2016 Running Thread

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  • goldlining
    goldlining Member Posts: 1,178
    edited September 2016

    I've been diligent about the wine - not really easy to get the other stuff. And already dosing the C and antivirals.

    I was sort of out of it on the run this morning. I did 5K sort of slow but felt good, then was walking more and more. I have to get new shoes. Since Adidas switched out the good Boston for Boston Boost, they are for crap as far as I am concerned.

    I have to vent about this. There were four corrals, A through D. As best I could figure, anyone with a proof of time over a certain time was in C, and anyone with no proof of time was in D. However, they were counting off numbers of people and breaking each corral into sub-corrals according to how early they arrived at the starting line, basically. There wasn't a lot of room at the starting area, and that was a pretty effective method, especially for the smaller A and B corrals. I was near the front of C, so aside from being bemused that they did not start on time (which was supposed to be 7! the sun was up!!), I did not wait much longer than I needed to. The course ran through the two parks for about 5 or 6 km and then headed out into the villages around the park. We ran around a school or recreation centre track, and along a dirt path through a village, etc. There were a couple stations handing out apples and granola bars (sweet!) as well as the usual amount of water stations, and slightly less Powerade.

    There were several places where "traffic" was going both ways, either people who were ahead of you, or people behind you, were running toward you in the next lane. I was gauging how far back I was falling due to my walking, by looking for any corral C on the bibs coming toward me. As long as most were A and B, that was cool with me. About km 16, we approached the Disney hotels and wound our way through that area toward the finish. As I slogged through about km 17 or 18, I saw several corral D bibs with MEDALS on them, casually strolling (or waddling) from the finish back to their hotel. On obese, elderly, and/or arthritic people. There's no freaking way they passed me. I was out of it but come on, man. They had clearly taken a shortcut in one of the places where we were running out and the corral B people were coming in. That just bugs me. Then they'll use their 2:15 finish as proof of time to get in a high corral in Orlando or Anaheim, or sell the medals on eBay.

    There also seemed to be a LOT of people with IT band issues, and with knees taped up. I wonder if those are the inexperienced runners, doing it because Paris. (That was me on my first Princess!)

    Anyway, long story short, picturesque run, sickly but survived it, pissed at cheaters, but overall a nice run. It's great to roll out of bed and land on the starting line. Would I do it next year? If I was in the neighbourhood, maybe. I'd rather do Tokyo next.

  • geewhiz
    geewhiz Member Posts: 1,439
    edited September 2016

    Awesome Goldlining. You are such an inspiration!

  • lifelover
    lifelover Member Posts: 553
    edited September 2016

    Hey goldlining - good for you to be able to do it! Congratulations. It sounded very disorganised though :(

    I loved the Garmin t-shirts :)

  • Heidihill
    Heidihill Member Posts: 5,476
    edited September 2016

    ThumbsUp, goldlining!

    Went for a run today along the lake.  I saw someone running with a slogan: Your pace or mine.

  • Runrcrb
    Runrcrb Member Posts: 577
    edited October 2016

    This is my very first post so I hope I'm doing it right. I'm a runner. I also swim and bike. But running is my thing. Initial diagnosis of IDC June 27; subsequent diagnosis of ILC July 14 so went from lumpectomy to mastectomy. Sentinel node biopsies on 9/1 - 4 malignant so now we add chemo and radiation. Fortunately ER+/PR+. Right mastectomy and axillary node dissection 9/22 - non-sentinels are clear.

    Is this where I can talk about running, whine about not running, wonder if I can run through chemo and radiation? Wonder if I can swim during chemo? (Biking I'm not too worried about because I don't bike when the temps are below 50F anyway.)

    Thanks

  • KentRunner
    KentRunner Member Posts: 25
    edited October 2016

    I've never posted here before, so I apologize if this issue has already been addressed. I had my mastectomy 3.5 weeks ago and had an expander placed at that time. I am healing well with no complications. Last week I asked my plastic surgeon when he thought I could run again (I found myself sounding like one of THOSE runners!). He told me I really should wait until after the expander is removed and the implant is in place and healed. Yikes! That's going to be awhile since I'm postponing the swap until just before Christmas (for work reasons). Can I get input from people who have gone through the healing process? I was also told that my recovery from surgery would take anywhere from 2-6 weeks. Fortunately I was feeling great at week two and was able to return to work. My range of motion seems to be limited only by my surgeon saying "Don't." I will follow his advice since I don't want to mess anything up, but I'd love to hear from real experience.

