I have a dilemma and I would appreciate your thoughts.

[Realfoodieclub]

I have a dilemma and would like to share it with you and see what you all think.

I'm getting ready to start to run soon. I know my body is nearly ready, I have a physio appointment in a few weeks and hopefully I will get the go ahead to proceed.

My dilemma is what to do when I start exercising again.

I know I want to swim once a week and build up to 1km - 34 mins of swimming once a week because it makes my joints and muscles feel good.

I want to get back into hikes/ long walks with MrRfc because it has always been the time we have the most fun and connect together. We have missed this time so much.

I also want to run, obviously, over the last year I have been walking, swimming and running but with no long distance runs, nothing over 10km and there have only been a few 10kms, more 5's with occasionally 7km. I have felt the fittest and healthiest I have ever been in my entire life. This has been confirmed by various blood tests and health checks. My recovery from the op is swift because I am in good shape, I was able to use muscles surrounding the incision within 24 hours and use other muscles to keep me going. My heart is great shape. For the first time in the last year I managed to lose the 20 pounds I have been trying to lose for the last 10 years and keep it off.

So you ask, what is my dilemma? Well it is this... my body seems to really respond to moderate exercise and feel better for it, my brain on the other hand likes the endurance side of running, I like to push myself further than My comfort zone, I like the sense of achievement when I succeed. I know for the next year I will be taking it easy just to really let my body heal and get used to doing everything with one kidney but I have already been looking at HM for next year and I am asking myself do I really want to do one?

Anybody got any thoughts on the longer runs (over 10km) and the immune system. I think for me it is going to be a do I listen to my heart or my head sort of decision.

[Bazza1234 Graduate10]

I can see that for some/many people , this running malarky can be a giant patch of quicksand - which sucks you in.! I read somewhere that there is an addictive "type" - that is, whatever they do, they are prone to become addicted to it. Of course there are some addictive habits which are quite good for you - but moderation is still the key to overall life success in my view. You have obviously developed a good level of basic fitness - which should allow you to pickup where you left off after a little while. But a good exercise programme (running) is a bit like a good diet - in itself it is essentially good and to be maintained for life - but it is not of itself enough to BASE a full LIFE on!!!!! In other words - in spite of how good running is, it is NOT the be all and end all of life.

[Realfoodieclub Graduate10 in reply to Bazza1234]

Your right, the one of the good things (apart from MrRfc's health) i have managed for the first time in 50 years us I have learned moderation in everything and it suits me, it is something I want to carry forward.

[Tomas Graduate10]

Sounds like you are doing really well. Given the joy and togetherness the hikes ought to take centre stage. But training for a HM doesn't need to be a hugely disruptive thing, if you ramp up slowly enough over a long enough period, you can do it while still having time to enjoy life, swimming, the mr, hiking and all the other important things.

I totally agree with Bazza1234 about running not being the end all, but the sense of achievement and fulfilling when you complete something you have poured blood, sweat and tears into for many months is a great high. And having successes is important for our mental well being.

[Realfoodieclub Graduate10 in reply to Tomas]

I think it is a fair point that slower training in the build up to a HM might be the answer. Hehe just reading your description of the training makes me jealous and realise I miss it.😀.

[Hidden]

It's clear from this post that you have a real passion for doing the long distance endurance runs and you'll have a nagging thought at the back of your mind that you haven't fully returned to the old you until that HM itch is scratched. My suggestions, with no basis in experience just what occurs to me, is to maybe look at more interim options e.g. 10k triathlon, 10 mile races, long distance hiking events, also look at complementary nutrition to ensure your body is well-balanced during training e.g. vitamin/mineral supplements (with doc advice of course), and also examine these feelings about what 'full health' means to you. Then if you do go for that HM you'll know you're doing it for all the right reasons. I think your passion for running really shows through though. Congrats on such a strong recovery, especially keeping those 20lbs at bay. You must feel in a great position to re-start right now

[Realfoodieclub Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

I think your right about thit HM itch. I set my alarm to get up to watch the London marathon this morning and I'm just sat here feeling jealous. Maybe I need to curb the intensity of the training while still training enough, if that makes sense.

[Hidden in reply to Realfoodieclub]

The London marathon is so exciting. But I feel less connected since I moved away from Poplar... enjoy getting caught up Since entering my first 10k event I've finally understood the difference between just running and running with a goal. I think you need to find the right goal(s)

[Bazza1234 Graduate10]

I have now run 3 half marathons and trained for all 3 using Galloways run/walk. If you boil his "run to finish" programme down, it is really only one day per week - a longrun every fortnight increasing each time by 2Klms. The rest of the week you can do almost anything provided it is running/walking of some kind. I chose to do parkrun, an easy day at my running club and a "race pace" day which was half the distance of the previous weeks' long run.

