Letrozole and Running

By and large, my experience with Letrozole has been much easier than anticipated. One of the side effects I had noted was an overly elevated heart rate when running. As this is not a common side effect of Letrozole, my oncologist referred me to a cardiologist who did an echocardiogram. (The results were normal.)

I have recently wanted to run more, and thanks to my daughters-in-law I have found that a run-walk method of running is working well to keep my heart rate in check, while still covering the miles in a timely manner.

We’re doing a half marathon together in just over a week. I can hardly wait, and I am thankful that this small change in how I run has made all the difference in my ability to continue to engage in an activity I love.

I just haven’t regained my stamina

This past week I saw an acquaintance I hadn’t seen in a while, and she shared with me that she had had abdominal surgery. I asked her how her recovery had gone and how she was feeling now, to which she replied: “I just haven’t regained my stamina.”

Those words resonated with me and summed up the way I’ve been feeling lately. I feel absolutely fine . . . but I am not the person I was before surgery in May 2023. I felt the same way after my initial surgery in 2019. I recovered quickly, I felt just fine, but I was never quite the same after that procedure.

I thought through that as I was run/walking around Wrightsville Beach yesterday morning.

I noticed groups of runners out together, a common sight on the weekends, and I thought back to the days when I ran every Saturday with friends. I remembered how easy 10 miles used to feel, how quickly a couple of hours on a Saturday morning could go by.

I have nothing to complain about these days. I’m thankful for the health I am currently enjoying, while always aware that the words “incurable” were spoken to me by my healthcare provider.

I go back to Duke November 13, and I am expecting a good report again. But, if I’m being transparent, I just haven’t regained my stamina.

And I miss it.