Hoping To Complete Another Ironman With Vascular Disease: Winter Strength Training Begins

Ironman With Vascular Disease

ironman with vascular disease

Completing an Ironman with peripheral vascular disease,

plus an aortic aneurysm stent graft, is a bit of a puzzle.

I love puzzles – OQS time.

After a poor performance at the Maine Marathon, due to intense foot pain, I’m revisiting the challenge of running with limited blood flow to my feet. Especially my right foot – stenosis of branches of the popliteal artery.

By the way: training, though undertrained, dramatically reduced running-induced claudication in my right calf.

Preparing for another Ironman comes down to:

  1. Finding a running or walking/running style that maximizes blood flow to my feet.
  2. Conditioning all those tiny muscles in my lower legs to function on limited blood flow, without going anaerobic.
  3. Return to race weight (148 lbs).
  4. Completing a sub-6 hr-marathon comfortably.
  5. Not giving up!
ironman with vascular disease, hermit island campground Mane

Wonderful sunset over Casco bay, seen from Hermit Island Campground, Maine.

They forced a medal on me, for a 7+ hour marathon! Whatever! Guess I did finish before they closed the course.

More importantly, we had a great time camping on Hermit Island Camp Ground. What a beautiful view of the bay.

OK!

Consistent training.

OQS application to running.

Interestingly, swimming and cycling seem to be unaffected by the progressive vascular challenges.

I find this odd, given the fact that cyclists develop huge calf muscles.

Life is good.

kev aka FitOldDog

OH YES! Don’t forget to ask your doctor to post this picture in her/his patient waiting room. The best medicines are diet and exercise, plus smiling in the face of adversity.

ironman with vascular disease, three mri scans

Grey is muscle, white is fat, clear ring around the central white spot (bone marrow) is the femoral bone.

 

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Disclaimer: As a veterinarian, I do not provide medical advice for human animals. If you undertake or modify an exercise program, consult your medical advisors before doing so. Undertaking activities pursued by the author does not mean that he endorses your undertaking such activities, which is clearly your decision and responsibility. Be careful and sensible, please.