encourage anyone and everyone to do those things which give us control over our lives and for me running helped me feel like "me".I took 2 weeks off of running post mastectomy (but started walking again the next day, then back into the gym 1 week post surgery after the drains were removed to do spin and lower body weight conditioning). Took it easy getting back into running to build my base as I started a training cycle for the Boston Marathon Dec. 20th. I was able to maintain a normal higher mileage training cycle with the exception of not running the morning before we went skiing every Sunday (normally would get up early and run 6'ish before we headed to the mountain for my daughter's ski school). My chemo day was my "rest" day. I felt great running: and I really believe it helped me to minimize any SE from chemo aside from loosing my hair. My oncologist also believes that the high impact of longer distance running helped to keep my white/red blood cell counts and neutrophils within an acceptable range so that I didn't have to have any additional therapies for WBC / neutrophils. I also had "rare" Taxol side effects and was of course allergic to the Taxol so I had the joy of pre-meds (rare SE's were nose bleeds and I got a chemo rash which developed when we were in Canada for a week of skiing at Whistler). I was also able to ski like my normal self: which was awesome especially when we were up at Whistler.

During chemo I did run a 1/2 marathon prep race in March (Sammamish Half Marathon) and was right on target with my marathon pacing. So... 2 1/2 weeks post last chemo treatment I ran the Boston Marathon. It was awesome to be there. I didn't really "bounce back" during the taper like I normally do but don't know if I can blame chemo for that! Boston was also pretty darn hot this year: low 70's at the start and by the time we got into the Newton Hills it was in the 80's.

The week after Boston I had stage 1 of reconstruction with tissue expanders. My plastic surgeon is also a marathon runner so he has some perspective on my needs as an athlete: so we've "stitched in" the expanders which sure makes recovery a lot more painful. I'm not a candidate for any other type of reconstruction so we are doing implants. Day after surgery I started walking again all over the neighborhood, and 3 weeks post surgery I was cleared to do spin class (for those that do spin I'm a big fan of FlyWheel). Today is 4 weeks post surgery and was finally cleared to start running again. Felt great to get out there this am but oh boy my pecs were TIGHT during the run.

Next on the docket for me is the Shore Run 7/12- a local 10k that I run every year that actually benefits where I receive chemo care - Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. The Research Coordinator I work with is also a runner and we are going to run it together! It's a race I usually try to place in my age group; but this year I'm running it for "fun". I will also run a trail 1/2 marathon (Roots Rock Trail 1/2) in August before the implant exchange. Depending upon the date of that surgery I may sneak up to Whistler Canada for one of the 5 Peaks series that's a trail race up high on Blackcomb Mountain. No fall marathon for me this year as I won't be able to train thru September with the implants.

*For the person who was asking about blisters* Use Toe Caps on each toe that you have a problem with. Also lots of Body Glide. I bet your shoes are also a 1/2 size too small.

viktoryak

ELD, all i can say WOW!! You are amazing!!

I am on weekly Taxol now . Done 4 out of 12. I do exersise every day. Was not much of a runner before just occasional runs, mostly did gym classes like spin, weights ,kickboxing but started more running now. I rotate between running 4 miles and gym during the week. I feel usually more energy in the morning so I do my exercises in the morning. I think it also makes me feel normal like others who don't have cancer.

I wish I can find some other women in my area with similar stories who can join me on the mornign runs.

Lunderwood

Thank you for sharing your story ELD! It is very encouraging and couldn't have come at a better time for me. I am scheduled for UMX in 3 weeks with tissue expander placement. Exchange will be in 3-4 mos if all goes well. I have run through 6 mos of hormone therapy. The Arimidex has caused hot flashes and the faslodex injections have caused some joint pain but overall very little impact on my running. I am an ultra trail runner during the winter and generally run 5k- 15k road events during the hot Texas summers. I usually run about 50 miles per week (unless I am training for an ultra) I have been so worried about losing my base and endurance after surgery. I suspect I won't be able to run for a few weeks after surgery (or at least until the drains are removed) but plan on walking on my treadmill as soon as I get home. My PS knows that I am a runner but maybe I should discuss extra stitching on the TE - trails will be tough on the TE. Do you do any core work or weight lifting? I have some concerns about how quickly I can return to my daily workout with pushups, planks, pull-ups etc... I will find more moderate subs for the workout routine if necessary - As long as I can run again in the near future all will be well.

By the way I am registered for a 50k trail run 3 days before surgery... Had to get one more run in since it's going to be a long summer.

Thanks again for sharing!

goldlining

Welcome ELD. What a first post!

My PS was a runner also. I think that helped a lot in getting advice that understood my needs, both from the neck up and the neck down.

Your extra stitching on the TE will be very useful info for others. Running with TEs comes up here every so often. (I had plenty of raw material for DIEP - it was like I had been saving the "baby weight" in anticipation of needing it later. Had not been a runner at all until just before BC.)

So, Lunderwood, what's your 50K event? I will get it in the calendar up top.