[Realfoodieclub Graduate10 in reply to Bazza1234]

I need to look at that it sounds exactly the sort of thing I need. A proper run/walk plan to follow. Obviously he is the run/walk guru.

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate10]

I'm sure a half marathon is possible and doesn't need to take a huge chunk out of your life like a marathon. I think your problem is your fear of overdoing it and compromising your immune system. Something I have done regularly in the past (with cycling, swimming and running!). It hasn't happened recently and the main way to avoid it is to run with a heart rate monitor. Pushing yourself too hard is reflected in your pulse. If you keep within the correct range for you, you can see as you run that you're not doing yourself any harm. The correct range for you is a bit fiddly to work out - I actually had it done for me by my GP 2 years ago (but I don't think the NHS does such things). Might be worth looking into!

[Realfoodieclub Graduate10 in reply to JaySeeSkinny]

I think you have hit the nail in the head exactly where the problem arises for me and that is the heart rate. I naturally run high, (had it all checked out). That's why I run/walk but I am beginning to think I run far too fast and maybe need to work on that and that is one of the things I am contemplating on my return. Maybe push out some bad habits.

[GoogleMe Graduate10]

You did feel that training for events had an unmistakeable adverse effect on your immune system (in that you got bugs) in the months afterwards. Now that you are not feeling obliged to be ever-well so you could donate your kidney urgently if need be, maybe you'll feel it is a price worth paying.

I always think it is worth a spot of advance planning to work out where your peak experiences will come from if/when you genuinely can't do this sort of thing. I know you are like me and like a plan and a bit of a challenge but maybe reframing what those are might help - in particular things to do with your beloved, that sounds a bit vague at the moment (maybe it has to be but it sounds as though you are looking over the course of the whole of 2017)

[Realfoodieclub Graduate10 in reply to GoogleMe]

Yes, this year is a bit vague. MrRfc is doing really well but he has mega doses of anti rejection and anti suppressants at the moment and has a bit of a way to come back up from the effects of kidney failure so it will be a while until our long hikes kick in.

This year will be taken up by building up for me but it's 2018 that I'm thinking of. I have already tried to enter a HM in March 2018 and it sold out but it has made me think this through a bit. I am beginning to think the answer might be in my pace. I really do think I need to learn to run slow. I'm not fast by any m and but I think I need to keep my heart rate lower when I run.

[Bazza1234 Graduate10]

Do you run at parkrun? If so (or even not) , run 5k at a comfortable pace for you recognising that you are not stopping at 5K. Work out what was the average pace for that run-say maybe 7mins per K or 8mins per K or whatever. Then run 1klm or 1/2klm intervals at that pace and walk for a minute or so in between each interval. This will slow down the average pace around 30 secs or so. So - if for example you can run 5K at an average pace of say 7mins per k - then you should be able to run 21K at that pace ,1klm at a time with a 1min walking break in between each 1K Experiment a little to see what suits you. At the end of the day however you have to be able to keep going forward for 2-3 hours!!

[Realfoodieclub Graduate10 in reply to Bazza1234]

I tried that one but my heart rate fell at a more comfortable place at 1min/1min. I think what I really need to do is try to learn to run slower as well, any advice on how to do that? At the moment I am a one pace girl and it's bat out of hell pace 😀.

[Bazza1234 Graduate10 in reply to Realfoodieclub]

Problem is that running for only 1minute with a 1 minute walk basically induces you to run FAST during the running segments -thats if you want to finish before they pack up for the day. It really is a matter of trying different things and deciding what system/ratio suits you best

[Runon Graduate10]

Hey - Congratulations - you have achieved so much in such a short time. I suspect though that there is no dilemma and that you have deep down already made the decision and are doing what we all do and that's looking for affirmation. In your heart of hearts you want to do the HM and the more you put it off the more you'll want to do it and then you'll resent not doing it and become a very grumpy person and start scowling at innocent passers by and get frown lines - so go for it but take it slow and steady. X

[Millsie-J]

I agree with Runon, go for it!

I can't give technical advice likes others above, but I know I can only run a 10k non stop if I do it at the right (slow), pace. It's pretty hard to always start slow enough now that I am doing some speed training to be honest! I'm guessing run/ walk makes it even harder to maintain the right pace each time you start a running section.

I am thinking about getting a GPS watch to help. If you already have one, set a very , very slow run pace and try it. I think you will need to aim for around a 5k each time so you know your body is comfortable running at this pace. Don't do it a Parkrun as you may get carried along by the speed of other runners. Then set the pace a little faster for next run and try it. Make a few notes each run about how you feel. Translate the identified comfortable run pace into your run/ walks and see how it goes. You may then be able to increase run pace slightly because of the walks but do it in the same planned way.

There is no science in my suggested approach so might not work at all. Good luck whatever you decide!