Running with fatigue & arthritis.

26 replies

Interoperability · 12/02/2023 23:05

Hi everyone,

I've had a tough year. First had flu (swabbed and confirmed) and became very weak. Then pneumonia.

After a few months of extreme fatigue and body aches my blood results were iffy and I was referred to rheumatology where I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.

I was a very fit and healthy runner before. I'm 5ft 2 and in my 30s but I've been so inactive - I've put on a lot of weight and now have a very low mood.

My consultant said if I can run, do it. But gently.

Am thinking 3k's instead of 5k's? I ran earlier for 5k and I was still going too fast (9 min miles is too fast for someone like me, I think?) and Ive completely overdone it and I'm in agony tonight.

I was wondering if anyone else has managed to keep jogging / running with arthritis and fatigue? My meds make me tired and bloated so I'm really up against it and just need some friendly support

Thanks x

OP posts:

Tivadivaz · 12/02/2023 23:58

Not with arthritis, but post back surgery. What I have recently discovered after twenty years of running (as fast as I could, every run!), is zone 2 running.
I built my mileage back up to 20-30 miles a week, mostly doing heart rate zone 2 runs.
I found it much less stressful on my joints and muscles, still got my running fix from it (even though it felt horribly slow when I started (2-3 mins a mile slower than my usual pace) and I built up to my first half marathon post back surgery, and was only a minute slower than my pre children/ pre surgery, all time PB.

So all the slow runs (3 slow runs, plus one interval run, and one tempo run a week) didn’t slow down my race pace at all.

Re fatigue, it felt so easy it was like a walk so I would imagine it would help/ not worsen that too.

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