First race (event) since surgery

[RunMartin]

I did my first race since surgery yesterday (7 1/2 months ago). It was 18 miles over the local hill and countryside. I took it fairly easy and had to walk on a few of the hills but I made it. I used to be able to run hard round the course but this was just a matter of finishing. I was very tired and the legs were sore at the end. I was about an hour slower than I used to do (3hrs 50 instead of 2hrs 50) but I was really pleased to finish. When I set off I thought 5hrs was realistic. I almost dropped out after about 4 miles when I had a dizzy spell (after running too fast down hill). I walked for a while and felt Ok and decided to carry on but I would have dropped out if it happened again. I did not have any reoccurrence of it. I still have a long way to go and know I will never be the same as I used to be but I know things will get better. I am still lacking a lot of stamina and speed but at least I know now can participate again. :smile2:

 

[Eva]

I applaude for you you did great at 7 1/2 months and will definitely do much better at your first anniversary and much more better at 18 months! Proud of you Enjoy!

 

[tprice54]

Congratulations!!! That is quite an achievement! You may well get back in shape to your pre-op form, or you may not, either way the success is you can still do it!

 

[Bean Counter]

Nice work!

 

[SumoRunner]

You will get back much more of your competitiveness than you think. Just give it time and be very conservative in training for the first year. Since I've never gone as far as 18 in my life, I'd say it's an excellent comeback.

 

[Mentu]

Martin, I had an image of myself bounding back and being completely normal in six months or so; reality has forced some reevaluation. It is taking longer than I had expected but I continue to see progress and I think it likely that you will also. I may never get back to my activity level 10 years ago but I am certainly better now than at anytime in the last four years when I first started noticing a decline. A year ago, walking from the house to the car left me short of breath and walking up a single flight of stairs to my office left me panting. Now, out walking or on my bike, I'm limited more by time and always feel that I can go farther if I choose; a big difference over last September. Keep Running.

Larry

 

[Guest]

Awesome! The further away from surgery, the better you will feel, your running will improve. You paid attention to how you were feeling, very smart! :thumbup: Don't be surprised if you feel a little tired the next two days, it takes a little longer to recover early on but this will get better too.

I know some folks don't like them but I wear my heart rate monitor every time I run, some runners like to train according to their heart rate zone, I train according to how I feel but watch my heart rate to gauge my progress. This might be something to think about.

Your going to get better and better, speed will come later!

 

[RunMartin]

Thanks for everything you all have said. I do need to be constantly reminded to still take it easy as the healing process is still on going. I do remember thinking just before surgery that I would be back to normal after 3 or 4 months. How wrong I was. I thought the harder I train the better I will be. It has taken a while for it to sink in that that is not how it works. One of the big things I have learned is that to improve I need to try to go a little further and NOT a little quicker. Early on after surgery I tried to go quicker and I ended up going backwards. That is why I chose this local run/walk as there was no pressure to run hard (like a 5K run) and I could drop out at any time as the route was close to where I live. I think some people in my running club think that once the scar has healed then you will be back to normal. It is difficult to get across that the healing can take a long time.

I have just had an easy swim today as I do not think I could have run very far.

Thanks again
Martin

 

[Michelle D]

Thanks for this post Martin. I'm 8 weeks out and have had many set backs causing me to become lethargic so what you are doing sounds amazing to me. Most days I don't feel like even getting the mail. So even if I could walk two miles at 8 months I'd be pleased. Don't be too hard on yourself, you are giving others that aren't as far out a lot of hope.

 

[kodi]

Yahoo and good for you. You are certainly on the right track to recovery. I, like you, thought I'd be just as fast and just as good as before surgery but have come to the realization that it's not going to ever happen. I'm four years out and still think I should be faster than I am but after each run I'm thankful I was able to complete it vertically. I've done several post-op half and full marathons slower than I ever thought i would do one but being on the starting line is a wonderful reward and finishing is a blessing.
Listen to your heart and your body and you will succeed. As a matter of curiosity, has your cardiologist put any limitations on you?

