DBefore PD I was able to run up to marathon (26 miles)
I can now run very slowly until about 3. Miles max. At this point I lose control. I am not able to stop without holding on to something. Pd takes over and I find myself running faster than I can control
Has anybody experienced similar symptoms. And any advice
My apologies should not have. Selected young onset caregory
Hi @Zatopec,
I’m sure you’ll receive some advice from members on the forum, however, you may want to check out our exercise section on our website which has some really useful information. You can find this here - https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/information-and-support/exercise-progressing-symptoms.
I hope you find this useful.
Best wishes,
Reah
I too used to run marathons and with PD now run very slowly up to about 3 miles. But then I’m knackered and I stop.
Your running out of control certainly sounds odd to me!
I am finding my running much slower, and I am now doing a 2 min run/1 min walk. That helps. My time for 5k has dropped from 30min to about 37 over a couple of years. I am 57 and still doing triathlons, just slower. I have resigned myself to the slow down, but not suffering the problems you are
Try run walk?
Yo have same rate of slowing up as me. 5k last Saturday was 36.20. That was a mix of jog and walk. Pleasing that it was all controlled. Hope to improve by starting very slow but determined to improve
I have not had similiar symptoms regarding the not stopping. My running feels like Im rrunning through treacle. Neverthe lesss I keep going , and keep going to Parkruns.
Parkruns are great
**Running And Motivation
Hi there been off the forum for 2 years +
After initial diagnosis 3 years ago when I read everything ,took up PD Worrier and kept running for a time .
Then Covid Happened and I somehow stopped running and taking any real interest in my fitness .
I still work and have a physical Job which keeps my body mobile . By the end of the day I am really not interested in a post work run ! ( Don’T really know if this is PD apathy or just some 67 year old bloke acting like an old man .
My running background started late (in my early fifties ) and I have never been a road runner *so my knees still work * I run off road and preferably off trail . Somehow I got hooked on Ultra Marathons , preferably on mountains and involving navigation Just before my PD Diagnosis you would find me racing most years along the pennine way (aprox 400Km ) every january. Sleep deprivation , 18 hrs darkness ,gales ,blizzards and navigating through bogs at 2 am were all part of the fun .
PD Diagnosis was a real game changer . I stopped all ultramarathon running and cut out almost all my training . My motivation evaporated through fear of the unknown and I began to be Hyper Aware of my dysfunctional gate . My lack of left arm swing made running (especially up hill ) hard work ! . The only thing that kept me motivated was Racing .and my performance was tailing off fast .
I can vividly remember the first time I experienced Hand tremor . It happened during a fell race when I guess my Adrenalin /Cortisol levels had a fight with My Dopamine levels . I finished that race but was close to tears from experiencing my first lurch/glance , into my PD Future .
Sorry about the ramble but it should give you an idea of where I am coming from .
During My Official Diagnosis Consultation with my PD Specialist one instruction from him was DO NOT STOP RUNNING !
It works like this : Running especially off road not only keeps you fit but also reinforces the neural pathways involved in balance . What’s special about off road you may well ask . The answer is that to run off road and especially off trail on rough ground , your brain will work hard keeping you upright and moving forward ( this is complex and intensive brain exercise that will preserve your balance and delay to some extent the onset of other PD Motor issues )
For me I am getting back into running . I consider my self lucky to still be able to run down rough mountain sides ( all but much slower than I used to ) . The fact that I can still do this is probably due to my past off road running .
Now I am nearly retired I work shorter days and have the energy to go running after work .
Park Run is a great way to maintain Motivation . You run/walk at your own pace and can monitor your fitness by your finish time each week .
Having lost my running fitness I am in that painful phase where running hurts . However Past experience leads me to believe that with a little more effort I will be able to run up every hill on my local Park run and bring the joy back into my running and reduce my finish times . After that then I hope to enter a few local (Dartmoor ) fell races .
So my advice is to maintain or preferably raise your level of fitness when you are Diagnosed . Running may delay the onset of your symptoms . Running on rough ground takes practice even without PD so start on level surfaces . If you find you can run-on trails it will do you more good than running on roads .
Finally It would be great to start a running club for runners with Parkinson’s . The name of the club : "Moving and Shaking Running Club " If we have T shirts the printed on the back should be written : “Caution Random Hand Signals !”
Take care all and keep moving
also back here after 3 years since i posted above about running
Haven’t done any for months, but your post has motivated me to do some. I cycle daily and swim once a week, but really don’t feel i have any triathlon left in me. I did manage an Ironman 5 years ago (6 mths after diagnosis) and a half IM in 2019 but I think that’s it at that level
Hi everyone , i saw running mentioned and came for a look. i am one of the "luckier"ones i guess. In just over 5 weeks time i’m running the London Marathon for Parkinsons UK - it’ll be my 13th Marathon , my last one being in 2016 in. Edinburgh .
i still work , i play walking football regularly and more or less do what i want - i’ve also got to 160 Parkruns somehow - i runa Parkrun for Parkinsons group which helps me to raise awareness anongst runners of Young onset Parkinsons on particular as thats how it got me = 39yrs old , now 57yrs old so not doing too badly i feel .
If anyome on herer is doing London please get in touch - i really like the idea of a Parkies Running club with our own t-shirts - need any help setting it up ? i have experience !!
Thanks Zapotec, the more I read since I was diagnosed just a week ago makes me realise what a range von conditions this Parkinsons includes, and feel relatively lucky. As a long time runner first thing to say is that marathons I never touched as a serious risk to human health, but half marathons another story. Looking back I understand the sudden onset fatigue 2009 was my first symptom rather that the CFS and FND diagnosed until they got it right. What I found was that until the left arm started hanging down it was mind over matter and the previous joy felt sadly wasn’t there really. As a life coping mechanism any runner knows how hard that is. I now as I say rejoice in the knowledge of anything I can do now imagining myself down the line just thinking thank god i did whatever I could when I could. The feature you describe I don’t recognise and sounds really scary, not being balker to find the off button, and polar opposite to the tiredness and zoning our I experience. Wishing you a solution that helps you do what you can safely.
Is there a parky runners group in London at all btw anyone know, agree how much easier it is running with others and plan to join local group. NB I do find far more value now in combining with other things exercise wise, definitely walking, ballet or whatever you find, all there own challenges, Mark
