Starting Running Program After AVR

[markwel]

I'm a 51 male who had AVR in January 2005. All went well, with much thanks to valvereplacement.com. I had been walking, off and on before my surgery but haven't been able to get back into the "swing of things" since. I want to be able to run 3 to 4 miles per day. When I was walking regular I was doing about 4 miles per day. At this point I feel much better than before my surgery, especially in my lungs. I thought this was very strange but, I never expected to be able to breath better after surgery.

What are some of the things I need to be aware of when getting back to walking and especially starting a running program? I really want to be able to run if I can. I had a Medtronic Freestyle Porcine valve to replace my bicuspid aortic valve. My cardiologist told me after my echo in September that if he hadn't known beforehand that I had a valve replacement he wouldn't have known from my echo. He said it looked like a normal aortic valve!

Thanks so much to this site for helping me before and after my AVR. And thanks in advance for all the comments.

 

[msiwik]

Starting a Running Program

Starting a Running Program

I'm a 51 male who had AVR in January 2005. All went well, with much thanks to valvereplacement.com. I had been walking, off and on before my surgery but haven't been able to get back into the "swing of things" since. I want to be able to run 3 to 4 miles per day. When I was walking regular I was doing about 4 miles per day. At this point I feel much better than before my surgery, especially in my lungs. I thought this was very strange but, I never expected to be able to breath better after surgery.

What are some of the things I need to be aware of when getting back to walking and especially starting a running program? I really want to be able to run if I can. I had a Medtronic Freestyle Porcine valve to replace my bicuspid aortic valve. My cardiologist told me after my echo in September that if he hadn't known beforehand that I had a valve replacement he wouldn't have known from my echo. He said it looked like a normal aortic valve!

Thanks so much to this site for helping me before and after my AVR. And thanks in advance for all the comments.

Hello there - you have come to the right place. There are several runners here. I had my AVR in May and run 4 miles, 4 to 5 times a week. If you go to Runner's World website, you will find a link to Joe Henderson's article on beginning to run. The initial goal is to use a walk/run approach until you can run 30 minutes continously. You will also find some good articles on aspects of beginning to run. If you would like, send me a private message with your email and I will send you the links. Welcome to the runner's club here at valvereplacement.com. Mark

 

[tommy]

Congratulations on a great recovery.

I followed the 10% increment guideline. Increment your total mileage each week by 10%. Increment your longest run each week by 10%. I'm a firm believer in using walk breaks, especially for longer runs. I'm also a firm believer in alternating running days (at our age ).

Enjoy.

 

[Bionic Valve Tim]

Another good website is www.coolrunning.com

They have a "Couch to 5k" plan that seems to be good for beginners:

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

Tim

 

[LLJ]

Welcome! I had my valve replaced also in Jan 2005. Even though I did a few duathlons(record breakingly slow) in JUly and August, I didn't really begin to feel like I could push it until now! I even felt like I didn't want to do anything the whole month of October. (Definately out of the groove) It's been almost a year and I finally begin to feel like I'm not slogging through mud to move. Man, reconditioning takes time after someone has cleaved you open and played with your heart! Take it slow and congratulate yourself after every little improvement ( like:"i ran 300 more feet today than yesterday") Set a goal and move towards it. Make like Moses and keep pushing on even though it may take awhile.
Plan to walk/run the Indy 500 1/2 marathon with us valvers in May!
Laura

 

[Rush20]

Prior to my AVR 2.5 years ago, I was never much of a runner. I was very active in sports, biking, etc., however I always viewed running as a "conditioning chore" for sports events.

After my surgery I re-evaluated my conditioning and decided to put less focus on strength training and more focus on cardiovascular health. I knew from past experience however that if I didn't enjoy the activity, I would not maintain it.

My current program is working great. Part of my initiative was to lose about 15 pounds of "good living" that snuck up on me. My new routine includes 2-3 miles of walking/running and 30 minutes of weight/Soloflex work three times per week. On the weekend, I also add in 15-25 miles of road biking.

Although I always enjoyed biking, I never enjoyed running for the sake of running. I started slow by walking and then moved up to splitting the walking with running. I now have included sprints and I have really enjoyed the training. (The IPOD helps!)

I still play mens league baseball and softball and really noticed the results of the training both in running form and endurance. The flexibility from the training has also improved my golf game (hard to believe).

I think they key is to make sure to tailor the program into something you enjoy. Mix in pleasurable activites (for me, golf and baseball/softball) to measure your progress and it helps maintain the motivation. Good luck!