Wanting to Run!

Attention all PM recipients who run. I haven't run in years, not seriously at least. I wan to run a half marathon late this summer. I think that will give me enough time to recover, heal, & train. My PM went in on the 23rd. I need to hear from the runners, what is the best way to train? I need suggestions & encouragement! (lots of it)
Thanks~
Jessi

4 Comments

23rd of February

by JessiWay - 2010-03-19 04:03:54

23rd of February this year, I was 3 weeks post op Tuesday!

Re: Wanting to run!

by LS - 2010-03-19 07:03:25

Jesi, seeing how you have had open heart surgery & a PM "installed" I wouldn't personally feel comfortable giving you advice on how to train for a marathon.
JMO though.
I'd talk to your Dr. about that. You know, get his advice.
Good luck with the marathon & kudos to you for doing it!!
Liz

Some info for you

by heartu - 2010-03-20 03:03:04

Jessi,

I have never ever been a runner, but I do cardio walk, primarily hills and distance walker. I checked out the cardiac athlete website that Carolyn recommended and it has lots of good info on how to get started for training, etc.

I also came across this regarding people with pacemakers who run. Especially note the need to increase the upper limits of the pacemaker if necessary.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2497157/

Long-distance running is safe for athletes with pacemaker implants. Overall fitness and sufficient endurance training remain the prerequisites for maintaining the condition necessary for successful completion of a marathon regardless of medical status. In our study, it became clear that for patients who had received a pacemaker because of complete heart block, the upper rate of the pacemaker programme needed to be adjusted to 170 to 180 ppm to insure 1:1 atrio-ventricular synchrony during high atrial rates. It is concluded that there is no a priori reason for cardiologists to advise against long-distance running in athletes with pacemakers. Patients with known or suspected structural heart disease should be screened according the recommendations.

I wish you much luck in your running endeavors. Currently, I am up to 35 minutes walking on the treadmill at at 2.5 mph pace with a 5 minute warm up and 5 minute cool down and did almost 1.5 miles yesterday. This does not include all the walking I do throughout the day, but I don't walk at one sustained pace, but I did log 12,000 steps yesterday.

Thanks heartu

by azparrothead@yahoo.com - 2010-09-12 01:09:10

THANK YOU heartu for your post. I have been training to pass my PT test for the military after having a PM inserted 2 years ago. I used to be a good runner now I'm a jogger trying to be a runner again! I just can't seem to progress and was about to consult the cardiologist thinking I was crazy that I needed to be "tuned up a little higher" to get back my speed. Now I think I AM on the right track...thanks.

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