I'm amazed at what I can do now

[Raverlaw]

I've never been capable of distance running or the like. I was active before the surgery, and hiked/backpacked a lot, particularly when I was younger, but could not run for any sustained distance. When I was in high school, we had to run a mile at least once a week on the track. When I had to run the mile, I finished dead last and often threw up afterwards.

I'm 9 weeks post op. I started in immediately with walking at least twice a day. It's hilly here, so no level loops over 1/2 mile were possible. I'm now up to 5 or 6 miles a day in one or two sessions. My heart rate, both resting and while exercising, continues to drop, so I'm having to exercise harder to keep the rate in the "55%-85%" zone that's supposed to produce maximum benefit.

I walked fast/jogged on treadmills while on vacation recently, for anywhere from 30-60 minutes a day, on top of all the walking, stair-climbing etc. we did.

The past week, I noticed that mere walking, even at a speedy pace, didn't keep my heart rate up on the downhills, so I started alternating jogging with walking. My shins, ankles and knees complained a little, but are co-operating.

This morning I just started running (and it's all downhill from my house no matter which direction you go) and RAN the mile down to the beach. Not that fast - 11:00 pace, but I was running, not walking or even speedwalking. I did a 3.2 mile loop and alternated running with walking after the first mile to keep my heart rate at 75% or better. I felt good when I got home and am going to do it again this evening.

I actually LIKE running - never thought I'd be able to say that and plan to keep it up as a part of my exercise routine. The impact does bother my sternum and left breast a little bit, but I think that will pass; maybe the running will even help it pass sooner.

Any tips from the runners out there? I don't see myself going for marathons like some of the guys here; I'd rather get back into biking and I really want to get into indoor rowing, maybe competitively. But I can see that running will have a place in my exercise program, and I don't want to hurt myself by doing too much, too fast or by running in incorrect form.

What is a good pace to try to maintain? Do you all try to keep your heart rate between 55% and 85% of maximum? I've gone over 85% a little bit recently and it doesn't seem to bother me, heart-wise, but I've read that the exercise benefit falls off over 85%. I know there's vast experience out there, and hope to hear from some of you runners.

 

[Nancy]

Bill-

That's truly amazing. What a success story!

 

[Ross]

O.k. now I'm jealous. If I can't do it, do some more of it for me please!

 

[Granbonny]

Way to go Bill

Way to go Bill

do you wear a wrist thingy that tells you what your pulse is. My pulse is 70 all morning day and night. Never changes. Even when I ran to stop sign and back the other morning. The same. Yes, folks , I ran..like heel, toe, heel, toe..just felt like I was floating. Until, next day..lower back ached. Am I suppose to exercise so hard to raise it into the 80's..Why?Hubby has always been in the 60's all life. Is that good or bad. a doctor once told him he had the pulse of an athlete. And he is age 73. The man will outlive me and have 3 more wives. Of course, I was his first. Bonnie

 

[bvdr]

Bonnie, I bet if you wore a pulse monitor for a few days you would be very surprised how much your heart rate actually fluctuates. Borrow one from someone and try it for fun.

Bill, I'm delighted for you. As a kid I had endless energy and then sometime in my teens I started avoiding sustained exercise like running. I could play singles tennis, water sports of all kinds except swimming laps or long distance type things. I was still very active but any high level endurance was just not there. I remember hating family outings when we climbed sand dunes and I really struggled and still couldn't keep up. Now I think that it was the result of rheumatic fever and heart damage.

I am still gaining ground from where I had been prior to surgery and am pleased about that. At my age (55) though, I can be very happy at a slightly less strenuous lifestyle. You keep it up though! Soon we may be reading posts about your next scheduled marathon. Way to go!

 

[Harpoon]

I know there are a number of warm ups and stretches runners do every time they set out for a run. You should find out what to do (I only know two really) and do those.

Pace yourself. Don't get too eager to run and hurt yourself in the process. It's VERY cool that you can do that mile now. Do it as long as it's comfortable but don't overdo it. Push yourself gradually if you want, as much as your comfortable with. A little stiffness/soreness the day after is expected, but a lot is not, more so if it doesn't fade as the day goes on.

Just be careful and enjoy it! =)


I was never a running man, but I used to bike something like 10 miles every night during the summer months and I was a big punk skateboarding type.

Still am, in spirit at least.

Now my thing is kung-fu, though I had to take a break from it because of a crack/break in a free floating rib in my back (not from kung-fu) and because my work schedule changed some... Trying to get back into classes now. I do what I can at home, though it's tough with a 4 year old running between your legs while you're trying to do the chi-kung....

 

[Raverlaw]

Bonnie,

My monitor is a chest strap which transmits my pulse to a wrist device where I can read what the heart rate is. It really does fluctuate - I've worn it for hours just to see what my heart is doing. I can be sitting a the table, take a drink of coffee, and watch my pulse go up!

