I tried this on the old forum with not much response.I was a runner for years before I had PD. I am running still, after being diagnosed about 11 years ago. There is Zatopek who uses this forum and an ex-runner who cycled Lands End to JoG but there must be some other average club runners with PD or do you know someone who is ? I was 60 last month and ran just inside 45 minutes for a track 10K in September.
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Wow, Runner, I am genuinely impressed; what an amazing achievement!
You're an inspiration.
Thanks or the compliment Lily but can I really be an inspiration. That is can other people learn from my experiences? At the moment i seem to be a 'research' team of one. i would like to hear from anybody who is training and racing seriously to see if we feel the same about our situations. It would also be interesting to hear from anybody who has stopped running since being diagnosed.
PS Also I would love to do is get together an all Parkinsons four-man (person?) team for a road relay somewhere..
Hello again ( see thread ' any runners with Parkinson's )
I'm a club runner too! Great idea to run a relay . . But where? I believe you are in the US? I'm in the UK! Could be tricky. But there must be more runners with Parkinson's on both sides of the pond?
I'm not running in competions as such, but I do belong to an active running club &always find ways to join in on club nights. Some days I run better than others. In September I took part in a series of 4 handicapped runs. The slower runners starting first, the fastest starting last. The idea being that we should all finish roughly at the same time. However, if you managed to keep the racing snakes at bay you got awarded more points. To cut a long story short, by the last of the four races, I was on to win the whole series. I have never been so competitive in my life. Somehow I was first over that finish line! But I paid for it. A short while later I was in A&E with severe muscle spasm to my back & chest. Some 3 months later, I'm just getting back to running again. It appears to be easy to get injured when you run like a lop sided horse attempting a gallop!
Anyway, enough for now ....I'm just excited to be able to 'talk' with someone who may just have a bit of an understanding of what I'm saying here!
This is my first blog!
I was diagnosed with PD over a year ago (I'm 54). I only took up running 4 years ago and now know that I had some symptoms of PD from that time. I've completed 6 half marathons in the last 3 years and currently signed up for 3 this year, the first is on the 4th of May which I'm in training for.
Overall I'm doing ok I guess, I have good days and not so good, same goes for the running. Because i have less control over my right leg, I have had a few muscle strains from the running.
I would like to communicate with like minded others to share experiences, seek advice and support. I have become more determined to keep running since my diagnosis, but wonder at times if I should back into less demanding exercises. My dream is to run a marathon in 2015, but as time goes on I think it is beyond me.
Look forward to hearing and 'talking' further with somone who understands what I'm going through.
Hello fellow Parky runners.
I've not been on here for a while so it's good to see some more runners are out there.
I've had a few months of not much running due to painful muscles ( back, legs, feet, everywhere really!) Anyway, I have recently started attending the weekly Parkrun local to me. If you've not heard about them, please look them up! They're held all over the country, Saturday morning at 09.00, 5k. Free!
Would be great to have Parky Park Runners!
Have been doing a fair bit of Pilates with a very knowledgable instructor which is helping with my flexibility & have found a brilliant sports therapist who puts me through the mangle to squeeze out all the knots. After a visit to her I feel great. ( Shame it only lasts for a day or so though )
I hope you're all keeping fit & well.
Hi guys
I'd love any advise regards to training. im due to run a 10k 18th May and im struggling to get past the 6k mark when training. the right leg really starts to ache and drag, which becomes impossible to carry on running. im doing regular gym, weights cross trainer and cycling and then running outside. Should i be doing anything else.? i really want to run the 10k, as the rest of the body feels capable.
THIS is where i should have said "I have replied on another thread".
Not a club runner but have been a runner 23yrs
Consider myself a plodder and since being diagnosed almost 10yrs ago I've completed 10 marathons. I find just being able to go for a run , usually on my own , very liberating and believe it's regular exercise , alongside Tai Chi and a physio-led exercise class that is keeping me healthy
I feel that sometime I am running against the Parkinson's, a real shuffle - if I was at home I would be slumped in a chair, so it is better than that.
Other times I run with it - I am aware of it but I am definitely running
Finally and perhaps what dwl describes as "liberating" I am running without it- almost "just like the old days". If you have time go to the CharlesWhitton photography website and look up Ironbridge Runner 5k Series for 1/7/2014. If you search as they explain for my number (82) you will see 3 pictures. In one or two I look like a runner (more or less) but I went to pieces on the last kilometre and you can see which picture that is - definitely running against it- in fact I even walked briefly!
Great pictures Runner, the pain on your face in picture 3, i've felt that pain!
I'm going to book myself into another race, as i'm losing momentum. I'm finding excuses to not go to the gym or go out for a run. Though today after 4 hours sleep and managing to run for about 15 mins, before my leg and arm refused to do anything, may have been a good excuse not to run. It just annoyed me more than feeling like i'd benefited from it. Oh well thats the way it goes sometimes.
