Runner's gotta run...
Run4life375
Posts: 98 Member
Hey, fellow distance runners!
I've been running for over 2 years now. It started as a way to get active and soon became a healthy addiction!
I had plans for a 10K and a half marathon, until I hit a road block: Three oral surgeries and a bone infection. I spent some time in the hospital and came home with a PICC line in my arm. I have to be on hard-hitting antibiotics for six weeks. During this time, I can't lift more than eight pounds.
The worst part is that I can't run. Running has become my life. Six weeks?! I honestly don't know how to handle this. I take walks every day, but it doesn't give me the same outlet that running does. I guess I'll just keep counting the days until I can lace up my trail shoes again.
I've been running for over 2 years now. It started as a way to get active and soon became a healthy addiction!
I had plans for a 10K and a half marathon, until I hit a road block: Three oral surgeries and a bone infection. I spent some time in the hospital and came home with a PICC line in my arm. I have to be on hard-hitting antibiotics for six weeks. During this time, I can't lift more than eight pounds.
The worst part is that I can't run. Running has become my life. Six weeks?! I honestly don't know how to handle this. I take walks every day, but it doesn't give me the same outlet that running does. I guess I'll just keep counting the days until I can lace up my trail shoes again.
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Replies
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Wow, you have been through a lot. I know exactly how you feel. I have been sidelined twice for surgeries due to complications from Crohn's disease, and it's really tough mentally. Don't worry, though, just take your time and get back out there when you can. Each time I came back stronger than before. The main thing right now is getting your body to heal. The best thing you can do for yourself is be patient and use whatever other outlets you can. Best of luck!1
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Thank you! It's great to know that someone else has made it through and came back stronger.
I know it's going to be a tough transition back into running. It really bothers me that my fitness level is going downhill... but I'm going to keep following my passion as soon as I can get back on the road.0 -
It's hard to be sidelined like this, especially in spring when all the good races seem to be happening. I've had it happen twice, thanks to running injuries. As said above, you will be able to get back into it, with a heightened appreciation for running when you are finally green-lighted to get out there.
Can you bicycle, even stationary bike? Or swim? I need exercise to keep myself somewhat sane. The hardest part of my pelvic stress fracture was that I couldn't even walk/hike. But I could get on the stationary bike and let loose. It helped me feel like I wasn't losing all fitness while I was sidelined.0 -
I want to try cycling soon, once I'm feeling a little stronger. I completely agree about needing exercise to stay sane!0
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Ugggh!
I had an ACL replacement and an OATS procedure to correct a cartilage tear. Crutches for 12 weeks. Wasn't allowed to run for another 4 weeks. When I first went out I was told to skip only for a week. I had to go out very early or in the dark I was so embarrassed to be skipping.
The return after that much time off was really tough.
But I made it. You will too.
Good luck!
(When I could not run, I went to the gym and used the upper body machines. It wasn't the same; but it was something.)0 -
I went through hell this summer with a UTI/bladder infection that spread, didn't respond to the first several rounds of antibiotics, and then had a rare adverse reaction to an antibiotic. The final tally was 5 ER visits, 3 hospital stays, two surgeries (the second to remove necrotic tissue), and months of follow up visits with wound care to get the open hole to heal. I went from 40-55 MPW to barely being able to walk for two solid months. It drove me (and my GF) nuts being down that hard.
It took some time to get my fitness back, and those first couple of weeks back I was sucking wind even at paces slower than my easy pace. But rest assured the fitness is still there, and you will come back quickly. 3 months later I was doing a 50k.
This past month, I finally hit my BQ after missing it by 44 seconds in a race the month before I got sick.
On the plus side, sitting for months on the couch having nothing to do except look at my living room meant and see the stuff I wanted to get done meant some overdue home projects/upgrades finally got done
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I understand how you must be feeling. I haven't been able to run for 7 months after a broken ankle. As others have said just let your body heal. I hope you can find a good exercise to do whilst you can't run, I found a lot of seated exercises or maybe a stationary bike?0
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Had stress fracture in food, knee injuries in both knees, on crutches for just over 6 months, wasn't able to run for about 2 years. I am back now and from rehab and focusing heavily on rebuilding strength, I am not only running again, but I am faster than I was before my injures. Just hang in there and you WILL be back. Just make sure you heal AND get the proper rehab / physical therapy before getting back into your normal routine. Stay strong!0
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Thanks for the support, everyone!
UPDATE:
I have been cleared to ease into running again (earlier than I thought!), but have to make sure I don't go too far or too fast. I'm trying not to do more than an easy-pace 5k. Until my six weeks is up I'll alternate running and riding my bike. Right now I'm just grateful to keep up my fitness level!2 -
Do they have you on a PT recovery plan? Or did they say "go run, don't overdo it, good luck?" If you can, I would try and get a plan from a PT who specializes in running to give you a recovery plan. I had gotten that and it's worked wonders for me.0
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I have been out a week with a small knee tweak, I can't imagine how to keep calm and centered knowing it would be weeks and months, rather than days. I wish you the best.0
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Do they have you on a PT recovery plan? Or did they say "go run, don't overdo it, good luck?" If you can, I would try and get a plan from a PT who specializes in running to give you a recovery plan. I had gotten that and it's worked wonders for me.
That's almost exactly what they said...
A recovery plan sounds very helpful. I'll have to see if I can find a PT who can help! For now, I'm just trying not to go too fast or too far.0 -
Given your downtime was not due to a running injury or other injury where physical therapy is necessary, but surgeries/infection, I'm not sure I see the need for a PT. You are at the point where you need to rebuild your running base by slowly adding mileage. Since you already had a base, and do not have a running injury you need to worry about aggravating, you should be able to build it faster than in the beginning. I wasn't able to find much on rebuilding base mileage after a break like this, since all of the advice was centered on folks with running injuries, so I built back up to my normal mileage over the course of 5-6 weeks. Like an accelerated version of a normal mileage buildup for a race, including cutback weeks. I didn't have to worry about going too fast for the most part because my aerobic fitness held me back. My first couple of runs back I was at my marathon pace HR while running 3-4 minutes/mile slower; much slower than even my previous easy pace. Rebuilding my base this way seemed to work well for me and I didn't have any issues.0
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