The thing I've noticed most since the surgery is that my heart rate is dropping and it takes more vigorous exercise to keep it at a certain level. As soon as I stop exercising, or even slow down a bit, the rate slides right back down. I take that as a sign of a healthy heart. Sandy takes walks with me when she can, and now she says she wants a new valve, too, so she can keep up with me!

My surgeon told me that there would be a big difference after the surgery, but I thought that was a line of hype designed to get people to make the decision. Having the surgery merely to live is pretty wonderful in itself; but the difference it has made in the way I feel and my general health (because I can exercise now) is nothing short of miraculous.

I know that not everyone gets these results; many are older than I am, and a lot of you have other heart disease or health issues that also impact your lives. My reason for posting is just to celebrate the good feeling I have, and to let some of you in the waiting room know that there is definitely LIFE after heart surgery. And maybe more... see NC-Cutie's thread for that.

 

[Abbanabba]

I've never been capable of distance running or the like. I was active before the surgery, and hiked/backpacked a lot, particularly when I was younger, but could not run for any sustained distance. When I was in high school, we had to run a mile at least once a week on the track. When I had to run the mile, I finished dead last and often threw up afterwards.

Oh boy, can I relate to that story!!! I remember at one of the schools I went to, I had a real "gym-nazi" phys-ed teacher who made us do the most ridiculous amount of exercises and running within a specific time limit. Despite my protests that I couldn't do this, he insisted that I could and physically dragged me by the arm around this oval (..would love to see male teacher get away with that kind of behaviour with a female student these days!!..). Well..... I knew what would happen..... I felt my stomach churning, so I promptly turned around and threw up all over him!! Let's just say I never had to participate in time controlled events with that particular teacher ever again!!

Anyhoo..... so glad that you are feeling SO much better after your surgery and can start being so physically active again. You're going to have to start wearing a cape and your undies on the outside of your pants, you know!

Cheers
Anna : )

BTW - great new pic!

 

[Les]

Bill,
A "Good Pace" is relative. Harpoon is exactly right, and whatever you are comfortable with is where you should be. Don't use anyone else's "times" as a reference. And remember, you are faster than everyone else who ISN'T out there. With the heavy dose of Atenolol I'm on, I can never use my heart rate as an indicator and just pound the pavement the best I can. Some days, better than others...it really doesn't matter. The old rule is, if you are unable to carry on a conversation while exercising, ( jogging, etc.) you are pushing too hard. I think you are doing great and wish you the best with your exercise program!

 

[Ross]

Heck he can use my times, anyone can, and they'll be in olympic class compared to me!

 

[SJJ]

Bill,
I'm anxious to get back to running myself and delighted at your example. My surgeon wants me to hold off til 3 months post op but I sure am tempted to cut loose now given your great results. Women do have a bit more pull on their chests while jogging than men so I need to take that into consideration. If you have the choice, I would advise you to run somewhere other than asphalt pavement. We have a nice 2 mile path around a park nearby that is made of some kind of composition like clay mixed with finely crushed rock. It absorbs a lot of the pounding your body takes and makes it so much better on the feet, knees and spine. The tracks at high schools, etc are also usually available in the mornings or evenings but I found them dull and uninteresting to run on. Still.....you want to take good care of those joints. Not that we're "fixed" they need to last us a good long while! Congratulations on your wonderful recovery. I join you in amazement at our new found energy and vitality.
Sue

 

[Mary]

Pulse monitor

Pulse monitor

Bill,
When I read your first post I thought about suggesting the chest monitor, but I see that you're already doing it. That's terrific! All my boys run competitively, and the most important thing is not to get hurt. You should get a Road Runner's catalog and see what kind of shoes you need. No kidding, everyone has a different foot stride and they make shoes to fit your particular need.
I never have been able to run because of getting short of breath. I can swim a mile (use to swim a mile, sorry) and couldn't figure it out. Now I hope that it is the heart valve issue, and one of these days, I can run a little ways with my kids. Thanks for letting us know how much better you feel.
Mary

 

[Raverlaw]

Thanks for all the suggestions. There isn't a running track near here, but there is a nature reserve with dirt trails. They're a little rugged and uneven, although softer than asphalt. Less impact on the joints, but always the potential for an ankle sprain and fall... We also have many dirt roads in the area that are slightly softer than asphalt. I've found that asphalt is not so bad - concrete pavement is the worst.

I did the 3.2 mile loop again yesterday evening, running the first mile and a half this time. This morning my calves were stiff, so I did about a 4 mile loop but didn't run any more than about 1/2 mile at a stretch. I just ran as needed to keep my pulse up.

