Running during radiotherapy? Is it possible?

[Dansac29]

Anybody have any experience of running during radiotherapy? I am starting radiotherapy in about 10 days, and was wondering if anybody has managed to keep running during treatment, or were just too knackered? I have done 2 shorter runs this week ( 2k and 3 k), prior to this I haven’t been able to run for 6 weeks, due to self isolation pre surgery, then recovering from surgery. I normally run 2-3 5ks a week.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

I have just started running again after completing chemotherapy and I managed to run a couple of miles up to my third cycle, after which it became just too much.

I underwent six weeks of daily radiotherapy a couple of years ago for prostate cancer and managed to run right through. My pace did drop but it was totally possible and I maintained three runs per week.

That said, you need to listen to your body and you are no less of a runner if your body tells you to give it a rest. We all react in totally different ways to cancer treatments and my oncologist and specialist nurses kept telling me that my good general fitness would hold me in good stead, which I believe it did.

Do what feels comfortable, but remember that running stresses the body and that alongside the radiotherapy you may reach overload and feel exhausted. I was lucky and managed to keep going right through, but whatever the outcome, remember that you will always have running to come back to and it is such a blessing to have in your life.

Good luck with your treatment. If you want to private message me, I would be happy to help you out with advice from my perspective.

[Dansac29 Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thank you for advice, I would like to PM you, but I am not quite sure how to do it...... but I think you will probably know!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to Dansac29]

Click on the Chat icon at the top of the page. Select compose, then type in my username in the To: box and ask away.

[Curlygurly2 Graduate]

I did a bit of running through mine but not much to be honest. I had complications after my surgery, seroma and infection, and the aneasthetic took me a while to get over. They told me I would be up to running to my sessions, 5 K each way, frankly I think I'd have been more like to grow wings and fly!!

The rads rather knocked me out, but I kept moving as much as I could, short runs and walks...Ionnoda is right, keep moving if you can but don't exhaust yourself. Every body is different , every treatment is different, and people react differently to the same treatment.

You can message me too if you like. Best of luck with your treatment xx

[togetherforever]

Honestly, I think you would be too tired or at least your body will be. Radiotherapy is hard on the body and you are constantly trying to repair and heal thats enough for any body to cope with let alone running on top of it. I would prohaps allow your body that time to heal and go through the trauma and maybe continue walking as you activity. If you really want to then maybe a couple of very short runs, nothing too taxing on the body as it has enough to deal with x

[Dansac29 Graduate]

Thank you, I think it is going to be a suck it and see situation. If running is out of the question, I hope to keep walking!

[Exbox]

I had radiotherapy and chemotherapy combined for 5 weeks in 2019 for bowel cancer. I didn't run again until Jan 2020 , following a huge operation in October 2019 , but I did a lot of walking from around 2 months before my op . I would say , just do what feels ok , don't push yourself- walks and runs will be there when you're recovered . Good luck , I truly believe that a reasonable level of fitness helped with my tussle with the big C .

[Dansac29 Graduate]

Thank you, for your reply. I agree that being as fit as possible going into treatment can only be a good thing!