Half Marathon

I am 60 years old. I started walking and jogging my way through a Half Marathon three years ago.

I just completed my fifth race this weekend. My time was 3.13.18. That was another PR for me.

I was never a runner growing up because I had polio as a child. But now I enjoy the challenge of finishing a race, and my wife and I enjoy doing them together.

I have bradycardia, and I would be interested to hear from other people with bradycardia. What is your experience like?

This weekend when I was sitting through the award ceremony I was wondering "why don't they have an award for people with pms?"

5 Comments

Bradycardia / Running

by Tattoo Man - 2012-04-19 04:04:44

Hi Cobpop, I like your story...I started running / jogging at 57 following open heart surgery , here in the UK, for a new heart valve..that was in March '07...all went swimmingly ....I am informed that its not unusual for neural pathways to break down a while after they have hacked into your heart...hey.ho...thats why I have a PM.

My Bradycardia (do brush up on your Greek ..Brado/s = slow just as Tacho/s + fast)

Simply..I spent unscheduled periods on the floor with a pulse crash...70 to 30 in zero seconds.

All sorted now with PM

I'm with you re the PM awards...but just think of it ...you already have your Trophy..right there next to your heart..doesnt need polishing..and its in the best showcase that you could have !

Keep on running !

Best wishes from here in the UK

Tattoo Man

Good point!

by Cobpop - 2012-04-19 05:04:29

Hi Tattoo Man
You make a good point about my Trophy. Of course it is hard to hang it on the wall.

If you don't mind - I'd like to hear about your experience running. Do you have the same level of energy with your PM than before?

Is it harder for you to run up hills, now than before?

Do you find you have more or less stamina?

With training I can walk a long distance, but I feel like I can not run as far as I can walk.

I do think a category for PM awards would encourage more people to do the right thing - get some exercise to keep their heart (what's left of it) healthy.

Thanks for your response! Yesterday I started working on the "From Couch to 5K" training schedule. It will be interesting to see if it works or not.

Cobpop

Stamina etc etc

by Tattoo Man - 2012-04-20 06:04:19

Hi Cobpop, The PM / Stamina / ETC debate seems to be pretty well an ongoing one amongst those who have sporting interests that involve high heart rates.

Electric Frank put it to me once quite clearly...my words here..."your heart needed assistance with a PM...ergo it wasnt in good shape..now you have a PM you wont die in your sleep (a GOOD thing!) but dont expect your heart to have miraculously fixed itself to its former glory"

I have found that since getting a PM (Nov '10) my performance has dropped off and I put that down, as much as anything, to a kind of low level depression/lack of motivation. When I run I am much more likely to take 'walk breaks' than before, in fact last night when I was running with my Club I dropped off the back of the pack, turned round and came home.

I am well aware of the risks of sharing personal information because it can only be that..personal, but I just wonder sometimes if the 'trauma' of having a PM fitted (and mine was an emergency, blue lights flashing one) leaves one more deeply affected than one would like to beleive.

Cobpop , your questions still leave me a bit baffled, my Techies say all my settings are fine and at 61 can still hit 180bpm on hills

Its a bit of a mystery really

Tattoo Man

Thank you!

by Cobpop - 2012-04-20 12:04:33

I told my wife after the race last Saturday that it is hard to know. Is it so hard to run - because of other factors - or is it because of the PM.

Then I said, it would be nice to hear what other people in my age range who have PMs would say about their experience.

Fortunately I stumbled on to the Pacemaker Club on Monday morning. I hear you Tattoo Man, clearly my heart wasn't in great shape when I had my surgery. Looking back I wish I had done a number of things differently, but life is too short to worry about spilled milk.

It gives me some comfort to know other people my age experience some of the same problems. I joined a website called Daily Mile. I have been keeping track of my workouts for almost a year now. My son and daughter do it, too. It has helped me map out my walk/runs, and that keeps it interesting for me.

Thank you Ian - I am going to write down some questions for my cardiologist. I agree getting from the couch to the door is a big hurdle. I speculate that the PM tends to have a relaxing effect when we are sitting in a chair.

What I mean - is it is always easier for me to go for a walk when I am on my feet; if I'm sitting down, and my wife asks me to go for a walk - I can always think of some reason why I should stay in the chair. :)

Well, thanks for your responses! It is refreshing to talk to people who at least experience some of the same questions that I do.

I have one brother who is 68 - and he can run a half in two hours. My oldest brother is 72 - and he can run a half in 2 hours and 45 minutes. They have always been more athletic than I've been, but it remains a bit disconcerting at age 60 that they are still beating me by a huge margin. :)

That said, I had a good work out this morning, and feel more motivated than I've felt for a year.

Thanks!

Cobpop

Hi Cobpop

by IAN MC - 2012-04-20 12:04:53

Best of luck with your training schedule .. I increasingly find that the hardest distance is "from the couch to the front door " ..once you've done that bit , the rest gets easier the more times you do it

In answer to your question , without doubt I have less stamina since having a PM and find running far more difficult than before.

I thought that countless PM setting changes had solved the problem but they haven't unfortunately

Interestingly, just yesterday I was on a flight from the UK to Chicago and happened by chance to sit next to a Professor of Cardiology. I discussed this with him over several glasses of wine and he stated that one of the reasons for a fall in stamina could be that the lead, going through the tricuspid valve may prevent the valve from closing properly; so there is blood leakage through the valve..interesting !

He also said that I should have a treadmill test while connected to an echocardio gram which will tell how well the heart is emptying. I'm going to have so much fun with the Pacemaker technicians when I get back to the UK !

Best wishes to you ( and Tattoo Man)

Ian


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