2013 Running Thread

Congratulations firstcall. Wooooohooooo!

Had some laughs at the duck humour today! Great to read the good longgg run report as well as the other good Saturday check-ins. 

I hope it's warm enough tomorrow so wimpy me can go outside instead of the treadmill. 

Following @runDisney on Twitter, I see that they have just announced the 2014 Marathon weekend program. The 5K moves to the Thursday, they add an 10K (Minnie Mouse theme) on the Friday, the Half is Saturday (Donald -- duck!), the Full is Sunday (Mickey). They also have the Goofy (both Half and Full) and the new Dopey (5K, 10K, Half AND Full). The weekend is Jan 8-12, 2014. Registrations open April 9, except those who want to sign up the Runner's World magazine Challenge complete with their training program can sign up on April 2. The Goofy and Dopey are bonus medals, so Goofy finishers end with 3 medals and Dopey finishers end up with 5 medals and the 5K medallion (silicone medal).

I have business in Orlando the following week, so will sign up for the Half, and am considering the 10K just to get the inaugural medal. Apparently the course will be in and around Epcot. 

Info is on the runDisney website also 

So good to read all the great running reports this morning.

3.5 hours ... 20 miles of trail running before sunrise Firstcall ... you rocked it!

WOW, firstcall, have to say I'm totally in awe.  Keep on rockin' - hope we can get some nice springlike weather here in time for Marathon Monday - not too hot, not too cold, not too windy, just right.

Lovestorun - thanks for asking!  The bronchitis has been gone for a couple weeks now, thankfully.  What was holding me back was some extreme swelling/tenderness from rads that made it too painful even in minimally jiggling double sports bras.  That's gone down quite a bit now so I am ready to GO!

Like buttons would be awesome - hearing everyone else's runs are inspiring me to get out there and do more.  I'm thinking of a 10K in June - would be my first race that length, although I have run the distance before just for fun but not in a few years.

KSM - 

No, I don't.  I had 3 nodes removed and radiation but have had no symptoms of lymphedema (in my arm anyway, breast is yet to be determined).   In addition to running I also do some core conditioning work (such as leg lifts, sit-ups, etc.) and push-ups.   My RO was the only one who even mentioned it to me, and he mainly said to avoid blood pressure and blood draws on that side.

It's my understanding that if you don't have symptoms and especially for those of us at relatively low risk it's not really necessary, but you should be aware of the warning signs just in case so that you can get prompt attention if problems shoud arise.  If you're really concerned, you may want to re-post your question on the Lymphedma section of the forum.

OMG FC, that would be so cool for you to post your #.

In the spirit of what you said......W1D3. (same distance and pace)

I only kept going because I too knew I am now feeling accountability with this group.

I am finding it difficult to run on the pavement. Went to a park where there was once a dirt trail, but they have since paved it over I ended up running around the soccer fields, which felt better on my ankles and shins.

Any suggestions for a shoe to adequately absorb the shock of running on hard surfaces????

Hi Nancy. I am totally new to running and doing C25K as well.

I suffered from a host of SEs from Tamoxifen, including debilitating fatigue and joint pain over the winter.

I am so over this winter and looking forward to a bright and energetic spring.

Off to bed. Slumber well folks and be careful tomorrow if any of you are in the snow zone (I am so gald I don't go to work until tomorrow night!!!!!)

Welcome NancyHB! We want to read your runs!

I did 4.6km today, a nice downtown sidewalk route, rectangle, uphill on the first side, downhill on the 3rd. Temp about 3C but none of that miserable wind we have had. Most snow has melted in the city. No hat but wore gloves. My heart rate was up to 183 bpm for stretches, and overall averaged 173. I am way too old for that. Anyway, based on that it looks like my pace isn't going to get all that much faster than this.

LE-wise, I had a couple of nodes out on one side and bilateral DIEP, and despite low risk from just two nodes, I do have some LE on the flap on the node side. The node removal was really butchered. I had always thought of my previous sportsbra as great support, but I had a very alarming amount of swelling after a half (the first one post DIEP, and the incision across the flap was in a pronounced valley due to the swelling all around. I thought I'd broken it, but it went down with compression.) Knock on wood, no arm issues.

I switched to Shock Absorber bra and I find it is pretty good compression by itself so I don't worry about added compression shirt, and I have not had problems since I got it. I also sleep in compression, either a LE bra (Rx but not custom) or a compression shirt (Saucony from the running store), depending on the temperature. I also wear compression when I fly (socks too - legs haven't been the same since my C-section 17 years ago.)

After a run, I do take a stab at incompetently lymph massaging the flap, but I don't understand how the lymph could cross all those incisions, so it's just so much voodoo to me. I did have a weird observation on the abdominal incision today. My abdomen above the incision was very flushed red after the run, while below it was blanched. Not swollen, but obviously differences in the superficial blood flow. Not sure of the meaning yet but made for quite a picture in the mirror!