  • txstardust
    txstardust Member Posts: 599
    edited October 2016

    This is my first post to this thread, and unfortunately the reason I'm becoming more active on BCO is because I have new pain that I'm having to rule out mets. I've been running for about a year and a half, and if you told me before then that I would be complaining that I couldn't run, I'd have told you you're CRAZY. But I haven't run in almost a week, and it's awful. I didn't realize how much I relied on the "me" time, the sense of accomplishment when finishing an 8-mile run, the feeling of strength... now I'm scheduled for a bone scan on October 11 to rule out mets. Strangely, one of the first things that went through my mind was, Will I still be able to run the Rock n' Roll half marathon that I signed up for on December 4? I am hopeful that it isn't mets, but even if it isn't, this back pain is debilitating and I wonder what others have done to stay positive while dealing with painful setbacks during training.

  • goldlining
    goldlining Member Posts: 1,178
    edited October 2016

    Welcome Runrcrb, KentRunner, and txstardust!

    We are all kinds here - different dx and treatments but lots of experience with that "you should wait until" advice from medical. I knew I had the right surgeon when he walked into the room and I could tell he was a runner (lapsed, as it turned out), but he understood why I wanted to get back to it. I'm not any good at it, but it's good to me. Of course they know things we don't know about healing from incisions etc. but some may be more conservative than they need to be.

    Runrcrb, you're in the right place.

    KentRunner, lots of tissue expander people have passed through here - I hope some will chime in soon about your situation. I had DIEP and couldn't run for 6 weeks, but did a half marathon 3 days after that. (Slow, sure, but whatever.) (Look through earlier years' running threads - I recall lots of TE runners, reporting on fills and so on.)

    txstardust, I will put your RnR in the top post and we will all hope you can get through it. I was recently going through hip pain that even hurt my transportation walking. Physio used every kind of technique she had, but it was massage that got it on the road to recovery. Get your whole support team involved and see how much of your pain is relievable. We'll add our hopes for your scan too.

    Hope some others check in with Sunday run reports and greetings for you.

    (And brace yourselves: it's Pinktober.)


  • lifelover
    lifelover Member Posts: 553
    edited October 2016

    Hi Runrcrb, KentRunner and Txstardust!

    Runrcrb - some people run during chemo. Most not as much as they used to - and probably not for the few days just following an infusion. I wanted to sleep pretty much all the time and could not stick to an exercise schedule other than some gentle walking. But remember everyone is different. You could see how you feel. But don't exhaust yourself because your body needs time to heal itself.

    KentRunner - do as the surgeon says to do. I overdid exercise in the year following my BMX and I ended up with a frozen shoulder. I blame my impatient self :)

    Txstardust - like Goldlining, massage has helped me with back pain. I hope you find some relief :)

  • goldlining
    goldlining Member Posts: 1,178
    edited October 2016

    I'll add one other thing I meant to add earlier but is in the top post: consider redefining "running".

    In the days after DIEP, I could literally not stand up straight. The abdominal flap is taken out of the "porch" and reinstalled on the "balcony" leaving a big gap on the front that does not exist on the back. They just sew the raw edges together from hip to hip. It takes time to stretch it out. And you don't want to jiggle those microscopic blood vessel connections loose by running too soon. But once a week, I went to the Y and "ran" on the dreadmill (where I'd be in December in Canada anyway) walking 4mph on a 1.0 slope, holding on to the rails at both sides to stabilize myself. I sweated for an hour, had a nice shower and felt like I'd been out on a long run. Six weeks later, I'm at Disneyland happy to slowly run the first 15 minutes of my race and mostly walk the rest.

    Celebrate what you can do for now. There will be times later on to do more.

  • KentRunner
    KentRunner Member Posts: 25
    edited October 2016

    Thanks lifelover! I guess I should read up on frozen shoulder. I assumed you could get it by not using your muscles enough and keeping still too long. How does it happen with overuse?

  • Runrcrb
    Runrcrb Member Posts: 577
    edited October 2016

    Whew. I found the right place - thanks for the confirmations. And yes, I have already determined that running will look different for quite a while. Between my nipple delay and mastectomy surgeries (weeks 2 and 3) I could walk 4 miles in under an hour versus previously running 6. One week post mastectomy I can stroll 3 miles in a bit over an hour. And take a nap. This week is post op appointments and chemo planning. One day at time right now.

  • Gully
    Gully Member Posts: 268
    edited October 2016

    https://www.facebook.com/mainemarathon/videos/1442610162420995/

    Hello ladies! Just finished my first marathon today. It took me 5 hours and 24 min but I made it!!!!! I hope everyone is well and still running! You ladies rock and helped to inspire me to "keep on swimmin" so to speak. Check our the medal, the light house blinks :)

    Gully

  • Gully
    Gully Member Posts: 268
    edited October 2016

    Ladies,


    Keep the heads held high! you will get there. In May of 13 I could barely walk a mile!

    one day at a time.....