 

[spartangator]

Congrats on finishing the course. Let me reiterate everyone's advice to give special attention to how you feel so that you don't push too far. Everyone's different, of course, but I found about 18 months was when things started to feel normal athletically speaking. While I did a number of distances races before that time, the year and a half mark was when things started to improve. Please be patient with yourself.

 

[RunMartin]

As a matter of curiosity, has your cardiologist put any limitations on you?

I saw a cardiologist two weeks ago and I told him what I was doing. He did not place any restrictions on me. I still have ectopic beats every now and then and did not seem to be too concerned. He did mention the pacemaker if my heart rate got too low (which it can do). I will see the surgeon and the cardiologist in a months time when they will probably do more thorough tests as I have not had an echo since surgery.

Martin



I have not run since Saturday and I am about to go for a run with the slower section of the running club. This will be the second time since surgery. If it gets too fast or tiring I will be cutting it short.

 

[nate_c]

Thanks for everything you all have said. I do need to be constantly reminded to still take it easy as the healing process is still on going. I do remember thinking just before surgery that I would be back to normal after 3 or 4 months. How wrong I was. I thought the harder I train the better I will be. It has taken a while for it to sink in that that is not how it works. One of the big things I have learned is that to improve I need to try to go a little further and NOT a little quicker. Early on after surgery I tried to go quicker and I ended up going backwards. That is why I chose this local run/walk as there was no pressure to run hard (like a 5K run) and I could drop out at any time as the route was close to where I live. I think some people in my running club think that once the scar has healed then you will be back to normal. It is difficult to get across that the healing can take a long time.

I have just had an easy swim today as I do not think I could have run very far.

Thanks again
Martin

Hi, All. Thanks for posting your results, Martin, and congrats on an impressive result. It's encouraging to see others returning to distance races. Enjoyed reading everyone's thoughts here, although it's been a bit sobering. I'm four weeks post-AVR and I have to admit that I'm one of those who assumed that once the scar/bone heals, I'd pretty much back to normal. I'm looking forward to working slowly back into running soon. I was prepping for a marathon prior to my surgery (my valve shut-down seemed to happen fast--in a matter of weeks--and I never really did have any serious symptoms or stenosis--just regurgitation and enlargement that went from moderate to severe almost overnight, it seemed). Learning that it may take many months to fully "bounce back" has been quite a wake up call. I'm hoping to do a local marathon I've done before in early May, at about 8-9 months post op (no expectations on finishing time). Since many of us seem to have similar goals to return or improve on pre-survery activity levels, I'm curious about what, physiologically, is happening in the heart muscle during these extended recovery months. Does anyone know why it can take the heart so long to begin to function at pre-surgery levels again. Is it because the heart muscle is remodeling itself around the new valve and the anatomy is changing? Very curious about this issue.

Thanks,
Nate

 

[kodi]

Since many of us seem to have similar goals to return or improve on pre-survery activity levels, I'm curious about what, physiologically, is happening in the heart muscle during these extended recovery months. Does anyone know why it can take the heart so long to begin to function at pre-surgery levels again. Is it because the heart muscle is remodeling itself around the new valve and the anatomy is changing? Very curious about this issue.

Thanks,
Nate

That's a very good question and I don't ever remember it being addressed here, although your thought is probably true. Another thing that can affect getting back to your normal training & racing pace is the size of the valve compared to what it replaced. I was told the size was determined by the amount of calcification and had to be considered for placing the new one.

 

[tprice54]

Good question, but I'm not sure anyone will have the answer. Let's face it, the surgery is huge and the body needs time. Also, age creeps up and you'd be getting slower anyways. As I've said before, the fact that we are back running is incredible!

 

[Duds]

Congratulations, you're ALL an inspirationg, I am so excited about my valve and the possibility of learning to run. 10 months post op and feeling extremely thankful and hopeful about learning to run! Knowing others with heart valve replacements are extremely active is such a huge motivation to keep my off the couch. Thank you!