5k in under 30 minutes!

[Superman]

I know it’s not fast, but turning 50 in a bit over a month and with two open heart surgeries under my belt, I’m happy to be able to break 30 minutes on a 5k still. Working on building distance. Only 4.5 miles the past couple weekends. Plan to stretch to 5 miles this weekend. We shall see.

Anyone else running these days?

 

[pellicle]

Anyone else running these days?

excellent outcomes ... but (being closer to 60 than 50) my (trampoline) knee injury and (lawnmower) hip injury is seeing me only cycling now (and I think I can do 5km in less time there .

Enjoy it while you can ;-)

Best Wishes

 

[treichert0312]

I ran the 5k under 30 min - - late September. Bicycling as well, got 40 min rides to commute to / from work today. Surgery was in June - tomorrow see the surgeon that did my pig valve in ‘14. Glad that the valve broke when I was in very good physical condition-made transition to mechanical valve much easier. I am 54 if that helps.

 

[pellicle]

... and with two open heart surgeries under my belt

either early days of programming robots or suggest "Spec Savers" to your surgeon

(sorry ... couldn't resist)

 

[QuincyRunner]

After my OHS in 2011 my 5K times decreased from the high teens to between 22 and 25 minutes, mainly I think because I cut my weekly mileage way down and stopped doing interval (speed) work. Then last November I tore my left meniscus and did not run again until late August after I was confident that it had healed. I did not have surgery but I did have a couple of PRP (platelet rich plasma) injections in my knee. Anyway, I have been running a couple of times a week for the past six weeks and have finally gotten my 5K time just barely under 30 minutes. I never thought a 30 minute 5K could be so difficult but now I am quite proud of it because it sure beats not running at all. I am 64 and hopeful that I can get down to around 25 minutes again before I retire from the sport.

 

[Chuck C]

Well done Superman!

A sub 30 minute 5k may be a far cry from flying around the Earth several times/second to somehow reverse time and save Lois Lane, but as we age we need to take the victories that we can. So, excellent job!

I do run some and am pretty sure that I can do a sub 30 minute 5k...........well, downhill anyway

Most of my recent running has actually been downhill. There is a local mountain, which I like to hike, and I run the downhill. I have not timed myself on the flats for years, but your post has inspired me to find out where I am at. Perhaps I'll time myself and stop when my exercise app indicates I've done 5k.

Although, this may be one of those situations where it is better not to know my actual time and think about my past glory days of winning the 1986 Valentine's Day 10k, under 19 division. Sometimes I still feel 18 years old on the downhills, but I know that the stopwatch will tell a different story.

 

[Timmay]

Dude! That is awesome (IMHO). Great job (as expected from Superman). I'm almost 5 months post-surgery and my best so far is a ~12-minute mile (~7.5min / km). But it'll keep getting better

 

[Superman]

Well done Superman!

A sub 30 minute 5k may be a far cry from flying around the Earth several times/second to somehow reverse time and save Lois Lane, but as we age we need to take the victories that we can. So, excellent job!

I do run some and am pretty sure that I can do a sub 30 minute 5k...........well, downhill anyway

Most of my recent running has actually been downhill. There is a local mountain, which I like to hike, and I run the downhill. I have not timed myself on the flats for years, but your post has inspired me to find out where I am at. Perhaps I'll time myself and stop when my exercise app indicates I've done 5k.

Although, this may be one of those situations where it is better not to know my actual time and think about my past glory days of winning the 1986 Valentine's Day 10k, under 19 division. Sometimes I still feel 18 years old on the downhills, but I know that the stopwatch will tell a different story.

I never could run when I was younger (as in the Dr said no). Wasn’t until 1997, my mid twenties and seven years after my first AVR that I attempted 5k training. I don't know if it’s that lack of foundation in my formative years or what, but I’ve always found running very difficult and it doesn’t get much easier with training. My PR is just under 25 minutes. If I take a break, I have to take my time building back up just to cover the distance.

Part of it might be mental too, where I had it drilled into me from my earliest memories that if I get tired, I have to stop. I have a really difficult time pushing for that little bit extra.

