2019 Running Thread

rlws

This is an inspiring group! I am trying to to run again, but definitely struggling. Had to wait 6 weeks after the surgeries and now trying while doing radiation. You all are an encouragement and motivation to get back to where I was!

Thank you for all sharing and helping me to be stronger and more courageous. This Cancer has inspired me to one day do a half marathon, I have only run a 10K to date as I became a runner two years ago. Now I feel I will with all of your inspiration!!

edj3

I ran during radiation--they weren't my best runs ever, not by a long shot. But I pretty quickly realized that I was going to have radiation fatigue whether I ran or not, so I might as well run. And it gave me a very real, much-needed sense of having a bit of control after the dx and surgery.

My son had this trophy made for me and I love it.

panthrah

I. LOVE. IT. !!!

rlws- absolutely do a half marathon! good playlist and/or a good friends and the miles disappear :)

panthrah

andraxo- Surf City Marathon & Half Marathon

Huntington Beach, California

January 31, 2020 - February 2, 2020

RunningCats

Way to go ladies!

It's taken me a full week to recover from the 10k and I haven't run since. I decided to defer Long Beach half I'm still having my herceptin infusions and it's the Tuesday before, as it was for the 10k. I found myself light headed and dizzy after finishing. I'm putting my health before my ego. I also don't think it would be fair to any of the volunteers, runners or first responders if my run went south.

5k and 10ks for me until I'M able to comfortably able to do a 12 mile training run.

MickeyB17

Cool! I am 66 and still running after cancer dx 2 years ago and still on hormone therapy.Love to hear these stories.

Hope we can all run for as long as our hearts and bodies inspire us!

edj3

Just signed up for another 10k on 11/9 and then we'll be in LA over Thanksgiving with family and we'll be running a Turkey Trot 5K. I'm not a fan of 5k races, they're nothing but a pain train but it will be good fun to do that with family.

iwaveatcows

here I am newly DX -- sigh -- invasive ductal carcinoma E+ P+ HER2-

What's on my schedule before the new DX

California International Marathon December 2019

Boston Marathon April 2019 (will be my 8th in a row)

Boston to Big Sur 6 days after Boston

I'm a seriously competitive marathoner who is used to being as bad ass as it gets.

Hoping this party gets started soon -- have to have one more biopsy on the other girl Thursday and then hopefully it all gets started

Up in the air on whether or not it will be lump or mast on the right

Have to coordinate with plastics -- more waiting

Confident in the doctors.

I am used to making rehab my religion -- I had a tremendous comeback after lateral meniscus root repair -- took walking to an entire new level which had my legs so ready to run long that I bounced right back into to training and was able to still run my personal worst at Boston 2018 with 1-1/2 months of actual running.

I am going to read all of your posts because I am hanging on to all of my dreams.

edj3

Sorry you're a member of this club but welcome anyway!

Yeah we're all a bit nuts in here. I am not letting two cancers and a broken pelvis interfere with running

iwaveatcows

I already feel a pinch better finding this like-minded community

This helps when everyone says oh you can't run -- dammit yes I can

but then when I had my total hyst I remember reading all the doom and gloom there and people not out of bed for a month and on pain mends

i proved them wrong and was walking 4 miles within 5 days.

#neverthelessshepersisted

Moderators

Dear iwaveatcows,

We are sorry about the diagnosis but so glad that you reached out to our community to share your story. We hope you will stick around and keep us posted on your treatment decisions, your recovery and your marathons. Welcome to you.

The Mods

iwaveatcows

I will -- I will update my signature line with where I am and what I'm doing when MDA confirms what the original path report had -- they said they were going with the report but they did have access to slides and they were going to do their testing. It is amazing how thorough they are. They said it was most likely it would be of the same conclusion but that they still prefer to do their testing.

edj3

I will say that I look forward to my heart rate settling down post-radiation. I had a mostly good run this morning except for some heart rate wonkiness. Bleh.

iwaveatcows

are you still doing radiation and experiencing heart rate issues are are done?

Do you find it is all over the place or just much higher than it used to be when you run

edj3

This is all post rads. I'll spike in mile 2, and if I'm not careful I'll be at max. What's frustrating is that there's no pattern. Sometimes it's tempo runs, sometimes GA runs. It can be after a planned rest day or not.

I haven't had this inconsistency before. It's only been since this surgery and then rads.

If you're on Strava I would love to follow you. I'm not in your class, pretty sure I'm older and definitely slower ( no Boston qualifying here!) But I'll cheer you on.

iwaveatcows

I'm 63 -- I'm on strava

was going to post link but I see we cannot

look for Debra Hexsel

iwaveatcows

one more thing -- when you spike to max if you ease back or walk a bit does it settle down?

