Hello all, this is my first post. I have had 3 previous heart operations for a repair of truncus arteriosus when I was 13 days old, 8 years old and 27 years old.
What is a reasonable, sustainable long-term fitness goal given this background? I can share more details about where I am now if asked.
Thank you.
A great question, that's almost impossible to answer! But it's a fantastic starting point that you want to take some responsibility for improving your health and giving yourself the best health status for dealing with ageing and future health challenges.
I started at 70 following a stroke!! Better late than never.
I decided I needed to be close to the ground, so stopped cycling which was my exercise choice before the stroke. So running seemed an option, I had never run before. I found the NHS Couch to 5k App. You start by walking with some 1 minute runs thrown in to make up 30 minutes of exercise. Gradually over 9 weeks, 27 sessions, you build up to sustain a 30 minute run. My first 1minute run I got to 45 seconds and had to walk more to recover.
18 months on I run Parkruns (5kms) on Saturday morning regularly and have improved my time from 45 minutes to 36:16 minutes and feel I am still improving. There is a HU form dedicated to supporting C25K.
Two mantras for exercising
No pain no pain, ie never strain and
Exercise/run at a conversational pace. You should be able to respond to a question with a full sentence.
Parkrun is great because it's a run not a race, but it records your time, creates your space of results, and feeds back after every run. You also see an age graded score which is helpful to know where you are with your peers running with you.
I now also run longer distances to build up strength and stamina in order to improve my 5k time.
I hope I have described a gentle, sustainable way to goal setting whatever form of exercise you take.
My cardiovascular system has improved dramatically. I can pace myself off my HR, have quick recovery times, a lower high end HR when exercising a little harder eg up a slope. My BP is much lower.
And when an event, a minor op under keyhole surgery to remove a gallbladder became complicated in theatre with full open surgery required, the surgeon praised my fitness post op for helping make the operation easier.
I hope you get some great answers and if you do want to respond with more of your own information and ambitions please feel free to extend the chat.
#chinkoflight
Good morning tigersburningbright. Have you been offered or asked your doctor about a cardio rehabilitation course at the gym. That would help you build up your fitness gradually. Hope the idea helps you. Good luck. Brian
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