Exactly 7 weeks since surgery, and six weeks home from hospital I completed my third session of running. It was a gym session and a total of 2 Km run, 1 K warm up walk, 1 K run, walk interval, followed by 0.5 Km, walk, then further 0.5 Km run, and walk down cool down for total of 4 Km exercise. Completed session with 3 sets of leg curls to rebuild leg muscle.
Nothing spectacular at all, and a long way from any shape of fitness, but every journey has to begin with these first steps, and given the time frame involved, I can't complain. Need to work on the cardio, surprisingly, as I hadn't expected that to have been so weak, but it will come.
Friday, February 23, 2018
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
Starting back slowly
After being given the OK to start light running again by the Consultant last Thursday, I have done just that. Albeit very easily, very steadily, and not very far. For once listening to advice and using common sense, instead of an obvious desire to get going, and no doubt, overdo things.
Monday I went to the gym, it seems sensible to start the comeback process on the treadmill, where I can control what I am doing, and if anything goes wrong, I don't have to walk too far home :). Monday I warmed up with a 1 Km walk, then ran for 1 Km at around 6 minute pace. Have to confess it was hard. The cardio fitness I enjoy most of the time, has vanished, must check with the surgeon if he removed some of that when he cut away bits of my colon - who knew that the colon was what gave you fitness !! :).... I completed the session with another Km of cool down walk.
Today, Wednesday, I was back at the gym, and after another good Km warm up walk, I managed to run 1.5 Km, at a little slower pace than on Monday, still feeling the lack of cardio fitness, that will come, and then finished with another Km cool down walk. Actually felt a little better than on Monday, and I proceeded to do 3 sets of 20 leg curls on the machine, as I am aware that the leg muscles have also reduced in my time of enforced absence.
I am still on target to be completing a #parkrun by the end of March, the target I set myself when I was lying in my hospital bed in early January. Obviously I have walked a parkrun in the meantime, but I plan to be back and able to run the full 5Km within 5 weeks, it will be done......
Stay tuned...
This is what I want to be doing this summer...
Monday I went to the gym, it seems sensible to start the comeback process on the treadmill, where I can control what I am doing, and if anything goes wrong, I don't have to walk too far home :). Monday I warmed up with a 1 Km walk, then ran for 1 Km at around 6 minute pace. Have to confess it was hard. The cardio fitness I enjoy most of the time, has vanished, must check with the surgeon if he removed some of that when he cut away bits of my colon - who knew that the colon was what gave you fitness !! :).... I completed the session with another Km of cool down walk.
Today, Wednesday, I was back at the gym, and after another good Km warm up walk, I managed to run 1.5 Km, at a little slower pace than on Monday, still feeling the lack of cardio fitness, that will come, and then finished with another Km cool down walk. Actually felt a little better than on Monday, and I proceeded to do 3 sets of 20 leg curls on the machine, as I am aware that the leg muscles have also reduced in my time of enforced absence.
I am still on target to be completing a #parkrun by the end of March, the target I set myself when I was lying in my hospital bed in early January. Obviously I have walked a parkrun in the meantime, but I plan to be back and able to run the full 5Km within 5 weeks, it will be done......
Stay tuned...
This is what I want to be doing this summer...
Thursday, February 15, 2018
All Clear on the Western Front
February 15th - A great day for me.
It was a return to St Vincent's and a meeting with my Consultant to go through the histology from my surgery and see how the recovery is going. No beating about the bush, it's Good News Day. The histology came back clear, and there appears to be no sign of any nasty little cancerous bits running around inside me. Given this, it is virtually certain I will not require any further treatment, just have to allow the muscles around the colon to do their business, and look forward, if that is the right phrase, to heading back to surgery in the summer months to have the reversal down on the stoma and by-pass. After that, its just a case of regular check ups over the coming years, and fingers crossed, all will be grand. They are also happy with my progress in recovery. Another couple of weeks off work, then I can look at getting back to even more normality.
Even better, I can resume running, albeit slowly and steadily in the next week or two, although that will be tough in a number of ways, having had almost three months off, I know the cardio will be a struggle initially, but, I plan to get back to a great level of fitness, one way or another, so I will be back in my shorts soon, although, given the cold weather, that might wait another few weeks - Can someone turn the sun back on please!