  • goldlining
    goldlining Member Posts: 1,178
    edited October 2016

    Gully - congrats on the bling!


  • txstardust
    txstardust Member Posts: 599
    edited October 2016

    Thanks for the welcome! I took an easy 2.5 mile walk this morning with a friend. A far cry from the 8.5 mile run that is on my training schedule. I don't like that this pain is limiting something that does me so much good.

    Congratulations on the awesome medal, Gully! There's something about a cool medal....

    Edited to add....I have an 8K scheduled for November 5, Friends of Government Canyon run. I hope I can at least walk it!

    Edited again to add... goldlining, I am so JEALOUS that you went to Paris for a run! Paris is probably the most favorite place I've traveled to.

  • lifelover
    lifelover Member Posts: 553
    edited October 2016

    Hi KentRunner - experts still aren't sure how we get frozen shoulder. My massage therapist says I was overdoing the exercise, which I was because I was in the gym 5 days a week after not doing much at all for 10 months. So, perhaps too much too soon. Also, maintaining flexibility and being careful to use both sides of your body as equally as you can without favouring one side is important. I learned that my personal trainer didn't know as much as I thought he did and I think he pushed me a bit too hard as well. Well, live and learn - I've learned to take it a bit slower and not overdo :)

    Gully - super well done! I hugely admire you and am hoping one day that might be me :) Although at the moment I can't run less than a 39 minute 5K. I have to remember that I've only been back to running for 3 1/2 months though. I am just going to keep at it and I know that I'll get there. I've been reading a lot about training schedules and fartlek's and intervals - so I am going to train at my own pace for that eventual marathon.

  • LuvLuLu
    LuvLuLu Member Posts: 377
    edited October 2016

    Just reporting in - I haven't posted in awhile but have been reading. Did the BAA half-marathon yesterday - the last race of the BAA Distance Medley. It was NASTY out there. Raining, sloppy and cold. I'm all chafed, but whatever, DID IT, DONE, certainly no PR, but I'm happy. Really nice medals for the series and a long sleeved shirt.

    Now I'm retiring from road racing . . . maybe. I say that after every tough run!


  • txstardust
    txstardust Member Posts: 599
    edited October 2016

    Hi ladies,

    LuvLuLu, congratulations on the half! Now, go get a massage. :)

    I started physical therapy last week for my back pain. Doesn't seem to be doing a whole lot to ease the pain, but I'll keep it up for now. I did go for a walk/jog this morning, started really hurting around mile 2 so I only made it 3 miles. I have my bone scan scheduled for tomorrow, and an appointment with my MO for the following week for results. Even if the scan confirms no spread of cancer, I'm looking at a slow road ahead and I'm worried about the RnR in December. I've obviously cut WAAYY back on my training schedule, and at this point, I'm just hoping to be able to finish. We'll see!

    Happy running!

  • goldlining
    goldlining Member Posts: 1,178
    edited October 2016

    LuvLuLu - good to hear from you. Glad you stared it down and beat the elements. I hate running in the wet, and barely tolerate the cold. Enjoy the bling and rock that long-sleeve shirt!

  • LuvLuLu
    LuvLuLu Member Posts: 377
    edited October 2016

    Thanks, girls!!! :)

  • PinkShoes
    PinkShoes Member Posts: 2
    edited October 2016

    (I hope this is the appropriate place to post this question.)

    I am a distance runner and I am eager to get back into training. I had double mastectomies (without any reconstruction) on Oct. 6. I got my drains out on Oct. 13, and I walked a 5K day before yesterday (Oct. 15.) When my drains were removed my surgeon gave me the ok to do anything I felt like -- from running to weigh lifting and anything else. I had planned to begin some easy jogging this week, but there seems to be a small amount of swelling, so I would like to hear other people's experience with getting back into running. How long did you take off? Did it cause swelling? For those with no reconstruction, did you wrap in Ace bandages? My swelling makes me look like I have little tiny boobs like a pre-teen, so I wonder if I should support with bandages. Any advice is appreciated. I am registered for a marathon in December, but I keep bouncing back and forth on whether to try it or not. I also have a 5K in 2 weeks that I wanted to run (slowly) but if I can't get out there this week,then I may have to miss out on that one. I don't want to cause fluid build-up and cause a problem in my healing, but I know you all understand that I'm eager to get back out there.

