Running with a lung condition?

[BethanyBateman]

By the time most people get their diagnosis, most people have stopped doing their most energetic pastimes – particularly running. And yet, I occasionally hear from people who still run, despite their lung condition. And even someone who has taken up running since their diagnosis!

I know this is a rare situation but we’d like to hear the experiences of anyone who’s continued running with a lung condition.

•What’s it like?

•Do you have to do things differently?

•What’s helped you to keep going? (Or to take it up…?)

We’ve been talking to the people who organise parkrun – a free 5km run around parks across the UK. They want to attract more people with long term conditions and want our views on how it might work for people with lung disease.

You can read more information here about pulmonary rehab and parkrun: annaboniface.com/post/102e9...

And if you might like to read about Russell’s experience of running with COPD here - blf.org.uk/your-stories/run...

It would be great to hear what you think!

Bethany

[Badbessie]

Hi Beth I jog for short periods and I am slowly building up the distance. I do walk and jog most days between 3000 to 5000m. My main problem is maintaining weight. Obviously People with Copd can burn off a lot of calories just breathing. I try and maintain a calorie intake of about 3000 with about 120gm of protein. Even with that if I try to exercise more it's very easy for me to begin to loose weight. I can build stamina improve my breathing but it's a constant battle to maintain and gain weight.

[BethanyBateman in reply to Badbessie]

That's great Badbessie, well done! I see what you mean about losing weight though. I was at a healthcare professional study day on Tuesday and learnt that people with COPD burn 15-20% more energy that people with no lung condition! That's an unbelievable amount, so its no wonder you need to eat more while you increase your exercise.

[Hidden]

I run in fact it's called jalk (urban name for walk and run ) lol I think I'm hip 😀 .it was my condition copd that made me start exercising . I walk anything up to 15 kms a day this can be all at once or varying times. I also do tai chi classes and if I can't get out I treadmill which I find boring lol but have been known to cover 14 miles in the better weather id be happy to do a 5kms xxx

[jackdup in reply to Hidden]

Just curious how much you could walk when you first started ? I think you have been walking for a while now so being able to do 15 kms a day is pretty impressive but was curious where you started out from to build up to that

[Hidden in reply to jackdup]

I never walked anywhere before I was always working sleeping and smoking lol since I have given 2 out of the 3 up iv built up to 15 k since January 17 ...the two i gave up was work and smoking...and I'm in training with myself to build myself up for no other reason than to be as healthy as I can .i can do the 15 k all at once or break it up through the day x

[jackdup in reply to Hidden]

When you first started walking how far did you walk?

[Hidden in reply to jackdup]

As far as I could lol

[Comeraghs]

Were/are you on oxygen

[Hidden]

I'm hoping to start doing more walking once I move, running isn't possible for me though. Maybe a fast walk on a good day?