Ms Overall i am a fellow Park Runner, great fun and adds a bit of competitiveness to it. i'd like it if it was about 9.30 rather than 9, though saying that i'm always awake early. I'm proudly running mine 28 mins. though achieved a personal best 26.17 about 2 months ago.though 28 seems to be my new best at the mo. i'd love it if they did a 7k and then 10k so you could progress.
Not sure where we are going on this but for what it's worth.
I was a reasonable runner before pd. Training twice a day
I now struggle to run more than 3 miles three times a week
My consultant has prescribed Co-Beneldopa 15 minutes before I run to help me.
I've tried it twice with limited success. At least some improvement. I look forward to enjoying my running again. - we will see!
I just need to plan my runs after taking meds rather than just before I'm due to take them. Others I've no chance of running. Oh well gym sessions and just keep running on my good days is the best I can do. Good luck with the running. :)
Girlred, that 26+ time is pretty respectable I would say. They say Parkruns "are not races", but I think they are! Racing helps you get the best out of yourself though. I need to juggle my medication before I run or race too.
Now just yesterday evening I ran 21:00 for 5km. Forget the actual time what is interesting about that is that it is equal (allowing for age) to the 20:39 which I ran 2 years ago. However I have to say that in that same period my symptoms in general have worsened - I mean at times I literally have to resort to going on hands and knees to move around the house. It's like I have a little island in my daily life when I am a runner and lose the PD (though actually you can see there is something wrong as the pictures [see earlier post] show). How does that work then and is there anything helpful for people with PD in general to be learned?
Zatopec, good to hear from you again! I will be interested in how the medication helps - is it in addition to existing medication, and is your neurologist a runner? Now a neurologist who is a runner and has PD themself would be interesting to talk to oh yes, Roger Bannister!
Finally, Parkruns - there has got to be something we can do with that; I mean NOT fundraising but Parkruns for Parkinsons or something?
Parkruns are an ideal way of testing fitness. When is a run a race? More than one person on a start line is a race!
The quick release Co-Beneldopa is in addition to slow release Co-Beneldopa and Ropinirole. There has been a small improvement in my running, but a long way to go yet. 5k time 31 minutes and I was sub 20 before pd
i
Park Run Parkinsons would be great, though it seems i'm struggling round my area to find any Parky people my age! No early on set groups, which is disappointing. Even asked on here about local parky people to Manchester trying to seek them out, not in a stalker way just to get to know, chat, moan etc...but no joy. However some lovely people from other areas said hello.
Went out last night for a couple of alcoholic beverages, late start this morning, so no run. I've just come back from the gym though. 10 mins (1.54miles) on the Octane (fancy treadmill) 10 mins 1.6miles on the bike, then circuit training on the weights, which isn't as bad as it sounds, though not convinced i'm doing it quite right. 6 lots of weights, 2 x 10 reps on each, move round quick! Then i did a short slow run to cool down for 5 mins.
Walked back home feeling chuffed with myself, a bit tired, but happy i did it, as me and the gym haven't seen each other for 2 weeks, maybe nearer 3! Booked in for Pilates on Weds, finish work early and an hour session. Should be something i do regular, so my physio told me, i just kept making excuses, to tired, to busy etc... no excuses!
I shall report back.
Hello Girlred!
I've not been on here for a while ....
Anyway, just to say that I'm encouraged by your comments about your Parkrun times. I've got a PB of 28.09. However that was a few months ago. I'm lacking enthusiasm at the mo. It seems I can do a bit for a while then a wave of fatigue hits me. Recently mananged to do some decent mileage on the bike ... Two days of about 50 miles each day over some big hills in Cumbria & Yorkshire. At one point I nearly threw the bike in to the hedge, I felt defeated. I wanted to stamp my feet & scream at this bloomin' Parkinson's & tell it to go away. ( I wasn't quite so polite at the time!) but actually, my feet would not lift high enough to stamp so I just pushed my bike as well as I could until I could get my act together & ride again at the top of the hill. Some nice descents though! :-).
We just have to keep trying, even on the difficult days, & be grateful that we can.
Will go back to my local Parkrun soon ..... ish!
I've not been checking the forum regularly either but good to see we're all still giving it a go. I'll try to write more later to-day.
Hi!
I'm a keen runner who has recently been diagnosed with YOPD, so I thought I'd say hello!
Interested to hear other peoples experiences of running with PD. My issues are with one arm, so I'm a bit uneven with my arm swing when I run.
I'd previously done 3 marathons, including a sub 4hr at Brighton in 2012, and it was soon the following year that I started having problems with symptoms. Struggling with not knowning what was going on put me off for a while, but now I've been diagnosed I feel like I can really try again and enjoy it while I can. Really hoping to do another marathon in 2015, and at least this time it won't be a struggle deciding which charity to run for :)
Best,
T