    Thanks,

    PinkShoes


  • lifelover
    lifelover Member Posts: 553
    edited October 2016

    Hi Pink Shoes. Wow you are amazing. Amazing that you feel ready to get out there so soon after surgery. I wasn't ready as quickly as you were. I had a lot of swelling and with reconstruction using the muscles and tissue from my inner thigh my recovery was long before I could exercise.

    I would say that you should do what your surgeon says. If they say to do what you feel then go for it! But do tell your surgeon about the swelling to make sure it is still okay to run. And make sure the surgeon is okay with a marathon in December as well.

    I admire your attitude to return to your running so quickly. I hope you get to do your marathon in December.

  • goldlining
    goldlining Member Posts: 1,178
    edited October 2016

    Hi PinkShoes

    I had DIEP and walked as much as I could with drains and after. The first time I was okayed to run, I did have alarming amount of swelling (such that the incision line was a groove).

    I started using compression and better anti-jiggle running bra. Since a bra isn't needed without recon, I would think, you might look into a compression shirt or compression vest rather than ACE bandage. I would think it would be more comfortable on the skin. I got a Saucony compression shirt at a running store that I liked better than the medical compression vest (like for lymphedema) I got at a medical supply dealer. My Saucony shirt is long sleeved and kind of warm, though. It depends on your climate what style would work best but there are a lot of options for compression shirts.

    All that said, if you're trained for the marathon, the only question is really what pace you will be able to do. If you want to be there, you can toss your pace goals out the window and enjoy the event at whatever pace you can do. There were times I walked all or most of an 15K or a half when that was the best I could do. I sometimes did better than I expected and I always enjoyed just being there (and bling of course!)

  • panthrah
    panthrah Member Posts: 433
    edited October 2016

    evening ladies... I did inadvertently did a 10k .. in my Stormtrooper armor!!! 1 mile to the walk, 4 mile breast cancer walk, then a mile back to the car. now I know Im on here but i did the walk to support my friend ( his mom passed away from bc) let me tell you... walking in full body covering of plastic and a helmet was HOT!!! Im not sure I sweat that much when I do races :P Being this was a bc walk.. I wore pink under my armor and people LOST it!! so of course in the end it was fully worth it :)

  • Unbreakable01
    Unbreakable01 Member Posts: 153
    edited October 2016

    Most likely I won't run the Lexus Lace Up in December. I'll be on my last week of radiation treatment, and I'm not too sure how that will go.

    I did run a 5k on October 15, a day after I turned 36, and exactly 2 months since my last surgery. I haven't been training as consistently because I have a dog, and I'm trying to work on her running next to me.

    My goal is to always try and place in the Top 3 in my age division. i got 2nd place in my age group! I paced at 8:31/mile, I shaved 13 seconds off each mile from my pace 2 months ago. i was a happy camper.

  • goldlining
    goldlining Member Posts: 1,178
    edited October 2016

    Wow Unbreakable01 great result! I daresay I won't place Top 3 in my age division even if they broke the divisions down to people with the exact same birthdate ;)

    panthrah that sounds like quite the spectacle! Good reason not to sell stormtrooper outfits at Roadrunner :)



  • HockeyCat
    HockeyCat Member Posts: 222
    edited November 2016

    Hi ladies, it's been a while.... I've been feeling drained since the news last night. I didn't feel good this morning either, but decided to go for a run. It was a warm and beautiful day. After 3-mile run, I felt a bit better and ready to face this new day. That's why I love running.

    I ran Rock 'n Roll LA on 10/30. We started in downtown, ran though USC to Coliseum, then Korean town. There are some up/down hills that I didn't prepare for.... I should have trained on hills more. We were a bit worried about the weather but it wasn't too bad. It rained a little bit. Humidity made it harder to breath.... But I finished in 2:23:43. It's the fastest race since I got back to running after cancer treatment! I'm so happy. :) My next race is 5k with my goddaughter in December.

    Keep running!

  • goldlining
    goldlining Member Posts: 1,178
    edited November 2016

    I've been buried in 16 hour days for the past 10 days, but have a free evening and was glad to find something nice to read here! I was thinking of running later but it's dark and I am lazy. Maybe do tomorrow instead and just be a veggie tonight!

    That 2:23 finish is great, HockeyCat!


  • goldlining
    goldlining Member Posts: 1,178
    edited December 2016

    Hey everybody! It is December! Where did the year go??

    I have been so busy with work and more work that I have not run since forever but hope to get some outings in over the next couple of weeks. Will be careful not to increase too suddenly.

    Any updates on those late November / early December runs up top?

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