Running going downhill

• by elpannell
• 2007-07-01 12:07:38
• General Posting
• 2333 views
• 7 comments

I have been a runner for most of my adult life. Late 2003 I ran my first marathon in a respectable time (3:33) for a 50 yr old. Once I recovered from the marathon I started running again 3 months later. After a several months of running I began having "sudden exhaustion" events. I would be running fine for several miles, feeling good then suddenly I was forced to stop. My endurance would suddenly disappear. I faced the same problem once I began running again in 2005. Again, it appeared after a few months of running normal. I began wearing a heart monitor and noticed my heart was slowing down by 20 beats/min when these events hit. It was very difficult to maintain an effective training program when my heart was limiting what I could do, so I stopped running again. In 2006 I had the strategy of running slow on a treadmill for long distances. I was hoping my heart would have tolerated an easier progression. However, after running 1hr and 10mins one day, 7 days later I was revisited by the "sudden exhaustion" event around 40-45 mins. I documented several times in 2006 that it was my heart rate dropping suddenly during these episodes. On the last run in 2006 I fought the exhaustion and the urge to stop for a few more seconds and I was left with a sensation in my chest. Every time my heart beat I could feel it in my chest. No pain, just very annoying and as you could understand it was difficult to concentrate. Once again I stopped running and began talking to a cardiologist. In 2007 I began running again. This time I adopted a warm-up routine, which started out with a walk/run at a slow speed and ended with a short run (1min) at a much faster speed. I always used this warm-up before I ran. After running for several weeks, one day I got on the treadmill and attempted the warm-up and only got 1/2 way through. I did not have enough stamina to complete even the warm-up. I now have a fitness monitor, which allows me to monitor and download my heart rate into my computer. My resting heart rate is now in the low 30's. When I sleep it drops down into the mid 20's. When I run, most of the time I cannot get my rate above 100 bpm. I get tired without getting a full workout. I have had a nuclear stress test and scan which have ruled out any form of a blockage. A recent EKG however came back showing I was having an Atrial Fib. I wonder, is this the sensation that I feel in my chest sometimes? Anyone care to comment what Atrial Fib felt like to you? On July 2nd I am scheduled to meet with an electrophysiologist to "discuss" pacemakers. This appointment was scheduled after I wore a holter monitor for 48hours. I would like to hear from any one that can comment on a similar history to mine.--EL