PNEUMONIA AND RETURNING TO RUNNING

dartmoor runner

Hello all

I have just been signed off work with pneumonia - bit of a shocker as I thought I had a virus.

Can anyone share their experineces with me here on returning to running and how to tailor you training. I am a member of my local running club and train 2 nigths a week with the club , plus a long run at the weekend.

I should add that I have a place in the Grizzly on 10 March ! 

Thanks in advance all 

dan newman 3

It depends a lot on how severe your pneumonia is? I've been unfortunate enough to have it twice in the last 15 months. First time I had it was November 2011, and had it severe in the right lung and slightly in the left, and had to stay in hospital overnight. I went back to work in the January and set my sights on the Folkestone 10 mile in early April. The first few weeks of training were very difficult. I started off with a lot of slow short runs about 3 miles at 9 min mile pace and even these were tough. But I slowly built up the distance and pace and run a 1.15.30 at the race only 2 mins outside my personal best but I didn't have a very comfortable race with lots of pain in my back and chest, but got through it. I then ran a half marathon in may and I felt great all the way round and finished in 1 hr 35. Then in June I got pneumonia in the left lung and was off for another month and a half, and again just took it very easy.

All I can recommend is don't run until you get the all clear from your gp and have a chat with him/her about getting back into running. And when you do start up again keep it short and slow and build yourself up. It was tough for me mentally as it felt like starting all over again but if your persistent and positive it won't take you long to get back to full fitness.

I hope you get better soon

runwiththewind

As said above, just be very careful about it.

I had pneumonia Christmas last year and took quite a while to get back into. The main problem was that I had torn a few intercostals and this is what took getting back into exercise really tough. I just started easy, only doing what I could do comfortably. I'm also a swimmer, and found this a bit tougher to get back into then running. I did find that I could bike ok and use the x trainer...so might be worth, once you've recovered a bit, to join a gym. It helped not being out in the cold, and could do some light weights and light cardio which helped build back my strength.

It is horrible, but just make sure you are completely better else it will just linger!