Getting back to running/working out after extended illness

lngrunert · January 2016

For over a year, I had success working out regularly; sometimes up to 5x per week, but usually around 2-3x per week. I started running and did three 5Ks from Spring to Fall and also completed all the obstacles in the Dirty Girl Mud Run. Everything was going great, and I set two new goals for myself - to work my way up to running 10K over the winter, and beef up my overall strength to participate in a Warrior Dash in the Fall of 2016.

Then it hit me - a horrible case of bronchitis that took me out completely. I had coughing fits so bad I would vomit, and it lingered for weeks and weeks despite two courses of antibiotics. Finally last week, after two months straight of hacking a wheezing, my doctor diagnosed post-infectous asthma and put me on steriods. I felt better within two days, and as of today I'd say I'm about 90% back to feeling normal again.

Does anyone have advice/encouragement for getting back into the fitness swing after being sick for so long? I'm so anxious to get started again that I'm afraid I'll overdo it, but on the other hand two months isn't that long in the scheme of things. I really want to strike the right balance and challenge myself. I did ask my doctor, but his advice was just to start back whenever I felt up to it and "go at my own pace".

tiny_clanger · January 2016

Yep. This happened to me last year, and I was completely on the floor for 6 weeks. Pretty much exactly the same as you. I went back to week 4 of couch to 5k and carried on gently. I wasn't back to full fitness for about 3 months.

Take it super, super slow is my advice! ! Get well soon

hopeandtheabsurd · January 2016

My experience with this is to start back slow and don't push yourself too much until you are sure your lungs, etc. can take it. I was SO excited to get back to working out after my last bout with pneumonia that I pushed it too hard and ended up out for another 14 weeks.

Really listen to your body and be careful that "challenging yourself" doesn't turn into injuring yourself. Good luck!!

hyg99 · January 2016

I had similar episode last year when had viral.carditis, couldn't even walk about for several weeks, was nearly 3 months before I started to run again but it came back surprising quickly. I still had to take it steady.

cheshirecatastrophe · January 2016

I'm primarily a runner. When I've had to stop cold turkey for injury or illness for weeks or months, I usually find it *psychologically* easier to start up again with the elliptical rather than running. It lets me rebuild some of my cardio fitness so I don't feel like I am starting so completely from nothing.

That said, you will struggle for awhile as you get back, but rest assured you haven't lost it all! The fitness will come back much quicker than it took to build it up the first time. As far as running, your top-end speed will have dropped the most--that's what starts to go away within the first two weeks of not working out--but some of the baseline aerobic fitness will definitely still be there, at least once your lungs are back up to speed with the asthma med.

Good luck, stay strong, and rebuild running slowly--the last thing you want is for everything to feel so good that you run yourself into overuse injuries right away!

Azdak · January 2016

There are some training improvements that occur fairly quickly, so you may "feel" better sooner than expected. Endurance will take longer. One of the biggest risks of coming back after a long(ish) layoff is that your soft tissues need to be reconditioned and that can take a good 6-8 weeks. It's tough because you will likely feel your aerobic fitness coming back more quickly. As I often say--your heart will be able to do more work than your tendons/joints etc are ready for.

grinning_chick · January 2016

It's not humanly possible for me to agree more with the "take it slow" advice.

What was the beginning of the end of a two year running streak was developing an overuse injury rushing mileage after a couple months off due to contracting pertussis that indeed stuck around the entire "100 days" and then some. Gaining 40 lbs in a little under four months due to obesogenic scripts for a different medical issue before I could get back into it was the final nail.

Looking forward to finally fixing that later this year.

cafeaulait7 · January 2016

I had that last year, except I didn't feel 90% after the steroids. It took weeks longer after them, and I had asthma inhalers in the meantime. I had a horrible post-infectious wheeze as my main symptom. But it only took about a month and a half to two months for me to feel completely better lung-wise (after feeling like it would never go away). I was thrilled when it went totally away

I wasn't a runner at all then, but strenuous stuff would act up my symptoms noticeably (and too much) until it gradually got better and better. Walking was fine, though. Good luck!

samthepanda · April 2016

This is good to hear. I am recovering from pneumonia. 2 rounds of antibiotics, course of steroids and use of inhalers the infection has cleared but I have the post infection asthma style wheeze and still have problems with breathing if I do too much. Finding it very frustrating as I want to be back to my normal active self, definitely improved but 2 hours of activity (ie walking!) and I am exhausted and needing inhalers. Exercise is my stress reliever and I am really missing it. Want to be back to me!

Witchdoctor58 · April 2016

After 2 surgeries, Chemo and radiation, I was sidelined due to extreme fatigue for over a year. I gained ten pounds and lost stamina and muscle tone. Breaking my hand last year didn't help, and then got the flu with asthmatic complications. Neither does the drug I have to take which causes fatigue and makes it much harder to lose weight. I started by using easier levels on my treadmill than usual, and doing moderate routines that didn't exceed 30 minutes. I'm on my fourth week of Les Mills Combat, which is a moderately difficult program and I take extra rest days, but now I can do the 60 minute routines and even do doubles some days with some extra cardio. I haven't lost weight yet but my strength and endurance are returning. Today I had intended to do 45 minutes of kickboxing and then run 5k, but I realized that a rest day was more important. Overtraining will set you back, too. Tomorrow will be one or the other, but not both, I think.

AudreysMommy2014 · April 2016

I know it's not easy getting finding your new normal but be patient with yourself!

Bluepegasus · April 2016

I was in a similar situation in that I had been running for a long time, was doing 10k races regularly at a decent pace (for me!), and then 18 months ago I had a bad horse riding accident that left me with a broken pelvis. It took over a year to fully recover, and it's really only been since October that I started running properly and regularly again. I just built it back up slowly, my pace was ridiculously slow to start with, I didn't go too far either, though distance was easy enough to get back (now up to 4 miles and probably could do 10k if I wanted), my pace is still not what it was but it's getting there. I'm just going out and enjoying running, I'm not worrying about time or distance, I'm just taking it steady. You do retain a base fitness, so it's easier to build back up from where you were compared to when you first started out.

Getting back to running/working out after extended illness

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