I ran my 5K (for the runDisney virtual shorts) on Sunday in Italy in a rural area near Peschiera del Garda. My leg hurt differently after the last physio. We attacked the IT band with suction cup and the piriformis, I think it was, with stretching, and then a whole whack of acupuncture. When I started the run, I had pain down the inside of my leg (new location!) instead of the outside. I soldiered on, doing okay, until 4.75km when I reached the hotel again, and tripped on a curb, so now I have about a square foot of bruising on both knees and both heels of hands, and whiplash. Sucks! Physio in the morning, though.

Lunderwood

Goldlining - How cool to run in rural Italy! I am so envious! Please send pictures. I hope you recover quickly from your fall. I am probably the klutziest runner on the earth so it's crazy that my preference is trails. The 50k is Mowdy Ranch Mustang Run in Coalgate, OK. It's on a wild mustang refuge - last year they weren't able to round up all the mustangs so during the run a small herd would watch and follow some of the runners. The ranch previously was a wild game preserve and there are still small herds of some type of antelope that can be seen as well. I've been doing a few local 5k's during past few weeks nothing notable. I may try a virtual 5k as I am recovering from surgery. I think I will probably have to stay on my treadmill and avoid our Texas heat at least for awhile.

goldlining

Photos! (Most photos were inside the park!)

This was across the street from the resort:

This was at the back entrance of the theme park:

You would never find scenes that rustic that close to a North American theme park! The hotel and theme park were separated by 2km of crops, connected by a 2-lane road!

Physio this morning did some aggressive dry needling, with the biggest protest being my hamstring(!) I will work on core exercises until I can get back for more physio in June. I'll stick to fast walking until then. The pelvic bone seems to be getting pulled in all directions by whatever muscle has a tale to tell at any given time, and the DIEP ab incision scar tissue and tight (but not strong) ab muscles do not help.

CJSharma

Do ya'll mind a clydesdale joining? I'm hoping to get some inspiration. I was diagnosed in March, and did a 10k before my first chemo treatment. I've walked a local 5k, and I have the "Bubble Run" coming up June 11th. I'm waiting to see my surgery date to see if I can manage to at least walk the 10k for the Rock N Roll half here in San Jose (if not, I'll figure out another one). And my big goal is to do the 21 miler in Big Sur (a group of us going through chemo right now have said we should get together and walk it).

I took my first run today since starting chemo. I did W1D1 of C210k. So basically two miles with a 1 minute run/90 second walk ratio. It was pretty easy, but I want to ease back in to running. I still have 3 more round of Taxol, so it will be a slow progress, but I'm just happy to have run at all.

goldlining

Welcome CJSharma! There is no straggler bus on this thread - all paces welcome!

Let us know if you sign up for the RockNRoll and we'll put it up top!

goldlining

Just a week until several runs are up to bat!

How's everyone's training going?

It's SO hot in Florida! (I am not complaining - as a Canadian, I'm conditioned to think if I complain, it will be a hard winter and I will regret my words. Still, HOT is a fair description!) I'm holding off running until I see physio again next week. Walking a lot. I feel a pull in the tailbone/thigh on the forward extension stage of the stride. It's not worse or better when I warm up and run, just constant in that movement. I don't want to poke a bear, and end up injured for the fall runs.

ELD

Thank you all for the warm welcome. I was forced to take 4 weeks off of running after the TE placement. Taking time off really was not fun: and I was seen by lots of friends walking all over the neighborhood. The running is odd with the TE: immediately my pec muscles "clench" onto the expanders and stay that way the whole time. My plastic surgeon said it does happen on occasion... but I can run thru the discomfort. Spin classes have been a blessing as I get to work out to exhaustion w/out really being in too much discomfort.

I am excited in that this Sunday I'm running the Shore Run 10k: it's in my neighborhood here in Seattle and I've run it off and on for many years. This year I'm running for fun and I will run together with the research coordinator from Seattle Cancer Care Alliance who is near and dear to my heart (I'm part of the ATEMPT trial for Stage 1 / Her2+). My plastic surgeon is also running the race and happens to live a few blocks away from me.

Running has just helped me to be in charge of something in my life that's just for me. And I really believe it helped me feel great thru Taxol/Herceptin chemo round.

Love the stories of everyone's running journey. Much love your way!

Lunderwood

ELD how long did you take off after your initial surgery? Surgery is a week away so I am trying to get in as many miles as possible. (I guess that in the back of my mind I am trying to compensate for the down time) Since running helps me deal with stress and anxiety I am hoping it will be a short break. Thanks for the update an running with TE. I greatly appreciate how everyone has shared their experiences past and current. It is so encouraging to me!

I ran a small 5k this weekend in Corinth, TX and PR'd. I think everyone was amazed that a 56year old running grandma could be the overall female winner. Little did they know that running is how I cope with breast cancer and the impending surgery.

goldlining

Congratulations Lunderwood on the PR and win!

CJSharma

Bubble Run done! It was fun. Lots of bubbles!

panthrah

oct 15th 2016 Awesome 80s 10k

jan 7th 2017 Star Wars Lightside 10k

Goldlining.. we shld def meet up at the dl half weekend!!

panthrah

oooh and cupcaker too!!