Annette47, Goldlining and Firstcall - thanks for the feedback. I am ordering two prescription sleeves tomorrow morning - pretty sure insurance will pick up at least one of them. At least I'll have them if I think I want or need them.



I did just sign up for a 5k that is on April 6. It's called RunDottyRun. It is a money raiser for Dotty (a local gal) who is running a portion of the Million Dollar Marathon this summer for Coast to Coast for Cancer. I haven't ran since November so this might be interesting. However I take (or did up until surgery 4 weeks ago) some pretty intense workout classes that include both cardio and strength training so hopefully that will help me thru the 5k.



Thanks, again, for the feedback!

NancyHB, we *do* want to read about your runs!

Firstcall, belated congrats on your long run.  Way to go!  I know you've done a lot of marathons, so I'm not telling you anything you don't know, but sometimes it helps to repeat it: even if you felt like you couldn't run a step further after your training run, and are wondering how you can possibly complete the full distance, things will be completely different on race day.  Your body will be stronger because of the pounding you put it through in training; you will be tapered and rested; and you will have all that race-day adrenaline pumping up your system.  You are going to have a GREAT race.

On the issue of running and LE . . . I had a full axillary dissection because of a positive sentinel node, so I worried about this a lot early on.  Never wore a sleeve to run -- it's not clear to me that this would be recommended as a precaution if you don't have LE (whole different story if you do, of course).  I did take extra pains to stay well-hydrated (I'm less obsessive about that now that I'm 5 years out) and did not push myself in the heat.  So far, so good.  I hate that we have to worry about this crap.

Linda

LOL Nat. We got hit by that curious white stuff too. Sorry to have sent it your way Wonderful run for you and full of beautiful creatures too. There is a farm adjacent to the park where I was yesterday. SO.......the cows were my only witnesses and the nerve..they were all lounging around in the half sun.

Nancy...post what you want...but I will set the precedent and post my meager runs....will be fun to look back on....

Lastcall, I knew the way I run would come into question, especially when I thought about the way in which I tend to walk. And in the interest of full disclosure.....I used to march with the drum and baton corp when I was much younger. It is so hard to change that heel strike once it is drilled into you.

I did the dreadmil today (W2D1). My pace and distance tend to be slower and lower when limited inside as my treadmil is constantly on an incline and I cannot manualy get it level. It's an old treadmil, what can I say. I tried to concentrate on changing my running technique. At least I could do it in the comfort of my four walls.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day.......Going to disappear and work nights for the next 2.

I wish there were like buttons on here. Or a way to tie stuff back to specifics posts.



Anyway, thanks for the LE info, NATs. I had actually gone on line last night and pulled up those documents to look over and give to my strength training instructor/coach.



I guess if I'm going to be on this board, I will give you my runs as I register for them. I'm not a long distance runner. I like to do 5k's and work on my pace.



FIRSTCALL - I am also signed up for the Dam to Dam 5k here in Des Moines on June 1. The D2D is actually a 20k race, but they offer a 5k for those of us who want to be involved in the fun festivities but not run the full race. And by festivities, I may mean the beverages afterwards. I set my PR at this 5k last year. Guess if I suck at it this year I'll have an excuse.

NancyHB do look at compression tights as well as the upper body LE prevention stuff. I use CW-X and they are SO SMALL, you think they are made for a child, not an adult. But I feel I can run forever in them, like something is pushing from behind. It takes a little getting used to, and I work up a huge sweat just getting into a new pair, but for long runs, definitely. Compression really cuts down the jiggle which consumes a lot of energy.

I whip a skirt over top for outdoors, because no one needs that good a look at my butt. I had running skirts with shorts in them but on heavier thighs, they do NOT grip and stay put (chafe-o-rama) but Lulu had a bike skirt with no shorts, so that's my regular skirt, and for the run events, I have a whole wardrobe of tutu skirts and sparkle skirts. :-)

goldlining - Thank you for your input!!  I've put on about 25 pounds since I last ran and my running shorts/skirt do *not* fit - but I love them the most (dang chubby thighs!)  My daughter gave me a lululemon gift card for my birthday and I hadn't figured out what to get - now I know!  And I'm going to check out compression stockings today because I have a feeling they're going to make running much easier. 

If I want to invest in a sleeve/gaunlet to ward off LE, which doctor should I see about that?  Or do even need to see a doctor, can I just purchase one?  I don't know anything about the sleeves and would love some help.  I don't want to trade one problem (being overweight and un-exercised) for another (LE).

Now, off to the gym!  W2D2 on tap!