2012 Running Thread

YEAH, firstcall!!  Glad you went for it and made this thread! 

I hope you are doing well...How has the chemo decision making gone?  When is that next marathon you are hoping to run?

I am working hard not to talk myself out of entering my first race...in May...a little no name 5K...  So, I could use all the encouragement I can get...:)

Hello there! Thanks for starting off the new thread, Adrian. Best of luck to you with your training. I'm signed up for a half marathon (the More Magazine Women's Half in Central Park, NYC) that's the day before Boston, six weeks after my upcoming surgery. So I can be your virtual partner in "recovery training" if you'd like. Actually, I was hoping this year I'd be able to be in Boston to be a spectator at the marathon, something I'd always wanted to do but hadn't put any effort into doing until recently. We have a cousin who's doing it, plus I have a bunch of virtual runner friends who'll be there that I'd love to finally meet in person. Doesn't look good for this year as well, travel logistics and all, but we'll see.

CLC, you will rock that 5k! You can definitely count on me for encouragement... what race is it, if you don't mind me asking? 

Today's run was 6.36 miles in 58:37, a 9:13 avg pace, which is the fastest I've been in what feels like ages. So maybe I am finally starting to recover from this marathon after all... I have a 5k I'm signed up to do on February 11 and I'd like to keep it under 27 minutes, just to save face. My best so far has been 26:24 which I did just this past New Year's Day. So yeah, while I'm not fast compared to lots of people out there, I do have my own standards. 

I am not signed up for any races in the near future. I am in for the NYC Marathon that will be first week of November since I deferred last year (stupid breast cancer!).

I have been a medical volunteer for several years for Boston. It is alot of fun- unfortunately I am too slow and will never BQ. 

Adrien- how did you get on the medical team to run?

I am thinking of signing DH for the MCM and I can get Vinnie Myers to do my 3D nipple tattoos the same weekend!

Congrats Goldlining on FINISHING! The medal looks amazing and there is nothing quite like a disney race. Goofy next year???

Thanks groovygirls. Since I posted this on the 2011 thread, I will recap here for digital integrity... I didn't see that this thread was created. (orangemat's forwarding address turned up in this thread, and I've fallen behind in the active topics while I was away).

I arrived at Disneyland on Friday and went to the Expo and got a last-minute registration for the 5K that evening. It was a great course, starting right in front of the castle, with live performance by Tinker Bell herself flying around the castle (really!) and the run wound around entirely within parks and backstage areas, 4000 people or so. Just a great route for a 5K and a great tune up run for the half. I was just 6 weeks post mastectomy and DIEP, and had only been walking on the treadmill for 60-90 minutes once a week, so wasn't sure how the half was going to go, but I discovered I was actually able to run most of the 5K and that reassured me so immensely. I alternated about 3 minute run and a 30-60 sec walk. My net pace was 13 mins/mile which is the pace I used to have when I first started running, and about 2 minutes/mile faster than I have been treadmilling this past month. By the time we got back to the hotel after the run and refreshments, I had been up for 24 hours straight, so Saturday was just park time. 

Sunday I was there for the Half with my wings on at 05:30 (late for a Disney run but at Disneyland the starting line is right outside the hotel). That course was also really nice, very well provisioned with water and powerade etc. and lots of entertainment. It was my worst finishing time ever, but I beat the straggler bus by probably 45 minutes, and that was all I asked of myself. I ran (with walk intervals) about 2/3 of it and my pace was 11:30-12 mins/mile there, and slowed down to maybe 13 or 13:30 for the brisk walk of the rest.

I sustained no sports injuries, not even a blister. Am just a little stiff, which is entirely appropriate for my level of conditioning. I ran in the CW-X tights, and put on the zensah calf sleeves afterwards. I did have a lot of swelling on one DIEP flap (the side that had nodes removed in the mx last year) and I wonder if it's truncal lymphedema. The seam at the top of the flap became a dent because it was swelling above and below, but the scar did not stretch/swell. I've been wearing a compression top to try to knock it back. The PS cleared me to even ride roller coasters while I was there (I didn't) and the flap is still warm so I don't think it's become compromised but I am going to watch it.

As appealing as it sounds, I am not sure about the Goofy for me quite yet, but I will finish the runDisney 2012 Coast to Coast challenge with the Wine and Dine Half at WDW in November. The registration for that opens in mid-March (and likely will sell out by May). If you run in a tiara for the Princess and in wings for the Tinker Bell, I wonder what you wear for the Wine and Dine... That gives me summer to work on conditioning without this big anvil over my head I have had the past two years. In 2014, maybe I'll sign up for THE Disney marathon weekend (but not the Goofy) and do the Chip and Dale marathon relay with the significant other. I don't see myself doing the whole 26 miles (let alone a half the day before) until I improve my pace to be able to get to the food tent faster! 

orangemat, I just got the superhero reference on your weekend event. It's on Super Sunday. Very clever. I think you should be Wonder Woman! 

(edited for clarity) 

I did 5K Friday at 10:30 pm as a tune up, then the half marathon Sunday 05:45 with much more confidence thanks to the 5K. I credit a business friend who was doing the same for giving me the idea. It was a great way to settle in especially after my long layoff without training. I had not run more than 3 minutes since October, just treadmill walking once a week for a month.

Thanks for starting this thread. 

I have joined a "local" running group.  They are great and they accept that I am not a fast runner (I run 5K in about 31min)  but it is nice to have a place to be able to talk to people who been through some of the same things I have. 

I am going to try a marathon in November.  I am going to start working on a run/walk program.  I have an appointment this afternoon with my primary doc and on mid Feb with my oncologist to get cleared.  I have a :slight: issue with my foot....I am hoping that it is not neuropathy starting.

Keep running/walking.....

I signed up for a half marathon end of May- Boston's Run to Remember. It is for police officers and their families who were killled in the line of duty. The course looks beautiful and it will be a beutiful time of year. 16 weeks to train!

Love to run. I amnot fast but consistent and can keep going and going for hours if I want to. I ran over 7 miles the evening before my surger(y)(ies). When the nurse had me do the spirometer in ICU the next morning she exclaimed that she had never had anyone get such high results the first time! That was so encouraging.



I have been walking and am at presurgical pace but awaiting t he all clear to run. I hope that will be 4 weeks post-op and at the latest 5 weeks. I am at 3 1/2 now.



Surgery included 3 in 1: left nipple sparing, skin sparing mastectomy, immediate DIEP reconstruction, and axillary excision (after sentinel biopsy revealed two positive odes while I was in surgery.) total node involvement is 5. Vascular connection was made through excision incision so breast scarring is minimal (1 scar). All my surgeons and MO want really good healing at that site before I begin physical therapy for additional lymphadema prevention and before I resume running.



It is hard to wait but vigorous walking helps a great deal and I asked my friends to run for me and post their daily r weekly runs on Facebook complete with pics and detailed descriptions. they are doing that so it really helps me and some re now deciding running isn't at all as hard as they once remembered. Others are avid runners and are just pulling out the stops to support me in this.



Chemo running? Anyone doing this? My start date is 2/22 and my Chemo nurse is encouraging me to go for it! :-)



Love the thread.



Diana

Congrats eulabt! Sounds like you are rocking the pavement!

The runners high ... Endorphins kicking is ... s unmatched in my experience,

I bet those races give you something to strive for!



Diana

Welcome new runners!

Yay Kat! Now is the time to be kind, and taking whatever we can get. Upright and smiling!

goldlining....whether walking or running, timing doesn't matter. It is the fact that you are doing it:) It is so amazing to me how something like running has become my lifeline and I love sharing that with you guys.