Hello everyone,
I’ve been posting on this site for over 18months and you’ll usually find me in the 'film review' thread or Cannycrack the Geordie language society thread.
I’d really like to become a regular poster on a running related thread but have always been unwilling to join in on a thread where everyone seems know each other really well, as I didn’t wish to seem intrusive. I’ve decided to introduce myself on this thread as I’m up against a bit of a challenge and I’d like some space to talk about my eventual victory over this challenge and hopefully it will inspire others(more about this later)
A little bit about me.
I’m 46 year old male and live in Northumberland. I’ve done many different jobs but at this time of my life I’m working as a lecturer FE/HE.
I’m not a novice runner and have been involved in physical fitness since my early teens, been a forces PT instructor and have worked in the industry as a personal trainer. I was running marathons until 2002 when I lapsed into domesticity and debauchery (or was it the other way around?) and did no exercise for at least 18 months and trebled my alcohol intake. The result I put on five stone in weight (12 stone to 17stone).
I’ve been putting this right for the past 12 months and am running up to 30-40 miles per week and am slowly (very slowly) getting back to the old me.
My Challenge
About four years ago my heart went into an irregular rhythm beating very quickly and then slowing, this went on for about an hour. It happened again three months later and then again. After a shoulder replacement op two years ago it happened whilst I was under the knife and in recovery and it was diagnosed as AF (atrial fibrillation). Since then the attacks have become more frequent and longer (I’m having one now) lasting up to 20 hours sometimes three or four times a week RHR from 45-190bpm. I’m being treated with drugs and hopefully I’ll be having an op shortly to try and put this right (catheter ablation).
I’m going to beat this condition into submission, (with the help of my friends in medicine) I’m going to run the Great North Run in October and a marathon in Spring 2007 and I’m going to tell you how I did it and trying not to sound presumptuous and pompous, hopefully it will inspire one or two people.
One day something is going to ‘get’ me, but it won’t be today and it won’t be AF.
Finally, I’ve been here before. As a child I was hospitalised with asthma on more than one occasion. At the age of 12 My GP a Polish doctor and very dear family friend took me to one side at a family Xmas party and told me to ‘never ever give in to this illness, play football with the other boys, go swimming and run RUN…’ I took his advice and at the age of 16 I was school cross country 1500 meters and 800 meters champion and was symptom free from 17 until I was in my mid 30’s (well controlled)
I apologise for the length of this post (my others won’t be this long honestly!) and I look forward to swapping inspiration with you.
Corinthian