 

[Al3x]

Great work! Well done. I'm slowly building my mileage up again after a year of (thankfully non cardiac) health problems. I'm at 21:30 for 5km at the moment. My goal is to go sub 20 by the end of the year but I think that might be ambitious. I'm only 35 though so it should be possible! Pre surgery times were 16-17mins.

Did anyone else struggle with weight post surgery? I'm a good 15lbs heavier.

 

[MartinF]

Nice time. I'm trying to get back into some form of running but it's been hot and humid here in FL. I did run about 2 miles Wednesday night, then our dog got too hot and it was time to walk. Not ready to do a 5K yet, maybe in the spring.

 

[Chuck C]

Did anyone else struggle with weight post surgery? I'm a good 15lbs heavier.

I'm about 7 pounds heavier now than when I had surgery. I had not thought of it before, but I think I'm going to go ahead and blame it on my surgery

 

[pellicle]

but I think I'm going to go ahead and blame it on my surgery

I'd fully agree with that appraisal ... imagine how much less you'd weigh now if you'd avoided having the surgery?

 

[pellicle]

oh, and thanks for that rabbit hole @Chuck C

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4539812/

Results. During a maximum of 9 years’ follow-up, 1283 men and 2245 women attained normal body weight. In simple obesity (body mass index = 30.0–34.9 kg/m2), the annual probability of attaining normal weight was 1 in 210 for men and 1 in 124 for women, increasing to 1 in 1290 for men and 1 in 677 for women with morbid obesity (body mass index = 40.0–44.9 kg/m2). The annual probability of achieving a 5% weight reduction was 1 in 8 for men and 1 in 7 for women with morbid obesity.​

 

[dornole]

That’s fast to me!! Well done Superman.

 

[pellicle]

That’s fast to me!! Well done Superman.

 

[Chuck C]

I'd fully agree with that appraisal ... imagine how much less you'd weigh now if you'd avoided having the surgery?

I'd be skin and bones. Well.......bones anyway.

 

[pellicle]

I'd be skin and bones. Well.......bones anyway.

dehydrated too

here's to being alive instead

 

[Al3x]

oh, and thanks for that rabbit hole @Chuck C

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4539812/

Results. During a maximum of 9 years’ follow-up, 1283 men and 2245 women attained normal body weight. In simple obesity (body mass index = 30.0–34.9 kg/m2), the annual probability of attaining normal weight was 1 in 210 for men and 1 in 124 for women, increasing to 1 in 1290 for men and 1 in 677 for women with morbid obesity (body mass index = 40.0–44.9 kg/m2). The annual probability of achieving a 5% weight reduction was 1 in 8 for men and 1 in 7 for women with morbid obesity.​

View attachment 888816

Those statistics are fascinating and depressing in equal measure. Thanks for sharing. It would be interesting to know why men fared worse.

 

[Stevebav]

I followed a program called "Couch25K" promoted by the NHS here (UK) about 12 months after my OHS - aged 57 and peaked at 32 minutes. I'm sorry to say a touch of 'flu and myriad of other excuses earlier this year have led to a return to the couch. Your post has motivated to sweat more value out of my investment in running shoes.
As a bovine valver I am curious about relationship between excercise (raised heartbeat/BP) and valve life so don't push too hard when jogging.

 

[Superman]

I followed a program called "Couch25K" promoted by the NHS here (UK) about 12 months after my OHS - aged 57 and peaked at 32 minutes. I'm sorry to say a touch of 'flu and myriad of other excuses earlier this year have led to a return to the couch. Your post has motivated to sweat more value out of my investment in running shoes.
As a bovine valver I am curious about relationship between excercise (raised heartbeat/BP) and valve life so don't push too hard when jogging.

Just to be the devil on your shoulder, given your age at the time of replacement and the valve choice, if something else doesn’t take you first, some form of second intervention is very likely to almost certain. Does it really matter if it’s at 71 vs stretching it to 72? If you’re otherwise healthy, maybe see what you’re capable of! If you’re like me, it’s not going to be much more than what you’re currently doing anyway.