I'm looking for advice as I'm 66 years old and until June 1st I was running 6k a day after completing Couch to 5K. Sadly, I then became very ill with, unknown to me, a perforated bowel. I was then rushed to hospital on the 21st where I had emergency surgery and 18" of bowel removed. I was an hour from death and seriously ill.
6 weeks ago I started the programme again - as my surgeon had said it was only my running and fitness that had saved me - and have just finished Week 6 Run 3.
My issue is that I am no longer running at the pace I use to - I run with my daughter and am now 2 minutes behind her (which is excessive in my head) and I'm unsure if this is because of my surgery etc and will get better? I can now run - and have done 38 minutes straight off - but much as I try to quicken my pace to catch up I can't!
If this is due to the major surgery 5 months ago it would help my head to realise this and also if advice would be that I will or will not get back to what it was.
Any advice would help a great deal - thank you!
Written by
Tinydonkey
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
You are so right about me worrying I was too slow a year ago as I'd always thought that you were meant to run 5k in 30 mins back then and I believe it was you that said to run for 30 minutes was an achievement in itself and time was of no consequence! I took that on board and even told others I met out running we were suppose to be doing it for ourselves and it wasn't a race or meant to be a certain distance in a certain time!
I have to say that last summer I was enjoying the running so much I was literally going out every day and doing a minimum of 6k sometimes more! I'm very fortunate to have a stately home to run around so don't do roads - although it is quite undulating and once winter sets in we have to revert to the lanes as it gets too muddy: we do find the lanes far easier terrain to run on!
I shall now stop worrying about my pace and realise I am being too hard on myself after my surgery - yes it was very major and I now have a stoma and a huge hernia around it - the size of a cantaloupe - but fortunately it doesn't hurt!
Sorry to read of your recent troubles, Tinydonkey.
In my 60s I’ve become aware of how infuriatingly long it takes to recover from the slightest injury or setback. Just 5 months ago, you had a life threatening condition and major surgery - never mind the 4 months gap from running!
I trust you spoke to the surgeon or a doctor to give the okay to resume running. This being the case, after just a few months post-surgery, I really think it’s too early to tell how much you could achieve with running. However, I don’t see why you wouldn’t get back to your former performance - given time!
As for pace, the professional consensus out there is to run slower to become quicker. It may sound counter-intuitive but it’s backed by evidence.
If your daughter is willing, she could benefit too by slowing her pace so that you both run together, at the same pace, slightly less than your own “quick” pace. You do see improvements this way but it takes time.
Slow down, be patient and allow it more time, that’s what I think. Best wishes! 🙂
Thank you so much for your kind words, Ian! You're so right - no longer spring chickens eh as much as we pretend to be!!
I did indeed speak to my surgeon as he was totally impressed that I was so fit at the time and couldn't believe how old I was! He actually said he was going to report to all his colleagues etc that they should be out running as that gave all round fitness and saves lives!
He said I could start walking after 3 weeks, from leaving hospital, and then could start running after 6 weeks. I was repeating several of the earlier weeks as it was really hard going but over the last 3 weeks I'm managing to complete each weeks run!
Thank you so much.....I'm definitely doing great!!!
I think you get all the health benefits from doing a 30 minute run three times a week. It seems that your pace is irrelevant. That said, I encourage people to mix it up a bit (typically by making one of the weekly runs a faster run). That, combined with the slower runs, seems to make most runs easier.
I think it's fine to run more than that, I do so as a way of maintaining my interest. However, do keep to the 10% rule (mostly) and you need a minimum of one rest day a week. As a mere whippersnapper of 61, I take three rest days a week which has enabled me to build distance and a reasonable pace.
In a nutshell, by running for over 30 minutes, you're doing great!
Hi, Thank you so much for taking the time to reply.
I feel that I am trying to push myself too hard after what happened to me and I must stop thinking this was months ago and you should be back to normal!!
Your reply puts things into perspective! I'm doing 3 runs a week, at the moment, and just go for a walk on the other days.
I will be 66 in a few months and after illness I have had to accept that I can no longer match my performance of just a few years ago.
Your surgery sounds quite major and inevitably your whole body will have taken a knock. Once we hit our sixties we just have to accept that recovery takes longer than it used to.
Hello, thank you for the links! I definitely needed all these replies and the links as I realise now that what I am doing is absolutely fine and I don't need to beat myself up anymore!!
One never likes to admit ones getting older - my mirror definitely lies to me!!! But you are so right that the passing of times slows down recovery in all things!
I shall continue as I am and stop trying to repeat where I was 6 months ago - it will either come back or not but as long as I'm running and enjoying it that's all that counts!!
Thank you so much for your reply. I certainly needed all these replies to stop myself feeling I was failing as I realise now that I'm not!!
My bowel perforated on one of my runs as I'd felt a popping sensation in my gut but ignored it and carried on! I then ran again the following day but when I got back I felt really ill and was sick! I laid on my settee then for 2 weeks getting worse and worse not realising this wasn't just a virus!! So by the time I was admitted to hospital I had blood poisoning the lot - my surgeon told me it was the worst he'd ever seen and even an hour later I'd have died!!!!!
It was all a bit of a shock to my brain let alone my body!!
Crikey, you are tough on yourself! Also I suspect actually very tough/resilient. You must be to manage to suffer through a bowel perforation for 2 weeks before treatment.
Is there a plan to reverse your stoma? If not can that hernia be reduced? Questions for your surgeon.
But in the meantime ease back into the runs, maybe on your own so you don't get the associated pressure of keeping up with a gazelle!
Hi Jell6, Thank you so much for your reply and apologies for not replying sooner. You're so right as I have never been one to not just power on through!!
My surgeon has put me on the waiting list for a reversal - all tests clear for cancer etc - but realistically it could be a year or more before surgery is possible! He has said that I can either have the reversal and hernia repair or just the hernia repair if I don't want the reversal. Its a decision I have to make and I'm sure the reversal will have a much lower chance of me dying but I'm not yet sure if I'll go for it as I am too scared at the moment that it could happen again! Plus being on the operating table for so long caused telogen effluvium - major hair loss - and I did lose my long hair which was devastating! It is now starting to grow again but took some getting used to having short hair.
I am taking all this wonderful advice onboard and I am now going to run without thinking I should be as I was and I shall hope over time it might just happen!!
Thank you so much for your kind words - really appreciated!
I'm sure your surgical team will help your decision. Re hair. I have long curly hair and once I hit a certain age I was distressed by how much I was losing. I now use nourkrin growth daily (the maintain didn't work for me) It certainly works for me, back to my old shedding rate, it seems pricey but I would not be without it. It might be worth having a look at 🤗
As others have said, you have been through major surgery and need to allow yourself to recover, however long it takes. As long as you are running and enjoying it, that's the main thing. I admire your resilience in running again and hope you're recovery continues to go well.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Stamina!
Speed!
Stamina, hailstones and crowd control
1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4 Stamina Podcast
C25K+ Stamina, I did it, but it was tough :)