Next week I'll be in Yosemite as a chaperone for my daughter's 5th grade class trip. I'll be pretty busy supervising all those 10-11 year olds and so I won't have much time to myself for running/walking. I will be hiking with them, however. I understand we'll do about 5 miles a day, and at altitude, too. I'm sure the pace will be pretty relaxed, though, since we'll be with a naturalist and the purpose of the trip is educational.

Just keeping up with the kids should be plenty of exercise! I'm not looking forward to the bus trip, however-

 

[tommy]

Bill,

You sound a lot like me a few months ago. We are the same age. Your progression from walking to jogging is also very similar. Big difference is I started running 2-1/2 years post op. These are suggestions that I have learned and applied myself. You seem to be doing very well, but still need to be careful.

Increment very, very gradually. (Learned that in cardiac rehab.) You know the expression "no pain - no gain"? Throw that thought in the trash. With gradual increments, you can increase your distance, speed, and stamina with no pain and very little stiffness. When you do it this way, pain will be a signal that there is a problem. In the long run, motivation is higher when there is no pain.

Get a good pair of shoes and several pairs of thick running socks. If you follow some of my earlier threads, you'll see that Les turned me on to Thorlo socks. Now I won't leave home without them. Go to a shoe store that employs runners. They will be able to analyse your feet and your stride, and get you into the best pair of shoes for you.

I run on alternate days. This gives my body a chance to recover. I take more days off after very long runs or speed races (you're not ready for those yet). The 3-day per week schedule also give me flexibility with family activities.

Listen to you body. Your heart is still healing. Yes, it miracle. And it gets better every day.

 

[Marge]

Bonnie, you wrote: << My pulse is 70 all morning day and night. Never changes. Even when I ran to stop sign and back the other morning. The same. Yes, folks , I ran..like heel, toe, heel, toe..just felt like I was floating. Until, next day..lower back ached. Am I suppose to exercise so hard to raise it into the 80's..>>

No, actually, Bonnie, according to what I'm being told at cardiac rehab, if your resting heart rate is 70 BPM, you need to exercise so as to get it up to 90 or so -- and to keep it there for a while!!!

Everything I have read and/or been told about exercise is that if you want any kind of cardiovascular benefit, you need to raise your heart rate to a target rate of about 20 BPM over your resting rate. If the heart rate is in this range, you will be working hard enough to improve the conditioning of your heart and lungs, while not overworking the heart. Also, you need to do this on a sustained basis, at least 20 minutes to a half hour at a time. My cardiologist told me he wanted me doing this five days a week, or three times a week at a minimum.

 

[tommy]

Forgot to mention stretching. Don't forget to stretch the upper body as well as the obvious muscles. Also, stretching after a workout is very helpful.

 

[Jed]

Awesome

Awesome

Way to go Bill. I myself am looking towards aortic and mitrol valve repair/replacement and often wondered how much differently i will feel afterwards. I am very active an often get frustrated with my limitations. I just catch my breath and get back to it. I am into martial arts and my instructor knows my health situation and says i can do more than most "healthy" people. I think alot of that comes from my hard headedness, lol. I gotta get one of those heart monitors and take notes on how my heart acts and responds prior to surgery. It will be interesting to compare afterwards. Thanks for your update and inspiration. Your story made me feel hopeful and good. Thanks, Jed

 

[Christina L]

Bill,

I am very happy for you with your new-found health and vibrancy! I am not that ambitious and really don't care that I am not! I feel so much better post surgery and can tell such a difference now when I exercise - more stamina and less short of breath, but I am not gearing up to be a runner any time soon!

But YOU GO!!! Just listen to your body.

Christina L.

 

[KathyH]

Good for you! I wondered also how much more active I could be post op. I have noticed myself slowing down the last 2 years. We used to hike and bike alot. Walking is all I could manage before surgery. I finally walked 1 mile for the first time in 3weeks so thinks are looking up. Keep up the good work, just don't forget to stretch, it would be a bummer to hurt yourself and not be able to run since you love it so much

 

[Granbonny]

Thanks Marge

Thanks Marge

My Cardio told me last week to walk a mile without stopping 3 times a week. I probably walked 5 miles this weekend with Grandson..hike down to lake, hike up the lake, on and off. to go home to get lunch, a fishing net, ect. I hiked up to parking lot carrying my son's new Lab Chow mix puppy to car. About 15 lbs..huffing because my son said to watch her. I was and she just decided on her own. quickly I want to go for a dip and plunged off into Lake. I screamed, come back, Bear.and she turned around and padddled back to shore. Little %#@* ..Scared the wits out of me. Bet my pulse was up above 70 then I was really SOB but when I got into car..was fine. Is this the exercise I need. If so, will throw the %&*# puppy into lake everyday. Bonnie