{"id":15634,"date":"2019-06-04T16:28:38","date_gmt":"2019-06-04T15:28:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.myhealthspecialist.com\/blog\/?p=15634"},"modified":"2024-06-30T06:12:46","modified_gmt":"2024-06-30T05:12:46","slug":"running-and-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myhealthspecialist.com\/blog\/2019\/06\/04\/running-and-me\/","title":{"rendered":"Running and ME"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Running<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At my\npeak<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2004 for me was my peak year of running and fitness. Aged 33 years, I was running 5-6 times per week and totalling around 40-50 miles per week, with a traditional long run on a Sunday morning. I had completed the London Marathon in both 2001 and 2003.  My love of running and endorphin addiction pushed me to enter an ultramarathon of 32 miles on Dartmoor in June 2004 – this was preceded, a week before, by my best ever half marathon time of 1 hr 29 mins and 53 secs. The ultramarathon took me 5 hrs 20 mins and was certainly a great challenge. I then went on to do my 3rd<\/sup> and final marathon in London in 2005, with a personal best time of 3 hrs 31 mins. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFor many reasons, after that time I ran less – I was very busy re-specializing\nin sports\/exercise medicine from being a GP, so time was a big issue. I also\ndeveloped a few injuries, but still managed to run a fair amount. I also\nstarted to enjoy circuit training with military colleagues that I worked with\nand discovered the world of rowing intervals and burpees! This mixture of\nactivity really continued for many years with an occasional half marathon being\nrun. I was enjoying the combination of running and circuit training, but things\ntook a turn for the worse in 2015\u2026\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My\ndiagnosis with ME<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In March 2015 I suffered from a very nasty bout of bacterial tonsillitis – I had forgotten how unwell this could make you feel! I was treated with antibiotics and felt fine after a couple of weeks of treatment. However, I then started to feel unwell after exercising 2-3 months later; I could run and exercise but would feel awful afterwards, with aching joints and extreme fatigue. I could do my job without any difficulties and walk as much as I wanted – but any attempts to exercise harder would bring me back to square one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was referred to a specialist who carried out some blood tests. They showed I had a low white cell count and low vitamin D, but this was marginal. He diagnosed me with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)<\/strong>, the so-called \u201cYuppy flu<\/em>\u201d or \u201cChronic Fatigue Syndrome<\/em>\u201d. As a GP, I had seen patients with this condition before, but of course, now I took a much more personal interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very difficult to simplify ME, but I\nwould just summarize the condition as meaning your body cells cannot release\nenough energy.\n\nI tried so many\nthings to help and for 2 years was really unable to exercise at all. This was\nincredibly frustrating – I always relied on my exercise to help me feel good\nand relieve my stress. I had people telling me that I was not fit!  From ultra-marathon to ultra-nothing. So incredibly\nfrustrating. I needed to really focus on a plan and stick to it.\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turning\nthings around<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So 2 years ago I decided to start very small and build up gradually – rather than the \u201cboom and bust\u201d approach that I had been doing. I started swimming 8 lengths of a 20m pool twice weekly.  I wanted to do 80 lengths but had to hold back and remain patient. Over the course of a year, I had increased to swimming a mile (80 lengths) twice a week. I would still feel tired afterwards, but if I rested for 48 hrs with no further exercise I would recover.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then in January 2018, I started to run again – my real passion. I began with small distances and used a walk\/run approach. This worked well and soon I felt able to increase my running to 4-6 miles each time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year it has continued to go well, so I entered the Hackney half marathon. I have developed a couple of injuries as any runner may do (mainly Achilles\/calf soreness), but the very fact I am running far enough to get this makes me happy! A couple of weeks ago I decided to run on a treadmill for a softer landing.  I ran for 2 hrs 3 mins and 3 secs – completing my first ever half marathon on a treadmill. As for the Hackney half, I was delighted to finish the race in 1 hr 52 mins, achieving the sub 2 hrs time I was hoping for!  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How my\nstory can help others<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking back on my experience and how I got my\nfitness back, I\u2019d like to share my advice with other patients with ME:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n