Be honest: can I do this?

[SuzanneSLO]

Can I train for and run a 10K in January?

I am not and never have been an athlete, but I have been walking 2 miles consistently 5 days a week for the last 5 years. I couldn't get myself to increase my speed or distance while walking, so in January, I started a C25K program.

In the middle of that training, my cardiologist tells me I need to replace my BAV, oh, and repair my aortic aneurism. Until then, I can continue to do any exercise that I find comfortable. By the time I had my surgery in early June, each week I was running about 1.75 miles 2X, 2.5 miles 1X and walking 2 miles 2X.

Now one month post-surgery, I am walking 2 miles 7X per week. I have just started cardiac rehab and walked about 3 miles on a treadmill at 3% incline. The nurse at cardiac rehab has told me that easing me back into running won't be part of the program

I had been toying with training for either a 5K or HM next January (2014) but the HM seemed too ambitious and the 5k not ambitious enough. Then, Tuesday, the race organizers announced that there will also be a 10K but it is likely to sell out quickly.

If the goal is to finish, will I be able to train and complete a 10k 7 months after surgery? And can I do this and still enjoy running? Thanks. -- Suzanne

 

[SumoRunner]

Can I train for and run a 10K in January?

First the short version.

Absolutely!

Take your time getting back into it. Wait the requisite 6 weeks before starting, then begin with short - maybe 50 yards at best - very slow jogs in the middle of your daily walk. Gradually increase it for until you can run a full mile non-stop. That may be another 6 weeks. About 2 weeks after that first full mile you'll be up to 2 miles, then 3, then more. By 4-5 months you should be doing as much as you like, but still very easy.

Keep a training log with your daily mileage total and a few terse comments, so you'll be able to view the progress, yes and even setbacks. Even though it's slow and gradual, after a few months you'll be able to see a tremendous improvement just by examining the daily journal.

 

[ski girl]

Of course you can! The bad news . . . you won't win. But your heart is fixed now, so there is no reason not to see what it is capable of!

(I did a 12km 11 months post-op.)

Smash it!!

 

[Classtime Sailer]

Rehab is for non athletes. You are an athlete. Finish the program with them and then start increasing your efforts. SLOWLY. mix in plenty of rest. I would suggest that you complete a 3 mile training run before you "race". Have fun. Do some 5 Ks. Train for 10 k. Race 10 k. See how you hold up. Your knees may not hold up as well as your heart. Lovely cycling up your way. Get strong. REST. I'm excited for you.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

Thank you!

SumoRunner and Classtime Sailer: thank you for your specific tips. I think having a goal will help me stay on track to increase my distance. I have a fun run 5k planned for Thanksgiving, which is why I thought the 10k in January would keep me moving forward.

Ski Girl: I actually will be happy just to finish and have a good time. When you don't start running until your mid-50's, winning isn't even on the horizon. But who knows, a year ago I would have thought a 5k was beyond me!

-- Suzanne

 

[kodi]

Good luck Suzanne. I agree with all the above comments except for what ski girl said about you won't win. Look at this way you are already a winner and accomplishing your first 10K makes you an even big winner...Sorry Ski Girl....
You have the right attitude, just set a set of goals that seem reasonable. I'm a hard-headed Italian and set mine a little more aggresive than a lot of others do but I had been running for 27 years before surgery. Please keep us posted on your progress and if you have more questions this is the place to come.

 

[Terry45]

Hey Suzanne, I am almost 11 months post op and I just completed the Peachtree Road Race 10k in Atlanta. I had no problems at all. The race was a blast and felt really good doing it. I was surprised at how quickly the miles went by, even though my overall time was a lot slower then the past. This years time was 1:08:58 vs last years time of 1:02:20. I ran with friends who were my wing men and watched over me like hawks. It was funny because they were way more worried then I was. I kept telling them I was fine and I had no concerns at all! The staff at my cardio rehab were really helpful and encouraging. They allowed me to run a slow pace on the treadmill and even pushed me to do intervals and other heart pumping cardio. My goal was to run and to get back to a daily PT regiment. I am active military and plan to complete a full 3 event physical fitness test in October.

I would strongly encourage you to invest in a GPS watch with a heart rate monitor. For me it is a must for training. Your heart rate will be higher than the past but will come down and stabilize. When i first started speed walking, rucking and running I would try to keep my heart rate around 140. Now I'm okay with getting it up to the 155-162 range and ran my fastest 3 mile run since my surgery this morning. It felt really good to stretch it out some and I'm ready to get the heart rate up to the 165 range. Now my goal is to increase my speed so I can pass the run event on PT test.

Good luck and go for a long run! Keep us posted on your results.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

Kodi: Well said. As a new late in life runner, I still have a hard time seeing myself as one of those people, and yet, I recently went for a run at Disney World, knowing that I was going to walk 5+ miles that day as well.