Hopefully, this will mean that this blog can soon be back to recording my running progress, rather than the last few months tales. I thank each and everyone of you who sent good wishes for my recovery, it certainly helped keep me sane, and on track. For those that came to visit me, in hospital, and at home, I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and thanks for all the chocolates :)...
Onwards and upwards, the only way to go from here....
It was a return to St Vincent's and a meeting with my Consultant to go through the histology from my surgery and see how the recovery is going. No beating about the bush, it's Good News Day. The histology came back clear, and there appears to be no sign of any nasty little cancerous bits running around inside me. Given this, it is virtually certain I will not require any further treatment, just have to allow the muscles around the colon to do their business, and look forward, if that is the right phrase, to heading back to surgery in the summer months to have the reversal down on the stoma and by-pass. After that, its just a case of regular check ups over the coming years, and fingers crossed, all will be grand. They are also happy with my progress in recovery. Another couple of weeks off work, then I can look at getting back to even more normality.
Even better, I can resume running, albeit slowly and steadily in the next week or two, although that will be tough in a number of ways, having had almost three months off, I know the cardio will be a struggle initially, but, I plan to get back to a great level of fitness, one way or another, so I will be back in my shorts soon, although, given the cold weather, that might wait another few weeks - Can someone turn the sun back on please!
Hopefully, this will mean that this blog can soon be back to recording my running progress, rather than the last few months tales. I thank each and everyone of you who sent good wishes for my recovery, it certainly helped keep me sane, and on track. For those that came to visit me, in hospital, and at home, I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and thanks for all the chocolates :)...
Onwards and upwards, the only way to go from here....
Sunday, February 11, 2018
Volunteering at #parkrun
Despite the weather, it was really great to get out this weekend and play timekeeper at #hartstownparkrun for their 170th #parkrun. Wrapped up well, and managed to walk most of the course (I walked one of the two laps of the parkrun), before the run, and another day out on the road to recovery.
Tuesday, February 06, 2018
Just a brief Update on life (Oh, and a parkrun!)
Obviously not a lot to report in the way of running just yet, given it's only just over 4 weeks since my surgery. On the plus side, I am getting used to everything now, and despite a touch of gout holding me back, I have started to get out and about a bit, trying to rebuild some of the muscle loss than inactivity can lead to. Mildly negative aspect is that I tire very easily, and still find myself having to take an afternoon siesta, and am in bed by 10 most evenings. Sleep patterns are not as regular as I would like, as I have to get up during the night to clear out the stoma bag, but all in all I can't complain.
The BIG plus this last weekend just passed, was that I managed to get out to #poolbegparkrun as it was #worldcancerday and I acted as tailwalker for the #parkrun and walked around with family and friends in under 50 minutes, which surprised me. I felt tired afterwards, but happy to have achieved my first step on the road to a full recovery. I've been told my the nurses that the recovery is far more mental than physical, and so I have set myself little goals along the way, the first of which was to get back to parkrun and manage the walk at least - Ticked!
I have an appointment with the consultant next Thursday (15th), and hopefully all will be OK. After that I'll be planning my return to work, and, slowly, and without rushing things, my return to running. My next goal will be to jog/walk a parkrun in under 40 minutes, and then the 30 minute barrier. All steps along the road.
A number of the friends and family who joined me last Saturday at Poolbeg.
The BIG plus this last weekend just passed, was that I managed to get out to #poolbegparkrun as it was #worldcancerday and I acted as tailwalker for the #parkrun and walked around with family and friends in under 50 minutes, which surprised me. I felt tired afterwards, but happy to have achieved my first step on the road to a full recovery. I've been told my the nurses that the recovery is far more mental than physical, and so I have set myself little goals along the way, the first of which was to get back to parkrun and manage the walk at least - Ticked!
I have an appointment with the consultant next Thursday (15th), and hopefully all will be OK. After that I'll be planning my return to work, and, slowly, and without rushing things, my return to running. My next goal will be to jog/walk a parkrun in under 40 minutes, and then the 30 minute barrier. All steps along the road.
A number of the friends and family who joined me last Saturday at Poolbeg.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)