Have you tried doing run/walk and work on finding the ratio that keeps you somewhat below max

edj3

OK I will find you--on Strava I'm Elizabeth~

And yes, I do slow way down and/or walk. I feel like a slug but I do it

iwaveatcows

Run/Walk is awesome and never anything to apologize about or explain to anyone -- my first BQ was 5/1 and when I ran Boston 2013 I did 9/1 and still did well. I think the minutes of non-running are beneficial to the body and the muscle/skeletal system. More importantly an 8 minute mile, a 7 minute mile, a 10 minute mile or a 15 minute mile -- they are all miles in the bank. I may have to walk my December marathon but regardless I'm doing and that's what counts. I will probably be circling back to you when I am post-surgery ... right now I'm following my coach's plan and on longer runs or harder effort days taking naps. I wish Cancer would have consulted with me about the next 6-12 months and my upcoming goals. How dare F-ing cancer pick now ... but it did.

panthrah

I did a 10k + half marathon challenge in 98 degrees 3 weeks post op LX .. had to walk the whole thing cause even speed bumps hurt.. and ya know.. 98 degrees isnt awesome running weather anyways

2019whatayear

I'm going to sign up to run the Chi Marathon 2020 as a charity runner for Imerman's Angels. So runners who have run marathons post treatment- questions

1. any issues w/lymphodema? I wear my sleeve when I run and no probs.

2. Anyone run marathons living flat- do you wear an undergarment?

Thanks for the scoop- this will be my 3rd marathon 2010- age 40, 2015, age 45 , 2020 will be age 50. :-) I ran the last one as a run walk. It worked out real well. :-)

SamRuns

Hey everyone,

Ran for the first "real" time on Friday since double mastectomy in late June. Been walking a ton and did a 2 mile walk 2 days after the surgery...I probably could have started running at around 8 weeks, but before was out of the question with the incisions still healing. It felt SO good on Friday! Finally reclaiming a piece of myself. I usually do a December marathon but this year is out. I live in Miami so maybe the Miami 1/2 in February. I'm still doing HP transfusions and declined radiation so hopefully energy levels and SEs hold steady as I build up the miles.

So glad there are a few out there pounding out cancer one mile at a time.

edj3

Half marathon has been my favorite distance but I've long wanted to do one--just one--marathon. Thinking 2020 is the year so I'll be asking you guys for advice!

iwaveatcows

love hearing you walked 2 miles 2 days after surgery

that is my goal to be moving, moving, moving.

that helped me immensely after my total hysterectomy

i am not letting go of my April 2020 goal of Boston to Big Sur

My surgery is next Tuesday. Eeek.

Haven't backed off any of my training yet; just going with my plan and pretending I'm racing in December.

I will have the longest taper ever ... LOL ... they told me I could walk it if I felt good and things healed well so there is hope.

RunnerShella

Hello ladies!

I am new here. I'm not even diagnosed - just waiting on more tests (Christmas Eve diagnostics are ahead for me - hell of a holiday season this year). The first thing I did when I found this board was to search for some additional information about what was found on my screening exam and the second thing that I did was search for the athletes!

Having already lost my mother-in-law, a non-blood aunt, and a second cousin to breast cancer (and watched my Grandmother fight DCIS at 82-years old), the idea of a diagnosis scares the hell out of me. I'm also terrified of not being able to do what I love - my absolute passion - running! Reading through all of your posts has been incredibly inspirations!

@iwaveatcows, I sent you a Strava friend request (was able to find you since you posted your name above). I am Sherry. When I was reading your background, I was like, "she's ME!" I've only ran 4 Bostons though, not 8 - that's truly amazing! You are a machine! I also ran Boston 2 Big Sur this past Spring on a foot filled with bone marrow edema from a plantar tear! Both of those races were hell on wheels, but so darn worth it. Lots of walk/run for both, but Big Sur... oh my goodness! Amazing! You will love it and you WILL be able to do both of these! I feel this in my heart. Anyway, if I never ever have to post here again (b/c all goes well with future testing), I figured that I could at least still cheer you on in your future endeavors via Strava.

To all of you, you are all AMAZING and for someone who is literally shaking in her shoes right now (this has been the most painful two weeks of waiting ever), you have given me hope that there is much LIFE and RUNNING yet to be done, regardless of the path laid before us.

On that note - I enjoyed the most amazing 14 miler in the rain this morning. I thought of my situation; I thought of you all. I went into this run dreading it and came out of it feeling quite positive. Running sure does soothe the soul.

edj3

Welcome! I'm no Boston marathoner but still an avid runner. I'd love to connect with you on Strava too, I'm Elizabeth~ with the tilde.

RunnerShella

Hi @edj3!

I just followed you on Strava! Thank you so much for the invite! I love connecting with other runners - no matter how we are brought together! Looking forward to cheering you on!

edj3

Right back at you!

iwaveatcows

so glad we are following each other on Strava -- stay focused on your dreams during treatment.

This type of surgery is so different than any other type. My surgery was 10/29 - mastectomy. I was scheduled for California International -- never lost sight of that -- doctors said, even if radiation I ought to be able to walk it. Fortunately my scores came back and I did not have to have radiation. Post-surgery I walked like a beast and was cleared to run cautiously about 13 days post surgery. Eased back into it coupled with cross-training, watching my incision and my arm for any swelling as they did take two lymphs. I really don't feel like I ever got out of shape. Did a 16 miler run/walk and that was the longest I went right before the marathon.

I had a great marathon -- 40 days post surgery -- there is hope!!!

Honestly I think being active helped me the most -- mentally and physically and it still does.

It's so good to have the two of you because I thought I was the only crazy one

edj3

Nah I'm crazy right there with you. I did have radiation and ran all the way through it -- ran by heart rate, not speed. The radiation fatigue is very real and just now, did months later, it's finally easing

I've got my eye on Grandma's Marathon in June this year, will be my first full. I'd hoped to run the Garmin Marathon in April, but I'll be in Manila most of January and that pretty much craters my training plan.

Feel free to offer advice 😄