Am I back?

[Phdgranny]

Well, I have had a few tentative trials at coming back to running after Long Covid but they didn’t last. For the last 2 weeks have begun to feel much better. Then last week after an uncomfortable visit to A and E courtesy of a fish bone, I woke up on Thursday and my head was clear for the first time since last September. Those who have had LC will know what I mean, difficult to pin point what’s going on in your head but it feels ‘woolly’ for someone used to marking marking dissertations it’s very troubling as a clear head is my stock in trade.

Today I went out for my morning walk with Tia and about 1k in (and at the top of the hill) I suddenly felt like running. Wearing a dress and ‘go walk’ shoes I set off, thinking I would stop after a minute. 8 minutes later I was still going but decided to walk down the steep gravel path back to the road (I once, rather inelegantly ended up at the end on my rear) but then finished up the incline back to my house with another 2 minute jog. Looking at stats, HR was below 145 which is good for me and pace was slow but then I was never fast!

Fingers crossed that I can keep it up this time. As the picture shows, Tia is a bit out of condition too!!

[Instructor57 Graduate]

Great you feel like running again 😁👍So was last September the last time you ran ?

If so take your time !

Not only would you have lost aerobic fitness, but also resistance to injury.

Take care 🤞

[Phdgranny Graduate in reply to Instructor57]

good advice as always. I did have a couple of tentative jogs in March but then had another relapse. I will take it steady. I live in a very hilly area so I had the chance to run mainly downhill and flat but I think I will repeat C25k as I enjoy the structure x

[SueAppleRun Graduate]

Wonderful! Long COVID is awful and it seems you've beat it and your head has cleared, well done, and in a dress 😀

[Roxdog Graduate]

Oh you have had a rough time, but it sounds as though you're over the worst. I know a few people who've had long covid and experienced 3 weeks of tiredness and brain fig myself after covid.So pleased you managed a run and your body obviously knew it was time to start again!

[PeggySusi Graduate]

Hi, good to see you back and I hope the days waking up without the foggy feeling will soon become the rule rather than the exception.. have you gone back to work or decided to retire? I think I have an idea how you feel about brain fog.. it wasn’t long Covid for me but menopause and migraine I think - I started to spend too much time at work (solicitor) because of anxiety that I might make a mistake. I retired a couple of years early despite having no pension thanks to the changes to pension age.

They say that walking and running is good for the brain, so I hope you can keep going, gently. Take care of yourself and lovely Tia.

[Phdgranny Graduate]

Hi, I teach for the Open University, I am very part time and work at home, so returned at the end of March but my 2 days of work have taken 4 due to poor concentration. I finally got my pension last year so May finish sometime soon. I can always do some writing but in my time rather than theirs.

[PeggySusi Graduate in reply to Phdgranny]

Great if you can keep going if it suits you. I found it such a relief not to have keep up with CPD and changes in the law! Having said that, I did think at first I might do some work here and there, but never actually looked for anything. I think retirement is great in all ways apart from financially.. time to get things done and learn new stuff I never considered before.. like running 😊

[Gthants]

Three years LC here. Two years very bad and until Christmas I could't walk too far. Have slowly built energy back up and am now at Week 6, Run 2 of C25K. I couldn't have done it last year, but now my stamina is starting to return. great that the urge to run is still with you!

[Birdlady64 Graduate]

You've been through the mill but fingers crossed you have finally turned the corner. Fantastic that you've started running again. Really pleased for you