Terry45: thanks for encouragement and congratulations on your recent race. I've thought about getting a HRM and probably will find it a necessity once I complete cardia rehab.

I have registered for my 10K! The next stage of training is to continue to get healthy and continue my endurance walks. -- Suzanne

 

[SumoRunner]

I am almost 11 months post op and I just completed the Peachtree Road Race 10k in Atlanta. I had no problems at all... I ran with friends who were my wing men and watched over me like hawks. It was funny because they were way more worried then I was.

Wing men beware. I remember doing a 15K about 15 months after AVR, one that I had run probably 10 times before. A friend insisted on running it with me although he hadn't done one before, at least not since leaving the military decades earlier. I suspect my wife put him up to it. I slowed down a lot to finish in 90 minutes, having done it in 67-68 minutes in previous years. I didn't realize what it did to him until we got back in the car to go home. He couldn't lift his leg high enough to get in his SUV and stopped a couple times along the way with leg cramps. I felt fine.

 

[TheGymGuy]

Your timeline sounds reasonable. I bet you can do it even sooner.

 

[Rachel]

Suzanne, so glad to hear that you registered!!!! You won't have any problems running the 10K by January even if you've never run before - just follow the advice given from the others here on this forum; you might also look into getting hooked up with a running group in your local hometown. My group does trainings in the winter and summer (no fall trainings) - but there's always someone I can run with from my group anytime of the year. By joining a group you'll get a ton of help and support and it's fun running with others!

BTW I think that this is the BEST time to train, as fall approaches it gets cooler out and that just feels good when running IMO!!!

All the best - have fun!

 

[SuzanneSLO]

TheGymGuy and Rachel: Thank you for your support.

I have thought about finding a running group, but I am pretty set in my ways when it comes to scheduling. For 5 years now, I have been walking my neighborhood every weekday by 6am. While there are others out at that hour, I know from experience that the other exercisers come and go. Before surgery, I started running 3 days each week and walking the other 2. I am lucky to live in a place where weather is almost never an issue as long as I start early.

If the training for the 10K is going well, I may register for our local half marathon next April. In that case, it probably will make sense to join a club. I am finding that I enjoy the camaraderie at cardiac rehab. -- Suzanne

 

[Rachel]

I am lucky to live in a place where weather is almost never an issue as long as I start early.

-- Suzanne

AHHH.....this is my dream!!!!

 

[tprice54]

Sorry I am late to the thread, but you have plenty of great advice here, fom some great people! You certainly can finish the race....but just a note abou you training. Your progress will be in fits and jumps....you will see little progress for awhile, then, boom, you will be running noticeably faster. Just don't let this bother you, keep at it and you can finish!

 

[coffeelover]

You will be fine--just make sure to increase your distance slowly and LISTEN to your body! I ran my first race 7 months after my AVR and loved every minute of it.

 

[SumoRunner]

You will be fine--just make sure to increase your distance slowly and LISTEN to your body! I ran my first race 7 months after my AVR and loved every minute of it.

Oh right, I forgot about that aspect. When you do finish it, you'll be infinitely pleased with yourself. Expect an emotional rush that can bring you close to tears, but don't expect others to understand why.

 

[coffeelover]

Suzanne,
Wishing you the best with your return to a fitness program. Walking daily at first is the key and sounds like you are doing a great job. I didn't feel ready to run till about four and a half months after my AVR--too sore to start till then. But, I did do a lot of walking--walked 25 to 35 miles a week before I got back to running. Was doing one or two long walks a week of 8 or 9 miles before I took off with my return to running.. I started with running only a half a mile then built up from there. Start back up as though you are brand new to running. And throw all time goals out. Just run the race with a big smile on your face!

 

[SuzanneSLO]

Tprice54 and coffees lover: thank you for your support and guidance. It will be pretty easy to start back as if I am new to running because that is exactly where I was in January. I'll probably dust of the C25K app, which I think starts with 1 minute of jogging followed by 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. -- Suzanne

 

[SuzanneSLO]

I finally did my first "run" today at 7 weeks post-op. I planned to start last week, but it was a tiring week for me between being back to work mostly full time and adding 1 more day of cardiac rehab (for a total of 3) to my 7 day a week walking program.
I started at day 1 of the Couch to 5K program with 1 minute runs followed by 1.5 minutes walking. It was great putting on my running shoes again, but as expected I was slower than on my 3 mile power walk last Sunday. I guess that means I have lots of room to improve. -- Suzanne

 

[RunMartin]

Well done on your first run. Remember to listen to your body and try not to take on too much in the early weeks of recovery - small steady increments seem to work best
Good luck with your training
Martin