Fitness Forum - Can I Train for a Marathon after Recovering from a Ruptured

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Q: Can I Train for a Marathon after Recovering from a Ruptured

asked by: DoctorQuestion on March 10th, 2006

I had a ruptured aorta from a car accident six years ago and since then have remained pretty active (weights and aerobic exercise). I have recently wanted to run a marathon and am thinking about training using the Jeff Galloway method ie run/walk. I ran 7 miles last week and my heart rate stays at around 148 for the running portion of 5 mins and drops to 127 during the 1 min walking portion. I am currently taking Vasotec 20mg BID and LoPressor 50mg 1/2 BID plus aspirin. Initially my cardiologist heard that I wanted to run a marathon and said no way, but I have not yet had a chance to describe my training program and my pace/heart rate measurements. I have read alot about the benefits of exercise in the target heart rate zone and I was wondering if there is alot of risk running longer distances in this zone. Can people who have this surgery run longer distances with walk breaks taken frequently, or is this dangerous? Thanks for any information you might be able to offer me.
Joe

Replies(1)

Dr. Nikola Gjuzelov , MD

replied on March 28th, 2006

Fitness Answer A596

I recommend you listen to your cardiologist because for a person with such difficult heart injury like yours it is very dangerous to train for hard sports like a marathon... no matter the technique he uses. During hard physical activities, blood pressure increases and there is a risk for another local rupture of the aorta on the previously injured location. Anti-hypertensive drugs (Vasotec and LoPressor) won’t help you in extreme conditions such as running a marathon.

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